Samsung Galaxy S8 Update: Release Prior To April And Apple App Competition

The Samsung Galaxy S8 release date had a consensus agreement that it would occur around April 15, 2017, but a new leak puts the actual release date sooner, with a March 29, 2017 release date according to the Bitbag. That would be nearly a month after the Mobile World Congress (MWC), which almost all sources agree is a no-go for the release. That would also place the Samsung Galaxy S8 on the market a full two months after the release of the findings of the investigation of the Galaxy S7 issues, which will be released on January 23.

Some of the pressure on Samsung could be coming from the accelerated release date for the new LG G6 platform, which was moved up by one month. It’s also worth noting that the leak which projected the accelerated Samsung Galaxy S8 release date also stated that the new Galaxy S8 would be revealed at MWC. It seems that the Galaxy S7 investigation results will likely influence the release date, but not by much.

Also of note, this leak places the price point of a new Samsung Galaxy S8 at approximately $850. According to the Bitbag, the Galaxy will also be powered by a Snapdragon 835 chip and will have 6 GB of RAM. The apps for the new Galaxy S8 are also drawing attention, even from competitors.

Even Apple is taking note of one new upgrade, the Galaxy S8 S Health app, which is rumored to be receiving significant upgrades to allow Samsung to compete with Apple’s HealthKit and CareKit apps. The idea behind that app is that users can schedule, complete, and pay for video appointments with doctors around the clock. With the app, users will be able to save photos and symptoms, keep track of prescriptions, and even rate and pay doctors.

The app is purported to also feature a function to locate pharmacies nearby and dial 911 without switching back to the phone app. On top of all of the primary medical care features, the app also has financial and wellness features as well. Users will be able to flag their account to show whether they have insurance.

https://www.playbuzz.com/inquisitr/samsung-galaxy-s8-update-release-prior-to-april-and-apple-app-competition

S Health is purported to have the ability for biometric tracking. It will allow users to track their nutrition and will provide fitness tips. One purported function is that the Samsung Galaxy S8 with the S Health app can even set up training suggestions for a five-kilometer run.

Unlike the Galaxy S8, the S Health app is not guaranteed to release at the same time. While most speculation focuses on late March to early April for the release of the Galaxy S8, the S Health app could be delayed by any number of factors. The most obvious that comes to mind is that the app couldn’t be released before the platform anyway, so it is pointless to try to tag a release date for an app with no platform to run it.

Of course, all of this is strictly predicated on Samsung’s conclusion to the S7 investigation. If the Samsung Galaxy S7 issues were resolved, that will be one final hurdle to the launch of the S8. After the serious issues with the Galaxy S7 platform, not many analysts would blame Samsung for taking its time to ensure the safety of its clients.

That said, the Samsung Galaxy S8 buzz is intense and will likely carry straight through to the launch. If the rumors are true, an earlier reveal would make for exciting tech news. As for all the other goodies? Most will simply have to wait and see if the platform matches the hype. Even Apple is paying close attention.

[Featured Image by Lee Jin-man/AP Images]