Samsung aims to beat Apple with edge-to-edge display, no home button on Galaxy S8

Potentially beating Apple to the punch in some regards, Samsung's next flagship — the Galaxy S8 — will allegedly have an edge-to-edge, bezel-free display in all forms, and omit a physical home button in favor of a "virtual" one embedded in the glass.

All versions of the phone will make use of curved OLED panels, sources claimed to Bloomberg. The S6 and S7 each shipped in two versions: a standard one with a conventional flat display, and a more expensive "Edge" model with the display curving over the sides. The Edge option has proven popular, and making it de facto might be both a natural move and financially practical, as long as OLED manufacturing capacity is sufficient.

Samsung is said to be targeting a March window for the S8, but might delay that until April. The company has reportedly adopted tougher testing in the aftermath of the Galaxy Note 7, which was rushed to market to seize more sales from Apple's iPhone 7, but eventually ended up off the market completely because of a series of battery fires and explosions Samsung was unable to stem.

Edge-to-edge and/or curved OLED displays have been rumored for 2017 iPhones, as has the idea of an embedded home button. Only one model — with a 5.1- or 5.2-inch display — is expected to get OLED, though, while 4.7- and 5.5-inch units may rely on LCD.

Borrowing another cue from Apple, the S8 is expected to omit a headphone jack. The decision to jettison the technology from the iPhone 7 has been controversial, given the number of speakers, headphones, and other accessories that use 3.5-millimeter jacks, forcing many people to use adapters. It's also impossible to charge the phone and use wired external audio at the same time without a special adapter or dock.

70 Comments

ireland 17435 comments · 18 Years

About 7 years ago

Incoming!

cali 3494 comments · 10 Years

If true, doesn't this imitation goods manufacturer learn?

rushing a product to beat Apple doesn't work.

macxpress 5910 comments · 16 Years

sog35 said:

Man if Samsung comes out with a bezeless phone next year and Apple only gives us the 7s they will get killed

Why is Apple so slow with design? Why can't Apple lead in design anymore?

The bezeless iPhone should have been the 7.

When was the last time Apple was actually cutting edge?

iPhone and iPad were cutting edge. And the Watch to a lesser extent.

There's a difference between rushing a product out and having a good product. Apple has never tried to be first, but in the end they're the better than everyone else. Cutting edge doesn't have to be first. iPhone wasn't the first smartphone...it was late to the party, but it was better than anything else. iPad wasn't first to the tablet space, but it was better than everyone else. There's no prize for being first.

Lets not also forget the last time Samsung rushed a product out it didn't end up so well. Their craze for beating Apple is beating themselves in the end.

sog35 said:

Man if Samsung comes out with a bezeless phone next year and Apple only gives us the 7s they will get killed

Why is Apple so slow with design?

Note 7 bet iPhone 7 to market and practically look down planes and the whole line was recalled. Why do you not give all rumors equal weight. Apple may do with a 7s and an OLED iPhone 8 next year. Apple take their time and get it right. Other guys cram shit into their phones and they explode, literally, and they add OLED before all those burn-in issues are ironed out and give us large phones while being too fat and heavy. As it is the 7 and 7s are too big and heavy for me. Never mind some of the previous Androids.

Get out of the stock before following this company sends you to an early grave, would you. If you're in Apple stock to make money you're five years too late. They make money hand-over-fist, but stock price is about Wall St. greed, corruption, manipulation and future exponential growth—not happening.

lkrupp 10521 comments · 19 Years

AppleInsider said:

Then why is Samsung expected to follow suit if it’s so controversial? The iPhone 7 is out and selling well but you techie luddites are still sitting at the dive bar throwing down boilermakers and bitching about it, commiserating with each other as you throw your shot glasses at Jony Ive’s picture on the dartboard. On c|net the Samsung sycophants are already proclaiming they will abandon the Galaxy S8 if it loses the headphone jack, just like they did when the removable battery and SD card slot went away too. This just proves that while you clamor for change and choice, when it hits you in the face you reject it. Or is it really just all about maintaining a negative attitude?