iPhone 8 vs Galaxy Note 8 vs Essential Phone (leading the way)
Rumors and insider tips have given us a generally good idea of what's to come with regard to Apple and Samsung's next hero devices. The Galaxy Note 8 and the iPhone 8 – or iPhone Pro, if you prefer – are rumored to come with displays that cover nearly their entire frontside. As for the Essential Phone – we found out earlier this week that Andy Rubin wants to bring the fight right to the doorsteps of both of the biggest names in mobile.
First we'll have a peek at the specifications of the Essential Phone. Because this device has been revealed by the Essential company officially, we have a pretty good idea of what'll actually end up being inside. This is a device that aims to break with the past by offering some of the most hearty specifications ever packed into a smartphone.
Essential Phone (Official)• Display: 5.71-inch 2560 x 1312 (2K) CGS/LTPS• Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon 835• RAM: 4GB• Internal Storage: 128GB• Camera: Dual 13 MP, RGB / Mono camera with "image fusion technology", f/1.85 lens, Phase Detection, IR Laser Assist Focus, 4K video at 30fps, 1080p 60fps, 720p 120fps• Front-Camera: 8 MP, f/2.2 lens 4K video at 30fps, 1080p 60fps, 720p 120fps• Battery: 3000 mAh• Battery: 3040mAh• Connectivity: USB-C, Bluetooth 5, Wi-Fi, 4G LTE, 3G, nanoSIM, NFC• Additional: Fingerprint Scanner, 6 Gbps Wireless Accessory Connector, 2x accessory power pins
As such, the Essential Phone isn't particularly cheap. The one model – with 128GB of internal storage – will cost a cool $700 – or around $750 with a magnetic 360-degree camera add-on accessory. The Essential Phone will come in four colors, starting with black, white, and gray, followed later by a green called "Ocean Depths."
Next is the iPhone 8, or iPhone OLED, or iPhone Pro, or iPhone Edition – whatever you'd like to call it. This smartphone has not yet been revealed by Apple, but we've seen plenty of leaks about it. This would be the most extravagant iPhone ever released by Apple, and the most powerful of the three models made available in the year 2017.
Apple iPhone 8 (OLED MODEL) (Hypothetical)• Display: 5.8-inch OLED display• Processor: Apple A11 chip• RAM: 4GB• Internal Storage: 64GB, 128GB• Camera: Dual 12 MP, (28mm, f/1.8, OIS & 56mm, f/2.8), phase detection autofocus, 2x optical zoom, quad-LED (dual tone) flash• Front-Camera: 7 MP, f/2.2, 32mm, 1080p@30fps, 720p@240fps, face detection, HDR, panorama• Battery: 3000 mAh• Connectivity: Lightning Connector, Bluetooth 5, Wi-Fi, 4G LTE, 3G, nanoSIM, NFC• Additional: Hidden Fingerprint Scanner, Iris Scanner, IP68 water/dust resistance, Wireless Charging
As it is with the specs below, the iPhone 8 specs we have here are based on rumors and anonymous tips. We do not yet have the full picture – nor does anyone else outside of Apple's own design teams. It's possible Apple might not even release a third iPhone this year, and just stick with the iPhone 7s and iPhone 7s Plus – two more phones that have not yet been officially revealed by Apple.
Details aren't quite as mysterious with Samsung's next major smartphone release, but the device remains in the "not quite official" pile for now regardless. Samsung will likely reveal the Galaxy Note 8, as it's probably called, at or around the same time as the Galaxy Note 7 was revealed – August of 2016 then, August of 2017 now.
Samsung Galaxy Note 8 Specifications (Hypothetical)• Display: 6.2-inch Super AMOLED Quad HD+ display (2960×1440, 529ppi)• Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 PRO processor (if they make one)• RAM: 6GB• Internal Storage: 64GB, 128GB• Camera: 12 MP, f/1.7, 26mm, phase detection autofocus, OIS, LED flash, 8MP secondary• Front-Camera: 8 MP, f/1.7, autofocus, 1440p@30fps, dual video call, Auto HDR• Battery: 4000mAh• Connectivity: USB-C, Bluetooth 5, Wi-Fi, 4G LTE, 3G, nanoSIM, NFC• Additional: Hidden Fingerprint Scanner, Iris Scanner, IP68 water/dust resistance, Wireless Charging
If what we thought of the Galaxy Note 7 was any indication, the Galaxy Note 8 will be one of (if not THE) most excellent Android of the year. We'll have to see whether it's ready to take on the futuristic ways of the Essential Phone when both are actually out in the open, for sale, and on the market.
Pricing on the Galaxy Note 8 will probably match that of the Galaxy Note 7 – or surpass it somewhat. The Galaxy Note 7 was released for around $880 off-contract with 64GB of internal storage. The iPhone 7 Plus with 32GB of internal storage costs $770 USD right now off-contract, while the 128GB version costs $870 USD. That might be a good place to look for a starting price for the iPhone 8/OLED/PRO.
The iPhone with OLED display will aim at a completely different crowd from the Galaxy Note 8. The Galaxy Note 8 will attract the fans its had before, plus those that've been waiting to get their Note back since last year's fiasco. Without a stylus, the Essential Phone isn't quite what the Galaxy Note will be – but it might end up being more attractive to those looking for something that feels a bit more new than Samsung's tried-and-true Note formula. It all begins later this month when the first of these three – the Essential Phone – is released to the public!