Galaxy S8 Active images confirm rugged but compact look

The Galaxy Note 8 is due to unveil in about 3 weeks, but Samsung fans' attention might be split among two high-end smartphones. While it's not going to hold a candle in terms of design, the Galaxy S8 Active is actually going to be just as capable as the Galaxy S8 or even the Galaxy Note 8 in some aspects. This new batch of images, intended for the user manual, also shows that it might not look so bad after all.

The earlier leaked user manual already hinted as much. While the Galaxy S8 Active is indeed heavier than the Galaxy S8, it's not exactly going to be a brick either. It's 0.31 in (7.87 mm) for the Galaxy S8 versus 0.39 in (9.9 mm) for the Galaxy S8 Active. Of course the added dimensions are necessary to let the phone experience some tough love that not even the Galaxy S8 can handle.

That said, it won't look cheap or ugly at all. The manual also emphasizes the screen, which is not only shatter-resistant but also immersive. Although it doesn't go from edge to edge, the Galaxy S8 Active still has significantly less bezels than any of its predecessors.

Sadly, that also confirms that the configurable hardware button is gone. In its stead is a non-configurable Bixby button at the side, exactly where it is on the Galaxy S8. While the Galaxy S8 Active won't launch with a crippled Bixby at least, Samsung's own virtual assistant has yet to capture any share of the market at all.

No word yet on when the Galaxy S8 Active is going to launch, but it will probably be really soon. Samsung wouldn't want to launch it too close to the Galaxy Note 8 on the 23rd of August. That said, it might not matter to most since the Galaxy S8 Active is pretty much still an AT&T exclusive.

VIA: Android Police