Reports are rife that upcoming flagship smartphones Samsung Galaxy S8 and Apple’s iPhone 8 may be fully waterproof as part of an upgrade from its predecessors.
The rumor stems from a certain report that both upcoming devices have obtained IP68 certifications before launching, the highest certification given to smartphones.
IP68 protection means that the device can be submerged in 1.5 meters of water for 30 minutes. Samsung and other smartphone manufacturers use a special nanocoating on their devices to prevent water from sipping in, even though it has open ports including the 3.5mm jack.
International Business Times says that while Samsung is expected to make its next flagship phone waterproof, the iPhone 8 will be the first Apple flagship device to carry the feature. The media outlet notes that the iPhone 7 was water-resistant, not waterproof.
The iPhone 7 models carry an IP67 certification that allowed phone protection when submerged into one meter of water for 30 minutes.
Reports say that the waterproof feature was added as part of the flagship line’s drastic changes in celebration of its 10th anniversary.
Tech analysts comment that Apple’s waterproof feature may be limited to the iPhone 8, but Samsung is expected to extend its IP68 certification across their array of devices.
Samsung’s recent releases, the 2017 edition of A3, A5, and A7 smartphones actually carried IP68 certification.
The Samsung Galaxy S8 is expected to launch sometime in April while the iPhone 8 is due for release in September.
According to Express of UK, the South Korean smartphone maker is planning for a grand launch in New York rather than its previous event at the Mobile World Congress due to be held in Barcelona later next month.
The upcoming flagship device is likely to boast a number of improvements from its predecessor such as a bigger and brighter screen display, better camera, and a faster Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 processor.
New 3D renders of what the smartphone may look like have recently been released. The tech giant is expected to stick with the dual curved display on the Galaxy S8 amid rumors that the home button is being removed.
The home button’s removal will reportedly allow Samsung to reduce the bezels at the bottom of the device. However, it looks like the removal won’t sit well with Samsung users.
The smartphone manufacturer is also rumored to keep the headphone port. After the iPhone 7’s bold move to ditch its headphone jack received mostly negative reviews from users, Samsung decided to not remove the headphone jack for the Galaxy S8.
Just like previous models, Mashable reports that the Galaxy S8 may come in two different variants. A regular model and an Edge model with Quad HD and 4K resolutions, respectively.
The device’s screen is also rumored to be HDR-ready just like the infamous Galaxy Note 7. This feature might be what can attract more consumers.
The latest addition to the fame Galaxy S series will be getting the latest Android operating system out of the box.
Android Nougat for the Galaxy S7 Edge update has also started to roll out, with beta testers of the OS getting priority. It might take a while before all the update comes to specific units.
Meanwhile, aside from the waterproof feature, Apple’s latest addition to its iPhone franchise is highly rumored to incorporate housing glass and stainless steel in the iPhone 8.
The device reportedly will have glass panels reinforced both on the back and front, along with a stainless steel bezel to improve robustness and reduce cost as well as manufacturing time.
Foxconn Electronics and Jabil have reportedly been tapped to manufacture the necessary components for the new smartphone’s designs.