Galaxy S8 leak: earlier launch due to Galaxy Note7 recall, codenames/model number surfaces, no headphone jack

After the Galaxy Note7 exploding battery mess, Samsung has reportedly advanced the launch of its next flagship, the Galaxy S8 in order to put the Galaxy Note 7 fiasco behind it, claims an analyst.

The early launch of Galaxy S8 may also reduce the impact on the sales from the recall of Galaxy Note7. The analyst believes that regardless of Galaxy Note7's sales resumption, an early launch of its next flagship phone appears to be most realistic solution for Samsung to deal with the current mess. Note that, it is just a rumor at this point, and its not known how earlier Galaxy S8 will be unveiled. To recall, the Galaxy S7/ Galaxy S7 edge was launched at MWC this year.

Additionally a separate report suggests that Samsung is working on two variants of the Galaxy S8. They are internally referred to as Dream and Dream2, and bears the model number SM-G950 and SM-G955.

Normally Samsung bumps the model number by 10 when it launches the successor each year. The Galaxy S7 carried the model number SM-G930, so the Galaxy S8 should have carried the model number SM-G940, but that is not the case. The reason for skipping the xx4x is due to "Tetraphobia", which means in South Korea (and China) the number four is associated with bad luck, and bad luck is something Samsung wants to avoid right now following the Galaxy Note7 mess.

Similar to Galaxy S7/ S7 edge, one of Galaxy S8 models will have smaller display and the other larger one. However according to rumors both models will sport curved display, and there will be no flat screen model this time. Moreover, following Apple's footsteps, Samsung will reportedly ditch the 3.5mm headphone jack. Details on how Samsung will implement its own headphone jack is not clear.

According to rumor mill the Galaxy S8 will be powered by Samsung's yet-to-be announced Exynos 8895 SoC, which can clock speeds of up to 3GHz, and improve image processing by 70 percent. 

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