Galaxy Note 8 Aug 23 Launch Could Be To Take On The iPhone 8

With the Samsung Galaxy Note 8's release date finally revealed Thursday to be Aug. 23 and the company calling it “the ultimate multitasking device for those who want to do bigger things with their phone” a day later, Samsung is set to hold an unpacked event in August for the device's launch. The release date, however, goes against the recent rumors of a September launch to compete with its biggest rival — the Apple iPhone 8.

So, why is Samsung launching its flagship a month before its usual launch date at IFA Berlin? Samsung has much ground to cover when it comes to its Note series, ever since the Note 7 crisis last year.

Read: Samsung Galaxy Note 8 Release Date Confirmed

The iPhone 8, Apple’s 10th-anniversary device is expected to have high-end features such as a laser autofocus camera, a display-embedded fingerprint sensor, facial recognition and augmented reality compatibility. Samsung has had its own technologies under its wings as was showcased by the Samsung Galaxy S8. Three of S8’s features are expected to be endowed to the Note 8 — edge-to-edge infinity display, a 10nm processor, and the Bixby voice assistant. The 10nm processor on the Note 8 is expected to be an improvement over S8’s processor.

While Samsung could have launched the Note 8 alongside Apple’s upcoming iPhone, an early launch gives it not just a lead over the iPhone 8 but also time for Samsung to prepare its marketing strategy against its rival Apple’s offering.

Both the Note 8 and the iPhone 8 are very important flagships for their parent companies. The Galaxy Note series’ future basically depends on the success of the Note 8, while the iPhone 8 is Apple’s most highly anticipated phone till date, so much so that it has started affecting the sales of the company’s current flagship — the iPhone 7.

Samsung also has a point to prove. The Galaxy Note 7 was the first Note series device to be launched in August. In fact, Samsung’s rush in trying to push the Note 7 into the market has been partly blamed for the Note 7 crisis, since an oversight in quality control caused the Note 7 batteries to be exposed to ambient air causing them to explode.

Read: Samsung Galaxy Note 8 S-Pen Leaks Online

With the launch of Note 8 in August, Samsung is trying to prove its critics wrong and recover its lost reputation.

For Samsung, getting a head start on the iPhone is even more important because of the Note 7 crisis, and a lone launch before competing for flagship might give the device a fighting chance.

Also, the Note 8 is not only competing with the iPhone 8, Google put its own horse in the race, the Pixel, which if launched alongside the Note 8, might probably affect its sales. Another honorable mention is the LG V30, which will build on LG V20’s success last year.

Whether Samsung’s decision for an August launch for the Note 8 will pan out well, remains to be seen.