Samsung’s ISOCELL Dual camera sensor can also measure depth

Samsung recently showcased four new sub-brands of ISOCELL camera sensors: ISOCELL Bright, ISOCELL Dual, ISOCELL Fast, and ISOCELL Slim. It is being speculated that the company will bring a dual-camera camera setup in the Galaxy Note 8. The company showcased a few features of the ISOCELL Dual camera sensor at MWC 2017 Shanghai. Now, a few new additional features have emerged from Samsung’s official documents.

A document that’s meant for showcasing Samsung’s upcoming technologies and plans to investors and shareholders mentions depth sensing, zooming, and enhanced low-light images. ISOCELL Dual sensors are said to be capable of these features, and we might see some of these features being used in the Galaxy Note 8. The phablet was earlier rumored to feature dual-13MP+12MP camera sensors with 3x zoom capabilities.

Samsung has been using both Sony and ISOCELL camera sensors in its high-end smartphones, but it remains to be seen if the South Korean smartphone giant will switch to exclusively using ISOCELL Dual sensors in the Galaxy Note 8. The smartphone is expected to be announced sometime in August and made available in September, earlier than the iPhone 7s and the iPhone 8.

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Galaxy Note 8 cases already available for pre-order, reveal design clues

It’s not uncommon for us to see cases and accessories for a new handset appear before the device itself has been unveiled. Online retailer Mobile Fun listed and started taking pre-orders for official Galaxy Note 7 accessories in July last year. Today, the retailer has made the official Galaxy Note 8 cases from Olixar available for pre-order.

It is widely believed that accessory manufacturers are often the first to get information about an upcoming handset’s design so that they can get their products ready in time for launch. Their product images are accompanied by somewhat accurate renders of the unreleased device which provide us with a good look at a device that’s not even official.

The Galaxy Note 8 renders included in Olixar’s product images suggest that the handset is going to have an Infinity Display that’s going to be slightly larger than the one found on the Galaxy S8. A big cutout at the back reveals the dual-camera system and the fingerprint sensor.

If this is accurate then it appears that the Galaxy Note 8 won’t come with an optical fingerprint sensor as well. It also merits mentioning here that the fingerprint sensor appears to have been distanced a bit from the camera by the heart rate sensor. This should address complaints of accidentally smudging the camera lens that’s inevitable on the Galaxy S8.

The colors of these cases suggest that the Galaxy Note 8 will be available in Black, Silver, Gold and Blue colors. The cases and additional accessories like the wireless charging case and 2-Piece Pop Cover are all available for pre-order from Mobile Fun.

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SamMobile Daily Recap: July 4, 2017 — Galaxy Note 8, Galaxy S8 and more!

We publish a lot of stories on a daily basis. Unfortunately, the majority of news breaks during our European hours of operation, which makes it difficult for our readers in the US (and other regions) to keep up. However, we think we’ve come up with a fantastic solution — a daily recap.

Here’s what went out today.

Business

Samsung plans to invest $18.6 billion to extend its lead in display panels and memory chips

Samsung starts mass production at its new chip plant in Pyeongtaek, South Korea

Deals

Daily Deal: Bag yourself a 5,200mAh Fast Charge Battery Pack for 15% off

Firmware News

June 2017 security patch starts rolling out to Galaxy S6 in Europe

T-Mobile Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 edge receive June security patch

General

Samsung’s Bixby smart speaker is reportedly in development

Opinion

5 things I like about the Galaxy S8+

Phones

Galaxy S8 Active, Tab A2 S, and Galaxy J7 Reloaded appear in Samsung’s official app changelog

Launch of Bixby Voice in the US delayed due to lack of enough big data

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Galaxy Note 8 glass protective cover surfaces online

An image has surfaced online allegedly showcasing the glass protective cover for the upcoming Galaxy Note 8. As expected, the handset looks like a lot like a Galaxy S8+ that’s been stretched diagonally — and we aren’t complaining.

Just like the Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8+, the Galaxy Note 8 sports a near bezel-less design. However, recent reports claim that it’s a little thicker to house the S Pen and the much-anticipated dual-camera module.

The Galaxy Note 8 measures in at approximately 162.4 x 74.5 x 8.4mm, with the thickness jumping up to 9.5mm when you factor in the camera bump, but its weight is currently unknown.

Unfortunately, Samsung decided against installing an optical fingerprint reader on the Galaxy Note 8, so it’s embedded a traditional scanner alongside the camera, LED flash and heart rate monitor on the rear of the device.

Leaks and rumors suggest that the Galaxy Note 8 will sport a 6.3-inch edge-to-edge Infinity Display (18.5:9 aspect ratio), an Exynos 8895/Snapdragon 835 CPU, 6GB of RAM and at least a 3,300mAh battery.

That performance won’t come cheap, though. The Galaxy Note 8, which should be available in three colors — black, blue and gold — is expected to be Samsung’s most expensive smartphone to date, carrying an eye-watering price tag of $1,100.

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5 things I like about the Galaxy S8+

I’ve been the proud owner of a Galaxy S8+ ever since it hit the shelves back in April, and I’m pleased to report that there isn’t anything I really don’t like about the handset. There is, however, a lot I like about it — so I thought I’d put together a column outlining the top five things that have ultimately kept my SIM in the Galaxy S8+.

Build quality

For a smartphone that’s primarily constructed from glass, the Galaxy S8 is relatively durable. I’ve dropped my unit a couple of times and it’s managed to escape unscathed, though there are a couple of minor scratches on the back, which were likely caused by storing the device into the same pocket as my keys.

Camera

The Galaxy S8 sports the same 12-megapixel camera as its predecessor, the Galaxy S7. However, Samsung has made a number of minor changes to further improve the quality of the images it captures — and it’s done a fantastic job. Images taken in the regular point-and-shoot mode are crisp, though it has a tough time in poorly lit environments.

Camera comparison: Galaxy S8 vs the Galaxy S7

Infinity Display

Wow. That’s the only way I can describe the Galaxy S8’s Infinity Display. Sadly, it’s something you have to experience for yourself as no words will ever do it justice, but if you haven’t had a chance to play around with the device, imagine the clearest, most vivid curved screen and you’ll have a pretty good idea of what it’s like to hold the Galaxy S8.

On-screen navigation

I’m a big fan of on-screen navigation keys, which is why I was pleased when I found out that Samsung had axed its traditional configuration (capacitive Back and Recents buttons and a physical Home key) in favor of a virtual set. Having the option to change both the appearance and order of the buttons to suit your personal preference is also a nice touch.

Related content: Five Galaxy S8 features that have made my life easier

Samsung Experience

While this feature isn’t strictly limited to the Galaxy S8, it’s still something I really like. For the first time, Samsung’s custom user interface, which has been rebranded from TouchWiz to Samsung Experience, is actually incredibly smooth and responsive. Moreover, it suits the handset’s extra wide 18.5:9 aspect ratio perfectly.

What do you think?

If you own a Galaxy S8 or Galaxy S8+, we’d love to know exactly what you like and dislike about it — so be sure to leave a comment in the section below. Alternatively, you can reach us over on Facebook and Twitter, where we’re always looking to engage in a conversation.

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Launch of Bixby Voice in the US delayed due to lack of enough big data

Samsung was supposed to launch the Galaxy S8 and the Galaxy S8+ with Bixby, one of its major features. However, when the phone was launched in Korea as well as in the US, Bixby’s voice capabilities weren’t activated, and it took the company months before the feature was launched in its home market South Korea. Samsung recently started accepting beta testers for Bixby Voice in the US.

It is now being reported by The Korea Herald that Samsung delayed the launch of English version of Bixby Voice due to the lack of enough big data accumulation. Big data is the key technology for deep learning, and it works best when there’s a lot of data accumulated from all over the web. “Developing Bixby in other languages is taking more time than we expected mainly because of the lack of the accumulation of big data,” a Samsung spokesperson told the publication.

Samsung was late in adopting big data, and other tech giants, including Amazon, Apple, and Google are far ahead of Samsung in this regard. Another reason for the delay of Bixby Voice in the US is the communication gap between Samsung engineers in Korea and in California. As per the information received from insiders, Samsung is expected to fully launch Bixby Voice in the US sometime this fall.

“Many engineers in the US are making full efforts to develop the English version. But, (due to geographical and language barriers) their frequent reports to and communication with the management located in Korea makes the progress much slower than developing the Korean version here,” said a source on the condition of anonymity. Consumers in the US who opted to beta test Bixby Voice weren’t too impressed due to problems in voice recognition.

London-based consultancy firm Ovum has predicted that Bixby will become the second largest AI-driven voice assistant service after Google Assistant by 2021. However, we’re not sure how that prediction will pan out since Amazon is way ahead in this game, and a lot of firms are tying into Alexa’s skills. As per the report, Google Assistant, Bixby, Siri, Alexa, and Cortana will have a market shares of 23.3%, 14.5%, 13.1%, 3.9%, and 2.3%, respectively.

Samsung acquired Viv Labs – makers of Apple’s Siri – last year for around $215, but the company didn’t include its AI skills into Bixby. It will add Viv Labs’ AI prowess to Bixby when it completes the full development. If you’re from Korea or the US, how has been your experience with Bixby Voice? Let us know in the comments below.

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Daily Deal: Bag yourself a 5,200mAh Fast Charge Battery Pack for 15% off

You can currently pick up a 5,200mAh Fast Charge Battery Pack for just $38.24 (15% off), though be warned: if you decide to take advantage of this promotion, you will need to carry around a a microUSB or USB Type-C cable as it doesn’t have one built in.

Like the sound of the 5,200mAh Fast Charge Battery Pack and want to snag yourself one for the reduced price? Simply hit the Buy Now button below. We advise you to hurry though, as Amazon only has a very limited amount of inventory available.

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