Although it isn't really a big surprise at this point, Samsung has confirmed that the Galaxy S8+ is indeed real and it's coming on March 29 (probably). Yesterday, a support page for a Galaxy device with the model number SM-G955FD came online on Samsung's Indian site. As this model number pertains quite specifically to the upcoming Galaxy S8+, all doubts regarding its existence is now extinguished. Additionally, the model also confirms dual SIM support on the device.

Strangely enough, the page disappeared just a few hours after going live. It almost feels like Samsung is teasing the audience with multiple unofficial glimpses to the S8 series this year. First it was the phone in the Super AMOLED ads and now a short-lived support page. Whatever the situation might be, we are quite excited to see what Samsung brings to the plate ultimately when the Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8+ are launched next month.

If you are not familiar with the rumors regarding what the S8 is going to bring to the table this year, have a look at it here.

Saikat Kar (tech-enthusiast)

According to a recent post by Ice universe on Twitter, Samsung has the code name "Baikal" in mind for the next iteration of the Galaxy Note 8, which will be launched later this year. If you are wondering why Samsung may choose to name its flagship smartphone after the deepest lake in the world, then we can't really help you as we have no idea either!

Although Samsung had earlier confirmed that the Galaxy Note 8 is coming in 2017, many experts were of the opinion that Samsung may still change or alter the name ever so slightly to distinguish it from the disastrous Galaxy Note 7.

As far as the specs are concerned, it's still too early to be sure about anything. Nevertheless, apart from the obvious S-pen stylus, the device is rumoured to feature Samsung's first 4K mobile display, its AI powered voice assistant (Bixby/Hello) and an iris scanner. Rumors indicate that it could also be featuring 8GB of RAM, but 6GB RAM seems much more plausible to be honest. Then again, the ZenFone AR did already launch with 8 gigs of RAM, so you may never know!

Saikat Kar (tech-enthusiast)

Apple may take a page out of Samsung's book as the iPhone 8 is rumoured to sport an iris scanner for security. If you remember, the Galaxy Note 7 was the first phone to come with an in-built iris scanner and as of now, there has been no other release from any company which sports similar technology. If the rumors are true then the most expensive version of the iPhone 8 with an OLED display will be Apple's first phone with an iris scanner.

Rumors also indicate that the Galaxy S8, which will be launched next month, could sport the same iris scanner as the one we briefly saw on the Note 7, before it was discontinued. It will be interesting to see what changes Apple brings to the scanner to make it stand out from the competition. If they do indeed bundle in the iris scanner, will that justify the $1000 rumored price tag for the iPhone 8? What do you think? Let us know in the comments section.

Saikat Kar (tech-enthusiast)

If you were hoping for a flat screen version of the Galaxy S8 in 2017, this news is probably going to disappoint you. Even though rumors had been saying this for months, a recent leak by none other than Evan Blass has confirmed the fact that Samsung has no plans of releasing a separate Edge version for the Galaxy S8. Instead, the bigger variant will be known as the Galaxy S8+. You can check out the logo above, as leaked by @evleaks on Twitter.

In case you have not been following the rumors, this means that both the phones will be sporting dual curved, borderless, QHD displays. The flat panels were ditched by Samsung as the Galaxy S7 Edge outsold the regular S7, in spite of the former being more expensive. Rumors suggest that the Galaxy S8 will feature a huge 5.8-inch display, while the S8+ may sport a mammoth 6.2-inch one. Additionally, the S8 Plus could come with 128GB of internal storage, while the S8 may have to remain content with a modest 64GB of internal storage. Irrespective of the internal storage, both the models will almost certainly have expandable memory card slots.

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Saikat Kar (tech-enthusiast)

Samsung has recently filed a patent for "Hello," which seems to be an AI powered software of some sort, just like Bixby. The filing was done with the European Intellectual Property Office and it has created quite a bit of confusion. Previously, it was thought that Bixby was going to be the name of Samsung's upcoming voice assistant, which will likely make its debut with the Galaxy S8 next month. If Bixby is still coming, then where does Hello fit in?

This could mean one of two things; either Bixby has been replaced by Hello, or they are both AI powered services which will cater to different needs of the user. However, from the description of the patent, it seems like Hello is a digital AI assistant.

"application software that gives personalized features and information based on user's preferences in the fields of weather, music, entertainment, games, travel, science, health, contact, and social news via voice command and voice recognition."

To be honest, "Hello" feels like a more natural name to a voice assistant than Bixby and that's probably what Samsung might finally be going with.

Saikat Kar (tech-enthusiast)

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