On April 27, 2017, Samsung Electronics announced its financial results for the first quarter, which ended on March 31, 2017. Samsung’s total revenue for the quarter increased substantially, and the company raked in KRW 50.5 trillion. While the company did not need the Galaxy S8 to boost its sales in Q1 2017, an exciting development was shared by Samsung. It confirmed that a new flagship smartphone would be released in the second half of 2017.

How did Samsung fare in Q1 2017?

The operating profit for the quarter was recorded to KRW 9.90 trillion, an increase from KRW 3.22 trillion YoY.

During the first three months, Samsung saw an increased demand for its memory and display business. However, earning from the mobile business decreased majorly, due to the decline in the sales of flagship devices.

Galaxy Note 8 releasing soon?

Samsung revealed that it would launch a new flagship in the second half of 2017. The device in question is expected to be the Galaxy Note 8. This handset is the successor of the 2016 Note 7, which was recalled by the company owing to battery explosion issues.

The release of the rumored smartphone and the sales of Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8+ will help Samsung challenge rivals like Apple and LG. However, with the rumored phablet in the pipeline, the company would tread cautiously given that the previous iteration of the stylus-equipped device was plagued with problems.

The Note 7 debacle

According to Samsung, the lithium ion batteries used in the Note 7 contained flammable chemicals, which resulted in the explosion of the device. Many of the users were left severely injured due to the explosion. As a result, Samsung had to recall the product.

Samsung encountered revenue loss because of the recall.

The fiasco also made loyalists question the safety of the products. All these factors would make people cautious, and they may hesitate in purchasing the Galaxy Note 8. The company would have to play its cards right to make sure that the rumored handset is flawless.

Rumored specs

The impending handset is expected to boast an iris scanner like its predecessor and may also boast new and exciting features.

The phablet may boast a 3D Touch OLED panel and support in-display fingerprint scanner. The dual-rear cameras are also expected to be included in the handset. The device may also have a 12MP primary wide-angle lens, which will allegedly support 3X zoom.

Samsung has plenty of hopes pinned on the Galaxy Note 8. The device will likely be announced in August or early September, per the company’s annual cycle. Whether it will strike a chord with consumers remains to be seen.