Samsung Galaxy S8 Release Date Coming: Over 10 Million Handsets Expected For Launch As Mass Production Begins     

Reports indicate the Galaxy S8 is not going into mass production ahead of its March 29 launch event and April 21 release. Samsung is expected to ship 4.7 million Galaxy S8 handsets to retailers in March and 7.8 million handsets in April, according to the Korean publication Naver.

Reports of devices going into mass production tend to be a good sign a release date is imminent. Samsung has already confirmed it will host an Unpacked event March 29 in New York City to unveil its next major smartphone. However, the actual Galaxy S8 market release date remains unconfirmed.

The report does not specify whether these figures are for the rumored Galaxy S8, Galaxy S8 Plus or both devices. However, the Galaxy S8 Plus is already expected to be the more popular of the two devices, based on previous sales of devices like the Galaxy S6 Edge and the Galaxy S7 Edge. The Galaxy S7 Edge sold 13.3 million handsets on its own during the first half of 2016, despite being more expensive than the standard Galaxy S7 model.

Rumors suggest the Galaxy S8 Plus could cost an upwards of $900, while the Galaxy S8 could have a starting price of $849. Both devices are expected to be phablets with a unique design and upgraded specifications. Several leaks have surfaced in recent days, giving a detailed idea of what the device looks like.