Rumors say Samsung's Galaxy Note 8 would be among the first 2017 flagships to get Android O but a new report is suggesting otherwise. The next Android version from Google may not be part of the initial Note 8 unboxing but the handset will at least roll out ahead of schedule.
Dutch-language Galaxy Club claimed in a report there are two things certain to be part of the Note 8 launch - the Infinity Display first seen with the Galaxy S8 and S8 Plus and Android Nougat. As tipped in earlier reports, Samsung's next-generation phablet flagship is essentially a replica of the GS8 but with larger screen at 6.3-inch.
And the device has to run on Android as usual the case but not the way that Sammy fans are expecting. The same report is saying that ongoing tests on the Note 8 revealed it runs on Android 7.1.1 Nougat, which most likely will be the same OS that the device will retail with.
The same piece of information leads to the conclusion that the Note 8 hitting the market with Android O is already out of the question. Like any other Android-based devices, the Note 8 will need to get the next version of Google's mobile OS a little later. As expected, the honor getting a first crack on Android O belongs to the Pixel 2017 upgrades.
According to Redmond Pie, both the Pixel 2 and Android O are likely to debut in the third quarter of 2017, indicating that the Galaxy Note 8 and other Android handsets will only get to taste Android O starting in the last months of the year or even later.
But the good news is Samsung seems unwilling to wait for Android O's rollout for most Android devices, meaning the South Korean tech giant is likely to make the device available ahead of the usual schedule. That means the Galaxy Note 8 could launch as early as August 2017.
True or not, the Galaxy Note 8 on release date is seen to further improve on the specs and features delivered with the Galaxy S8, specifically packed with dual camera and a fingerprint sensor that is embedded with the front glass display.