Samsung Galaxy S8 release date, specs rumors 2016: Next Galaxy S-series handset to follow iPhone 7's footstep?

Fresh from the much talked-about September Apple event, the all-new iPhone 7 model seems to be making its mark in the smartphone industry. One of the surprising revelations of Apple about the new iPhone is the mobile device getting rid of the traditional 3.5 mm headphone hack. According to the latest rumors, while some may not be open to this kind of change with today's handsets, the upcoming S-series smartphone from Samsung might be doing just the exact thing.

The rumors are rife that the Samsung Galaxy S8, the South Korean tech giant's highly anticipated device for next year, will also be losing the earphone jack for wireless headphone experience. According to reports, Samsung may be following Apple's footstep by moving on from the 3.5mm jack and embrace the wireless audio technology. Still, there are people who would rather see the next Galaxy S-series phone not following the iPhone 7's features. For now, Samsung has not yet talked about the Galaxy S8 so the features of the device are still up in the air.

On the other hand, BGR reported that next year's Galaxy S8 will be arriving in two variants, just like what was seen with the Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 Edge. Specifically, there will be a 5.1-inch and 5.5-inch versions of the smartphone, but both of them will be sporting a curved edge design for the first time in the S-series family. Its display feature is expected to be top-notch because of its rumored 4K Ultra HD display technology.

Furthermore, Samsung might be planning to release their fastest and most powerful handset yet by using the new Samsung Exynos 8895 processor. As reported by WCCF Tech, the latest leaks for the Galaxy S8 reveal that the smartphone's new chipset will be clocked at 3.0GHz, which is very impressive on today's standards. In spite of the high clock speed, the new Exynos chipset is still expected to be more energy-efficient compared to its predecessors.

Now more than ever, the Galaxy S8 must come out strong to make the public think past of the recent Galaxy Note 7 debacle. It might take some time for the people to forget about the Galaxy Note 7's battery explosion issues, but with the anticipated release of the Galaxy S8 in the first half of 2017, it may change a lot of things for the company.