With consumer electronics trade show IFA (Internationale Funkausstellung Berlin) taking place in the first week of September (1-6), many big smartphone-makers have scheduled their own private product launch events in August and plan to showcase them in Germany for a wider audience next month.
Big brands such as Samsung, Asus, LG and HMD Global Oy-owned Nokia, among others have already announced their respective device launch dates. To provide a better perspective, we have listed key features expected in the upcoming phones.
Also read: Top 5 smartphones launched in India in July 2017; Xiaomi Mi Max 2, Asus Zenfone AR and more
Nokia 8:
HMD Global Oy confirmed to host the device launch event in London on August 16. There is no official word which phone the company intends to unveil, but reliable sources have indicated that it will be the Nokia 8.
Going by series of leaks in the recent past, Nokia 8 is shaping up to be a top-notch flagship phone. Nokia 8 is said to sport full-metal cover with uni-body design language. On the front, it is said to flaunt a 5.7-inch QHD (2K: 2560x1440p) screen with Gorilla Glass 5 shield.
Under-the-hood, it is expected to come packed with Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 octa-core with 4GB/6GB RAM and 64GB/128GB storage.
Nokia 8 will be the HMD Global's first phone to come with two cameras. It is said to boast world renowned Carl Zeiss lens and Lumia camera interface and on the front, it is expected to have either 5MP or 8MP snapper.
Read more: Everything you need to know about Nokia 8
Asus Zenfone 4 series:
Asus is hosting Zenfone 4 series launch event in multiple markets in Asia but will be unveiling new product series first in its home city Taiwan on August 17.
Like last year, the company most probably will unveil multiple feature-specific Zenfone 4 variants. If rumours are to be believed, Asus is tipped to announce a generic Zenfone 4, top-end Zenfone 4 Pro and a camera-oriented Zenfone 4 Selfie.
There is very little information on the standard Zenfone 4 other than the fact that it will boast of a dual-camera, as confirmed by the official teaser.
On the other, Zenfone 4 Pro is expected to come with 5.7-inch Super AMOLED QHD display, Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 processor, 6 GB RAM and 64GB internal storage.
Whereas the Zenfone 4 Selfie is said to boast 12MP snapper with 4K video capability. Other stipulated features include 5.5-inch full-HD (1080x1920 pixels) display, 16 MP primary camera (with 4K video recording capabilities) on the back, Qualcomm Snapdragon 625 (or 626) processor, Adreno 506 GPU, 4GB RAM, 32GB of built-in storage.
Read more: Asus reveals Zenfone 4 series launch date details
Samsung Galaxy Note8:
Samsung is slated to unveil the Galaxy Note8 on August 23 in New York city. As per recent reports, it is said to flaunt 6.3-inch QHD+ (1440 x 2960p) resolution display with an 18.5:9 aspect ratio.
Under-the-hood, it will come packed with 6GB RAM, 64GB internal storage, 10 nanometer class Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 (or Samsung Exynos 9985 depending on the region of sale) octa-core and a 3,300mAh battery with Type C USB-based quick charging port and fast wireless charging.
It is also expected to be the Samsung's first flagship phone to house two camera. It will have dual 12 MP cameras (Wide-angle lens with f/1.7 aperture and dual-pixel autofocus + Telephoto lens with f/2.4 aperture and 2x Optical Zoom) with OIS (Optical Image Stabilisation), and on the front, a wide-angle 8MP snapper with f/1.7 aperture.
Read more: Complete specifications, release details and expected price details of Samsung Galaxy Note8
LG V30:
LG is scheduled to announce the new flagship V30, one day ahead of IFA 2017 in Berlin. It is the company's first OLED (Organic Light Emitting Diode)-based FullVision display.
OLED offers superior image quality compared to LCD. The former is capable of reproducing perfect black and colours with greater accuracy across a wider colour spectrum.
Further, LG has claimed to have implemented optimal image algorithms on this OLED display to deliver 148 percent of the RGB colour space for digital images and 109 percent of the DCI (Digital Cinema Initiative)-P3 colour space for digital cinema.
Another advantage of OLED technology is operational response time, which is said to be ten times faster than LCD. This accelerated response time effectively eliminates afterimages, an important consideration for action movies and VR.
The company also teased the low-half of the V30's display panel confirming the device will come with Gorilla Glass 5 glass shield, very thin bezels around the edges and will not have any physical button at the bottom and also support HDR (High Dynamic Range) 10 standard video content.
Other stipulated features include Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 octa-core, 4GB/6GB RAM, 64GB storage and feature-rich primary camera with f/1.6 aperture.
It is also expected to boast IP68 water-and-dust resistant certification, military standard protection and 6000-series Aluminium body.
Read more: Everything you need to know about LG V30
Motorola Moto X4:
Lenovo-owned Motorola, earlier in the month, launched the special Moto G5s and the G5s Plus. Now, speculations are rife that the company might bring back the Moto X series, which was discontinued after Moto X Style in 2015.
Rumours suggest Moto X4 will soon make its debut, but so far the company has not made any official announcement.
We believe, there is a slight possibility that Motorola might host a private programme just days before IFA 2017 to unveil the Moto X4 and showcase it in Berlin event.
Also read: Motorola launches special edition Moto G5s & Moto G5s Plus
Moto X4 is said to come with a full-metal body with rear dual-camera like the Moto Z2 Force, but will have curved back with super slim edge and bump in the middle. It is also expected to come with 3D glass cover on the front display panel and boast IP68 water-and-dust resistant certification. Meaning, it can survive up to 30 minutes underwater (up to 5 feet).
Hardest part of this is admitting you had bad information - or an early render. I've seen the Moto X4 final design - it is indeed this one. pic.twitter.com/lHsaLWtckK
— Evan Blass (@evleaks) August 3, 2017
It is also expected to support AI (Artificial Intelligence)-based digital butler (most probably Google Assistant) and smart camera capabilities.
Other stipulated features expected to come in Moto X4 include 5.2-inch full HD display, Qualcomm Snapdragon 660 processor and a 16MP front camera.
Samsung Galaxy S8 Active (Only in the US):
Before Samsung announces the Galaxy Note8, the company is expected to unveil rugged flagship Galaxy S8 Active first in the US this month.
Like previous times, the Galaxy S8 Active will be exclusive to AT&T only. It is said to sport a 5.8-inch QHD (2K:1440x2560p)display and come with Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 octa-core CPU, 4GB RAM, 64GB internal storage and a 4,000mAh battery (with wireless charging capability), 25% more than the standard Galaxy S8 (3,000mAh).
It is also said to flaunt a feature-rich 12MP dual pixel camera on the back and an 8MP front snapper.
The main highlight of the Galaxy S8 Active is its ruggedness It comes with dust-and-water resistance certification (IP68) and US military-grade rugged MIL-STD-810G standards, which allows the phone function properly even under high humidity, fungus, rusting from salt fog; sand and dust exposure; explosive atmosphere; leakage; acceleration and transport shock and more.
The Galaxy S8 Active will have a dedicated Bixby button mapped to various functions such as Activity Zone, quick access to apps, proactive reminders etc.
Read more: Everything you need to know about Samsung Galaxy S8 Active
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