Samsung Galaxy Note 8 To Continue Small Battery Trend After Galaxy Note 7 Fan Edition Release

With the Galaxy Note 7 back on the market, Samsung will likely be focusing all of its efforts on the impending Galaxy Note 8 launch. The 2017 S-Pen phablet is the first to release following the October 2016 discontinuation of the Galaxy Note 7. If rumors are to be believed, the Galaxy Note 7 has likely influenced features on the Galaxy Note 8 immensely.

Despite being expected to feature a massive 6.3-inch display, the Galaxy Note 8 may have a battery capacity of just 3,300mAh. This is a significant drop in comparison to the 3,500mAh capacity on the original Galaxy Note 7.

Read: Samsung Galaxy Note 7 Refurbished Release Date Set; Specs Include Original Color Options

The primary difference between the Galaxy Note 7 Fan Edition and the original Galaxy Note 7 is its 3,200mAh battery. The power drop comes after Samsung attempted to relaunch the Galaxy Note 7 once prior with a 3,500mAh battery, but handsets continued exploding.

The manufacturer, which once prided itself of continuously increasing battery capacity on its flagship devices, has already curbed the power source on its handsets. The Galaxy S8+ has served as a test bed for large, high-resolution devices with smaller battery capacities. The smartphone features a 6.2-inch Quad HD, dual-edge display, and a 3,500mAh battery. This may seem like a rather impressive feature pairing; however, the Galaxy S8+ lags behind its predecessor, the Galaxy S7 Edge, which features a 5.5-inch display and a 3,600mAh battery.

Due to Samsung’s new infinity display design and virtual home button, the Galaxy S8+ is roughly the same size as the Galaxy Note 7, which features a 5.7-inch display. Samsung has also mentioned that handsets that don’t include an S-Pen stylus can afford to have larger batteries because they have more room internally.

Before the Galaxy Note 7 explosion, pundits and fans anticipated a time with Samsung flagships would have a battery capacity of 4,000mAh or more. Such specifications may be on the back burner for the time being. Samsung does offer energy heavy devices, such as the Galaxy C9 Pro. However, these smartphones are often relegated to the company’s mid-range sector, featuring flat screen designs and Full HD resolution.

With Samsung expected to report its highest ever quarterly earnings for Q2 of 2017, the manufacturer appears to have recovered well from its 2016 battery woes. Still, consumers may have to wait until future devices, such as the Galaxy S9 and beyond before Samsung beings experimenting with higher battery capacities once more. The company’s current flagship trend remains large screens on small frames.

Read More: Samsung Galaxy S8: No Handset Has Exploded In First 50 Days Of Availability

The Galaxy Note 7 Fan Edition is available at three major carriers in Korea for KRW 699,600 (approximately $617). Samsung has made 400,000 Galaxy Note 7 FE units available.

In addition to a smaller battery capacity, the Galaxy Note 7 FE also includes a Bixby Home and Bixby Reminder software update. Galaxy Note 7 FE models feature an “R” symbol on the back panel, designating it as a refurbished Galaxy Note 7 model.

Otherwise, the device is largely the same, featuring an Exynos 8890 chip, 4GB of RAM, 64GB of internal storage a 12-megapixel rear camera and 5-megapixel front camera. The refurbished device is available in Black Onyx, Blue Coral, Gold Platinum, and Silver Titanium color options.

There were rumors that the Galaxy Note 7 FE might be available to other markets, such as Europe and Latin America; however, these claims have yet to be confirmed.