Samsung Galaxy S8 May Possibly Be An Edge-Only Smartphone

New information has surfaced detailing Samsung’s plans for its flagship smartphone for 2017, the Galaxy S8. It is now being rumored that Samsung may not release a flat screen variant for the upcoming smartphone and will instead only release a single edge panel model, according to a report from The Korea Herald.

If this new information is true, Samsung’s plan for the Galaxy S8 would follow in the footsteps of the Galaxy Note 7, which is an edge-only smartphone. The South Korean company may have decided to do this because the flat-screened Galaxy S7 didn’t sell as much as the Galaxy S7 Edge.

This signals that Samsung is ready to abandon the flat screen technology entirely and make curved edge screens the identifier for its flagship handsets. When the Galaxy S8 hits the market sometime in the first quarter of 2017, it’s possible that Samsung will ditch the “Edge” name as well as there is no longer a need for it, as pointed out by CNET. Once again, this would be the same approach that the company has taken with the Galaxy Note 7.

The first time that Samsung utilized the curved edge screen was for 2015’s Galaxy S6 Edge. The demand for the smartphone was so high that the company was unable to fulfil orders due to supply constraints, according to SamMobile. The company has since adjusted its manufacturing process and is now able to meet demands for curved screens.

Sources have indicated that Samsung has already begun production of curved display panels in 5.1-inch and 5.5-inch sizes from its display manufacturing unit, Samsung Display. This hints that the company will heavily be relying on curved panels more in 2017.

Although the release of the Galaxy S8 is still far off, rumors have already begun circulating regarding its specifications. The handset is said to come with a 4K display that will also be VR-ready, the same iris scanner form the Galaxy Note 7 and a dual-camera setup, according to Ubergizmo.