Samsung's Galaxy S8 Will Feature a Headphone Jack, Desktop Dock, 'Infinity Display' and More, Says In-Depth Report (theguardian.com)

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Samsung's Galaxy S8 Will Feature a Headphone Jack, Desktop Dock, 'Infinity Display' and More, Says In-Depth Report (theguardian.com)

Posted by BeauHD on Wednesday January 25, 2017 @01:40PM from the two-in-one dept.

The Guardian has published a considerable amount of information on Samsung's upcoming Galaxy S8 smartphone. The phone will reportedly launch in March with a headphone jack and a desktop dock, among other features. From the report: Samsung's Galaxy S8 will come in two sizes, have an almost bezel-less, edge-to-edge "infinity" display and an iris scanner, the Guardian has learned. The two variants will have screens in the 5in to 6in region, with the devices having the same or smaller proportions of previous versions of Samsung's flagship smartphone but with larger displays, according to several well placed sources talking to the Guardian. The S7 was available with either a 5.1in and 5.5in screen. The two smartphones are codenamed Dream and Dream 2, representing the smaller and larger Galaxy S8 respectively, according to two sources. Both versions will have screens that curve down at the left and right sides of the device similar to the Galaxy S7 Edge, two sources have said. The so-called "infinity display" will cover the majority of the front of the device, with very little body on the top and bottom of the screen not dedicated to the display. Two sources said there wasn't even room to put a logo or brand name on the front of the device. Samsung has moved the fingerprint scanner to the back of the device, multiple sources said. The Galaxy S8 will have a traditional 3.5mm headphone socket, according to several sources. Samsung also plans a range of new accessories for the Galaxy S8. Two sources said a new dock and service that turns the Galaxy S8 into an Android desktop computer, connecting to a monitor, keyboard and other peripherals called DeX (desktop extension) will be available. DeX has been likened to Microsoft's Continuum, which connects Windows smartphones to a desktop extension to allow them to be used as Windows PCs, but only with Windows Store applications.

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One word: Cowardice by Anonymous Coward · 2017-01-25 13:47 · Score: 5, Funny

Jacks and docks are remnants of the past best forgotten and left behind. This is a company doomed to crumble by not looking to the future.
1. Re:One word: Cowardice by sudden.zero · 2017-01-25 14:07 · Score: 4, Interesting
  
  Not at all. For audiophiles such as myself a headphone jack is a requirement for purchasing any device. Until bluetooth headphones/headsets can provide the same quality as my corded headphones this will not change.
2. Re:One word: Cowardice by bigfinger76 · 2017-01-25 14:35 · Score: 5, Funny
  
  How's the fidelity on that whoosh? Clear?
3. Re:One word: Cowardice by Wrath0fb0b · 2017-01-25 14:37 · Score: 2
  
  Is there any fidelity lost plugged your corded headphone into the lightning-to-3.5mm dongle on the iPhone, or a similar one that Samsung would use?
  My understanding as a non-audiophile was actually that moving the DAC further away from the other components would actually reduce certain types of electrical noise. But even without that, it should be no worse from an audio quality point of view.
4. Re:One word: Cowardice by fluffernutter · 2017-01-25 14:42 · Score: 2
  
  Ability to charge the phone is lost in that case. Plus a big kick in the ass if you forgot your dongle.
  
  --
  Laws are rules for the court, but merely a bottom bar to hit for life. Think beyond laws in your actions always.
5. Re:One word: Cowardice by msauve · 2017-01-25 14:51 · Score: 5, Insightful
  
  So, the argument you're going to get is that a digital port and external A/D is mo bettah for HiFi.
  
  Meh. It's not better if it requires a dongle (let's see them put an SPDIF port on a phone :) ), double so if you can't play external audio and draw power at the same time. I regularly plug my phone into stereos and power to play tunes. The headphone jack and USB port work just fine.
  
  Similar with phones lacking user replaceable batteries and memory card slots - that's just planned obsolescence, and form over function. I'm (and I suspect many others) am no longer seeing any useful innovation which would support the traditional 2 year upgrade cycle, so they need to force obsolescence. They better make it cheap then, because I'm not paying hundreds of dollars for fashion and bragging rights.
  
  --
  "National Security is the chief cause of national insecurity." - Celine's First Law
6. Re:One word: Cowardice by Anonymous Coward · 2017-01-25 15:19 · Score: 1
  
  Exactly right! Bluetooth was not designed for stereo audio. I know several people who have bluetooth headphones (not Airpods, none of my friends are that stupid! ) and they are all disappointed in the quality of the sound compared to a $5-$7 pair of ear buds. And the facts are that the Airpods are easily lost, must be recharged after every 5 hours of use, and will have to be replaced in a year or two (as the batteries cannot be replaced) and cost more than many Android phones that are superior in every possible way to an iPhone6 or7!
7. Re:One word: Cowardice by Gojira+Shipi-Taro · 2017-01-25 15:38 · Score: 5, Insightful
  
  It's a fucking PHONE. I'm not expecting it to sound like my home DAC + tube amp and high end cans.
  The inconvenience of needing an external solution, and the SEVERE inconvenience of not being able to charge the fucking thing while using a lightning headset or whatever, is enough to dissuade me from EVER considering an iPhone again.
  If your friend is an "audiophile" why is he even using a phone for his music?
  
  --
  "Oh my God. This is terrible. This is the end of my Presidency. I'm fucked."; ~ Donald J. Trump
8. Re:One word: Cowardice by jenningsthecat · 2017-01-25 15:40 · Score: 5, Insightful
  
  It would be one thing if Apple hadn't completely mollified the naysayers and those with beloved analog headsets by both including a Lightning-based headset AND a simple Lightning to 3.5 mm adapter cable; but they did.
  First, fanboi, when you 'mollify' your customers, you're being patronizing and insulting - much like your post. Second, Apple's workaround requires an adapter, which adds a bit of clunkiness and can easily get lost. Third, the headphones then connect to the bottom of the phone - not the most convenient thing. Fourth, you can't externally power the phone while having a headset connected - and that's a big downside for a lot of people.
  
  One of the biggest advantages of using a digital output that an alleged "audiophile" like you has completely overlooked Is the fact that, by using an external DAC, you completely free yourself from the constraints of the analog output circuitry in the iPhone.
  True, but beside the point. Users COULD have both the 3.5mm jack AND the digital audio output, if it wasn't for Apple's laughable definition of 'courage'.
  Didn't think of THOSE ones, didja?
  
  --
  'The Economy' is a giant Ponzi scheme whose most pitiable suckers are the youngest among us and the yet-unborn.
9. Re:One word: Cowardice by dgatwood · 2017-01-25 18:53 · Score: 1
  
  So, the argument you're going to get is that a digital port and external A/D is mo bettah for HiFi.
  Which, of course, is a remarkably easy argument to shoot down. Just point out that a sizable percentage of headphones sold (and probably the majority) cost under $10, and that any external DAC and amplifier that could reasonably be fitted inside a sub-$10 pair of earbuds without tripling the cost is almost guaranteed to be much lower quality than the DAC and amplifier inside even a low-end cell phone. And for the folks who already buy expensive headphones, there's nothing stopping them from using an external DAC even if there's a traditional analog headphone jack available, which means there's no upside to removing it—only downside.
  
  --
  Check out my sci-fi/humor trilogy at PatriotsBooks.
10. Re:One word: Cowardice by subreality · 2017-01-25 19:04 · Score: 1
  
  not in the same universe as what can be achieved with an external DAC
  Having a phono jack does not prevent you from using an external DAC. I do it with my Android phone all the time: USB-OTG adapter + USB DAC. It switches over automatically and works great... But when I don't have a DAC and I just want to connect to a car's line-in, the 3.5mm jack is still there for me.
11. Re:One word: Cowardice by Dog-Cow · 2017-01-25 19:29 · Score: 1
  
  Third, the headphones then connect to the bottom of the phone - not the most convenient thing.
  The headphone jack has been on the bottom of the phone since at least the iPhone 5c.
12. Re:One word: Cowardice by TheFakeTimCook · 2017-01-25 20:01 · Score: 1
  
  It would be one thing if Apple hadn't completely mollified the naysayers and those with beloved analog headsets by both including a Lightning-based headset AND a simple Lightning to 3.5 mm adapter cable; but they did.
  First, fanboi, when you 'mollify' your customers, you're being patronizing and insulting - much like your post. Second, Apple's workaround requires an adapter, which adds a bit of clunkiness and can easily get lost. Third, the headphones then connect to the bottom of the phone - not the most convenient thing. Fourth, you can't externally power the phone while having a headset connected - and that's a big downside for a lot of people.
  
  One of the biggest advantages of using a digital output that an alleged "audiophile" like you has completely overlooked Is the fact that, by using an external DAC, you completely free yourself from the constraints of the analog output circuitry in the iPhone.
  True, but beside the point. Users COULD have both the 3.5mm jack AND the digital audio output, if it wasn't for Apple's laughable definition of 'courage'.
  Didn't think of THOSE ones, didja?
  I knew I was using "mollify" incorrectly, but was too lazy to think of the word I really wanted.
  
  You can either use the adapter or the supplied Lightning headset, or even a BT headset. Why would the adapter just jump off the end of your headphone cable? They do sort of "click" at both ends, you know...
  
  Considering the iPhone 7 is rated at 40 hours of music playback, and the 7 Plus at 60 hours, this "not being able to charge" meme is kinda stupid. Plus, I can get 60% charge on my iPhone 6 Plus in around 20 minutes; so if you can't stand to be without your tunez for that much time, I suggest you look into one of the under $10 "Y" cables on Amazon, or better yet, get yourself some counseling for that OCD.
  
  Oh, and the headphone jack has been on the bottom of iPhones for several versions now. And speaking as a person who almost took out my iPhone 4s with a single, well-aimed raindrop that just happened to fall directly into my topside headphone jack, I for one welcome the bottom-placement.
13. Re:One word: Cowardice by dadman · 2017-01-25 20:39 · Score: 1
  
  Being an audiophiles myself, over the years I have learnt not to trust the DAC on board but to use my own. So, headphone jack is more than welcome to disappear, RIP.
14. Re:One word: Cowardice by thegarbz · 2017-01-25 21:53 · Score: 1
  
  Personally I prefer a phone that's IP rated and not the size of a brick than one with a replaceable battery.
15. Re:One word: Cowardice by arglebargle_xiv · 2017-01-25 23:17 · Score: 1
  
  Jacks and docks are remnants of the past best forgotten and left behind.
  I don't really care about jocks and dicks, what I want to know is can I start a fire with it like the 7 could?
16. Re:One word: Cowardice by JaredOfEuropa · 2017-01-25 23:48 · Score: 1
  
  Apparently the newer versions of Bluetooth combined with codecs like aptX deliver "CD quality sound", which is probably as good as what you're going to get from the jack of any smartphone. I've tried such a headset and it sounded pretty good, certainly good enough for travel. Apple appears to be using some proprietery codec (big surprise there), and their new Airpods are often reported as "sounding better than the wired earbuds included with the iPhone, but not by much." (Which isn't saying much; the quality of those wasn't great to begin with... but there are already other companies offering improved wireless earbuds compatible with the iPhone) At least in terms of wireless technology, progress has been made, but be careful to buy something that combines well with your particular phone.
  
  --
  If construction was anything like programming, an incorrectly fitted lock would bring down the entire building...
17. Re:One word: Cowardice by stealth_finger · 2017-01-26 00:07 · Score: 1
  
  Well, I'm not. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy good sound but I'm perfectly happy with the onboard tech and can ignore any artifacts for the sake of convenience. I use some cheap creative in ear buds and it's basically a perfect setup (for me). Take away the headphone jack and I won't be buying it, regardless of any other featues. If you're really an audiophile (are you really more than one?) you won't be listening through a phone anyway.
  
  --
  Wanna buy a shirt?
  https://www.redbubble.com/people/stealthfinger/shop?asc=u
18. Re:One word: Cowardice by AmiMoJo · 2017-01-26 00:36 · Score: 2
  
  Actually a lot of audiophiles do use phones these days. Some phones have really good headphone amplifiers (Samsung especially) and most Android phones support USB DACs. There are a huge number of portable USB DACs available.
  
  --
  const int one = 65536; (Silvermoon, Texture.cs)
  SJW, n: "Someone I don't like, and by the way I'm a fuckwit" - AC
19. Re: One word: Cowardice by Type44Q · 2017-01-26 00:37 · Score: 1
  
  My understanding as a non-audiophile was actually that moving the DAC further away from the other components would actually reduce certain types of electrical noise.
  I'd guess that's usually mooted by the increase in jitter (timing issues) and distortion (cheap aftermarket DAC's).
20. Re:One word: Cowardice by AmiMoJo · 2017-01-26 00:43 · Score: 1
  
  At best he adapter will be about as good as a basic phone jack. It's too small to contain much more than a combined DAC/amp and minimal support electronics. The amp will be class D, probably one of the newer types that uses a switching power supply to go beyond the supply rails.
  Teardown here, but you can't see much: https://www.ifixit.com/Teardow...
  
  --
  const int one = 65536; (Silvermoon, Texture.cs)
  SJW, n: "Someone I don't like, and by the way I'm a fuckwit" - AC
21. Re: One word: Cowardice by fortfive · 2017-01-26 00:43 · Score: 3, Informative
  
  The dac in the apple provided dongle is inferior to that in the iphone 6.
22. Re:One word: Cowardice by Mr.+Droopy+Drawers · 2017-01-26 00:52 · Score: 2
  
  It doesn't have to be the size of a brick to have a replaceable battery. Gluing the phone together like the S7 is makes it virtually impossible to install a new battery. It doesn't have to be that way.
  
  --
  To Copy from One is Plagiarism; To Copy from Many is Research.
23. Re:One word: Cowardice by TheFakeTimCook · 2017-01-26 01:34 · Score: 2
  
  Actually a lot of audiophiles do use phones these days. Some phones have really good headphone amplifiers (Samsung especially) and most Android phones support USB DACs. There are a huge number of portable USB DACs available.
  So, all the people that have been screaming about Apple removing the analog jack, and here are people willing to carry around an external DAC.
  
  Sigh.
24. Re:One word: Cowardice by houghi · 2017-01-26 01:48 · Score: 1
  
  I would love to have my audiojack at the bottom. That way when I am charging, cables are all on one side. When I look at my phone, it will not be in front of my screen. And when I put it in my pocket, I will put it in upside dow, so when I take it out it is right side up.
  I see no advantages of having it at the top, but perhaps that is just me.
  
  --
  Don't fight for your country, if your country does not fight for you.
25. Re:One word: Cowardice by CastrTroy · 2017-01-26 01:58 · Score: 1
  
  It would be acceptable if they had a phone with a big enough battery that people didn't have to charge it throughout the day. If you could get 2-3 full days out of your phone, I bet people wouldn't care that you couldn't charge and use the phone at the same time. The problem is that people feel the need to charge their phone multiple times throughout the day just so the battery doesn't die.
  
  --
  
  Anthropic principle: We see the universe the way it is because if it were different we would not be here to see it.
26. Re:One word: Cowardice by CastrTroy · 2017-01-26 02:04 · Score: 1
  
  I have Bluetooth headphones and although I don't use them when I really want audio fidelity, they are quite useful for certain situations. I mostly listen to podcasts and find that my enjoyment of the podcast is completely unaffected by whether or not I'm using Bluetooth. The other situation where I use them is when working out. In this case, I just don't want my headphones tethered to my phone. I guess the audio quality is a bit worse, but I'm really not too worried about it as I just need something to fill in the background noise and provide a beat to keep me on rhythm. Most of the time audio quality doesn't matter at all, and if it did, I wouldn't be playing the audio off of my phone. I would never buy a phone without a headphone jack, but similarly, I'd never be willing to give up Bluetooth either.
  
  --
  
  Anthropic principle: We see the universe the way it is because if it were different we would not be here to see it.
27. Re:One word: Cowardice by thegarbz · 2017-01-26 04:15 · Score: 1
  
  It doesn't have to be that way.
  You should let all the engineers know that you fixed their problems. Marketing people don't care, they just want it thin, but you seem to have figured this all out.
28. Re:One word: Cowardice by AmiMoJo · 2017-01-26 04:24 · Score: 2
  
  Hardly "all the people", just the hardcore audiophiles. The majority of people screwed by losing the headphone jack are the ones who listen all day at work and can't charge at the same time without an adapter chain.
  And in any case, audiophiles prefer Android because USB gives you a much wider choice of DAC than Lightning.
  
  --
  const int one = 65536; (Silvermoon, Texture.cs)
  SJW, n: "Someone I don't like, and by the way I'm a fuckwit" - AC
29. Re:One word: Cowardice by TheFakeTimCook · 2017-01-26 04:57 · Score: 1
  
  Hardly "all the people", just the hardcore audiophiles. The majority of people screwed by losing the headphone jack are the ones who listen all day at work and can't charge at the same time without an adapter chain.
  And in any case, audiophiles prefer Android because USB gives you a much wider choice of DAC than Lightning.
  Even if you "listen all day" at work with an iPhone 7, you would have had to leave home with around 10-12% charge to get into a situation where simply listening to music would run you out of battery. I simply can't believe that that is anything like a common occurrence, especially with people who "live in their phone".
  
  I can see why there would be more DACs available for USB than Lightning. Hopefully, the move to USB-C in the new MacBooks and MacBook Pros is the harbinger of change for Apple's mobile devices, and the next generation or two will see them drop Lightning (which was created mostly because Apple hated the microUSB connector) in favor of USB-C across the board.
30. Re:One word: Cowardice by magarity · 2017-01-26 05:11 · Score: 1
  
  Not at all. For audiophiles such as myself...
  Do you keep your cell phone on a vibration isolated sand table?
31. Re:One word: Cowardice by Grishnakh · 2017-01-26 05:43 · Score: 1
  
  I'm (and I suspect many others) am no longer seeing any useful innovation which would support the traditional 2 year upgrade cycle
  Exactly. I have a 2-3 year old Galaxy S5 now, and I really fail to see what newer phones offer that this one doesn't. The screen on this thing is already great (super AMOLED) and the resolution very good; any extra resolution really isn't going to make a noticeable difference. This phone is waterproof, unlike many others. It also has a removable battery, something that's mostly disappeared now. And it has an SDcard slot so I can expand the memory. The CPU seems pretty fast. It has a fingerprint sensor. What else would I want? (Besides a good de-bloating...)
  A lot of these new "features" seem to have dubious usefulness, or actual negative usefulness. Almost no border around the screen? How the heck do you put it in a good Otterbox case to protect it from drops then? Or do they think I'm just going to forgo the case and replace it in a few months when the screen gets cracked or it gets too scratched up? Removing the headphone jack (on many models, not the S8 apparently)? That's not helpful, that's a big PITA for me because I use that a lot. Thinner? I don't give a shit; I keep my phone in an big Otterbox defender case already.
  It seems that the main driver for phone upgrades now is the lack of software updates.
32. Re:One word: Cowardice by AmiMoJo · 2017-01-26 06:12 · Score: 1
  
  This seems unlikely, considering that the iPhone 7 only has a small 1960mAh battery. Apple don't have any magic super efficient radios or a way to drive headphones that uses less energy than everyone else. Their off-the-shelf flash memory and RAM isn't lower power than the competition.
  In fact, we can make some educated guesses here. The last iPod Touch (6th gen) had a 1000mAh battery and Apple claimed up to 40 hours of playback. Let's take their word for it, they are saying 25mAh/h in the best case (screen off, everything in minimum power). So around 200mAh for an 8 hour work day, or 10% of the iPhone 7's battery. But of course the iPhone 7 has other stuff to keep alive, like the cellular/wifi radios (so it can accept incoming calls and notifications/messages), it has the Bluetooth radio to keep on for the headphones. Let's say the rest of the hardware comes out even (e.g. more RAM, but it's lower power), it's still impossible for it to play all work day on your claimed 10-12% battery.
  Plus the earpods only get 5 hours battery life anyway so you need two pairs of them, or some other type which you must remember to charge up or keep plugged in.
  
  --
  const int one = 65536; (Silvermoon, Texture.cs)
  SJW, n: "Someone I don't like, and by the way I'm a fuckwit" - AC
33. Re:One word: Cowardice by lgw · 2017-01-26 06:44 · Score: 1
  
  It's rare for people to "carry around" an external DAC, just like you don't carry around a good pair of headphones - you have them where you listen to music.
  
  --
  Socialism: a lie told by totalitarians and believed by fools.
34. Re:One word: Cowardice by TheFakeTimCook · 2017-01-26 09:33 · Score: 1
  
  This seems unlikely, considering that the iPhone 7 only has a small 1960mAh battery. Apple don't have any magic super efficient radios or a way to drive headphones that uses less energy than everyone else. Their off-the-shelf flash memory and RAM isn't lower power than the competition.
  In fact, we can make some educated guesses here. The last iPod Touch (6th gen) had a 1000mAh battery and Apple claimed up to 40 hours of playback. Let's take their word for it, they are saying 25mAh/h in the best case (screen off, everything in minimum power). So around 200mAh for an 8 hour work day, or 10% of the iPhone 7's battery. But of course the iPhone 7 has other stuff to keep alive, like the cellular/wifi radios (so it can accept incoming calls and notifications/messages), it has the Bluetooth radio to keep on for the headphones. Let's say the rest of the hardware comes out even (e.g. more RAM, but it's lower power), it's still impossible for it to play all work day on your claimed 10-12% battery.
  Plus the earpods only get 5 hours battery life anyway so you need two pairs of them, or some other type which you must remember to charge up or keep plugged in.
  So, you are calling Apple a liar?
  
  Remember, the A11x SoC has FOUR cores (a first for Apple SoCs), and two of them are special "low power" cores. I would imagine that if you are simply listening to music, that is a prime example to something that can be handled entirely by the low-power cores.
  
  Add to that that Apple is VERY good at power-management, and I would bet that listening to music on the iPhone 7 series is an EXTREMELY power-parsimonious activity.
  
  Anecdotes are not data, of course; but with my iPhone 6 Plus (which does NOT have low-power cores), I can stream Apple Music over WiFi all during the work day, and only eat about 10% or so of my battery. According to Apple, the iPhone 6 Plus will achieve 50 hours of music playback (which I believe Apple defines as "wireless" (streamed) music), with its 2915 mAh battery. So, assuming an 8 hour workday, and extrapolating from a single workday of my experience, this comes out to 1.25% per hour (which seems about right), or, IOW, 66 hours.
  
  Now of course, all things are not exactly equal, although Li-ion batteries have an extraordinarily flat discharge curve; but as you say, every time you wake up the display, etc. you screw with that discharge rate a bit, but considering the fact that the iPhone doesn't charge the battery to much more than 80%, nor allow it to discharge much below 10% of actual total capacity, and we have a good guesstimate that 50 hours is likely a "real" number.
  
  And as I said, my phone doesn't have the advantage of the special low-power cores to help stuff alone a bit. So, I actually believe that 80 hours on an iPhone 7 Plus is a reasonably accurate number.
  
  Remember, it's an embedded SYSTEM, and ALL the pieces-parts, both hardware AND software, can work together to give you an overall power consumption over time that simply looking at datasheets won't reveal.
  
  I'm sorry that Qualcomm's SoC's are such power-hogs (the GN7 had a battery capacity nearly TWICE that of the iPhone 7 Plus, but actually achieved a slightly LESS run-time); but them's the facts.
35. Re:One word: Cowardice by TheFakeTimCook · 2017-01-26 09:38 · Score: 1
  
  It's rare for people to "carry around" an external DAC, just like you don't carry around a good pair of headphones - you have them where you listen to music.
  WTF ever. This is way past pointless.
36. Re:One word: Cowardice by AmiMoJo · 2017-01-26 22:12 · Score: 1
  
  Go look up some datasheets for Bluetooth chips. In fact, here are some datasheets for you:
  http://ww1.microchip.com/downl...
  http://www.bluecreation.com/fd...
  15 to 30mA for music streaming, which depends on range and how crowded the 2.4GHz band is. There is no getting around this, no amount of clever power management will help. Radios use power, Bluetooth mandates the time that the radio must be turned on, it just can't go significantly lower. So no matter how efficient the CPU and everything else is, all day on 10% is impossible.
  
  --
  const int one = 65536; (Silvermoon, Texture.cs)
  SJW, n: "Someone I don't like, and by the way I'm a fuckwit" - AC
37. Re:One word: Cowardice by TheFakeTimCook · 2017-01-27 05:42 · Score: 1
  
  Go look up some datasheets for Bluetooth chips. In fact, here are some datasheets for you:
  http://ww1.microchip.com/downl... http://www.bluecreation.com/fd...
  15 to 30mA for music streaming, which depends on range and how crowded the 2.4GHz band is. There is no getting around this, no amount of clever power management will help. Radios use power, Bluetooth mandates the time that the radio must be turned on, it just can't go significantly lower. So no matter how efficient the CPU and everything else is, all day on 10% is impossible.
  What did I tell you about JUST looking at datasheets and trying to infer an embedded SYSTEM's requirements/performance?
  
  You are the one that brought BT into this. Apple's battery-life tests were no doubt done with no headset of any type, or with the wired headset. Of course, using BT earpieces would bring that down a little. Now, LynwoodRooster, who claims to be a designer of BT devices, sez the iFixit teardown of the iPhone 7 shows that Apple is using a Murata-branded BT/WiFi COMBO module (See step 15 of the teardown; which uses either a Cypress Semiconductor BCM4339 or a Marvell 88W8897 chip, so, that could (likely would) have a different current requirement from the Microchip and whoever-the-hell Bluecreation is; so your 15 to 30 mA figures may or may not be relevant. But even if that was a CONTINUOUS requirement (which I sincerely doubt it is), or just a rough-average, or an "absolute maximum", 15 to 30 mA is still not such a big deal to a 2900 mAh battery. 2900/30 = 96 Hrs at 30mA CONTINUOUS for your BT chips. I couldn't get a straight answer out of the Cypress Datasheet; but assuming it is no more than 30mA for the BT subsections, that shouldn't be a problem.
  
  And of course, with aggressive power-management, that 30mA won't be anything like continuous.
38. Re:One word: Cowardice by sudden.zero · 2017-02-03 12:13 · Score: 1
  
  No, but I work in an Acoustics lab so I have access to sound isolations rooms and such. Here is a link to a picture of part of the one I am working in today. https://goo.gl/photos/WWQwTLB4...
39. Re:One word: Cowardice by sudden.zero · 2017-02-03 12:27 · Score: 1
  
  Thanks, I've been working a crap-ton of overtime, and didn't recognize the sarcasm till it was too late. My comments were true to how I feel either way.
Predictions based on Samsung Ownership by youngone · 2017-01-25 14:06 · Score: 2

Keeping the 3.5mm jack will be popular, an they learned from the stupid S6 which had no micro-sd card slot.
The dock thing will not be popular, even if it works Samsung will force users to use some terrible Samsung software and it will be awful.
It might be a pretty good phone though.
1. Re:Predictions based on Samsung Ownership by Anonymous Coward · 2017-01-25 14:17 · Score: 1
  
  Done well, the dock as desktop thing could be really cool.
  But this is Samsung, so it won't be.
2. Re:Predictions based on Samsung Ownership by flappinbooger · 2017-01-26 02:08 · Score: 1
  
  Since this new phone (and the S7 and the S6 and probably the S5) will have adequate memory and processor to do all of what most people need to do on a computer, hooking up a big display, KB and mouse will finally get us realistic device convergence. ONE device that does all we need and we can have it with us all day.
  Of course, when it falls into the toilet we're REALLY screwed because ... we only have the one device.
  
  --
  Flappinbooger isn't my real name
3. Re:Predictions based on Samsung Ownership by youngone · 2017-01-26 09:37 · Score: 1
  
  You're right about processing power, even my old S4 might work OK in a pinch. The point I was trying to make was that Samsung will make a pig's breakfast of the software, and it will be unusable.
  At least that's my prediction, based on my own use of Samsung products.
4. Re:Predictions based on Samsung Ownership by flappinbooger · 2017-01-26 14:33 · Score: 1
  
  or it'll catch on fire.
  
  --
  Flappinbooger isn't my real name
Removable battery? by Drethon · 2017-01-25 14:15 · Score: 4, Insightful

No? Oh look, my Galaxy S5 still works great (yes I can ignore the crack on the screen...).
I mean yeah, it is kind of a nit pick but I'm on my third battery right now and will probably be ordering my fourth before too long. The S5 is plenty fast enough to do everything I do with the phone, including a number of games. Just don't see what a new phone provides that an old one doesn't, including some things new phones don't provide that old ones did.
1. Re:Removable battery? by vux984 · 2017-01-25 15:02 · Score: 1
  
  Battery life on the S5 was terrible. Barely lasted me the day... often came up short.
  My current S7 Edge generally goes all day just fine, sometimes I can even squeeze 2 if i forget to charge it.
  My S5 got handed down to another family member as it is still working fine.
  But I would never go back.
2. Re:Removable battery? by Chordonblue · 2017-01-25 15:38 · Score: 1
  
  And the 'pad thing', as much as I enjoy the wireless charging, is especially true when your phone lives in a case.
  
  --
  "...Well, there's egg and bacon; egg sausage and bacon; egg and spam; egg bacon and spam; egg bacon sausage and spam..."
3. Re:Removable battery? by vux984 · 2017-01-25 15:47 · Score: 2
  
  Yeah, but now you have to charge and carry around 2 batteries.
  I'm not even sure how you charge your battery when its not in the phone? Chargers for just your phone batteries hasn't been mainstream since the StarTAC was a big deal.
  To each their own, but the idea of carrying around 2 batteries isn't making me even slightly envious of your $25 2ndary batter that 'only takes 30 seconds to replace'....If i really wanted more portable juice i'd probably carry one of those external usb battery packs to 'charge on the go'. Even that seems more convenient than whatever you must do.
4. Re:Removable battery? by Ksevio · 2017-01-25 16:18 · Score: 1
  
  I bought 2 batteries that came with a charger for $25. It's a little bit of a pain to have to reboot the phone, but it's definitely an advantage over trying to use the phone while plugged into an external battery pack.
5. Re:Removable battery? by CrashNBrn · 2017-01-25 19:25 · Score: 1
  
  Sure, but if your phone wasn't 5 years old, you could get a 50-75% charge in under 30 minutes -- even without Qualcomm QuickCharge most phones in the last 2+ years charge at 2 Amps or higher. USB-C phones charge at 3 Amps or higher.
  
  Which obviates the need for carrying around a spare battery.
6. Re:Removable battery? by thegarbz · 2017-01-25 21:55 · Score: 1
  
  What the duck are you doing to your battery that only cause them to last 6 months!
7. Re:Removable battery? by Drethon · 2017-01-25 23:36 · Score: 1
  
  Sure, but if your phone wasn't 5 years old, you could get a 50-75% charge in under 30 minutes -- even without Qualcomm QuickCharge most phones in the last 2+ years charge at 2 Amps or higher. USB-C phones charge at 3 Amps or higher.
  Which obviates the need for carrying around a spare battery.
  Still not worth the cost of a new phone to me. Great if that is what you want though.
8. Re:Removable battery? by Drethon · 2017-01-25 23:37 · Score: 1
  
  A new battery would last at least two days for me, unless I was playing games on it all day. With an old battery it doesn't bother me any to have it plugged in to my computer while I'm at work. Just can't see paying for a new phone just for that.
9. Re:Removable battery? by stealth_finger · 2017-01-26 00:10 · Score: 1
  
  Yeah, but now you have to charge and carry around 2 batteries.
  I'm not even sure how you charge your battery when its not in the phone? Chargers for just your phone batteries hasn't been mainstream since the StarTAC was a big deal.
  To each their own, but the idea of carrying around 2 batteries isn't making me even slightly envious of your $25 2ndary batter that 'only takes 30 seconds to replace'....If i really wanted more portable juice i'd probably carry one of those external usb battery packs to 'charge on the go'. Even that seems more convenient than whatever you must do.
  I think the point is to replace the battery when it stops holding a decent charge (instead of the whole phone), not swop them when one runs dry.
  
  --
  Wanna buy a shirt?
  https://www.redbubble.com/people/stealthfinger/shop?asc=u
10. Re:Removable battery? by tsqr · 2017-01-26 01:33 · Score: 1
  
  Even not on the pad my S7 will have at least a 80% charge come morning if I missed the pad and my battery was full when I went to bed.
  I never charge my S6E+ at night. If it's fully charged at lights out, it's at 98% or 99% when I get up in the morning. Can't imagine what would cause it to drain down to 80%.
11. Re:Removable battery? by CrashNBrn · 2017-01-26 04:25 · Score: 1
  
  Haven't spent over $210 on a device|phone. $169 Xiaomi, and the potential replacement, a Nexus 6, 64GB for $209.
12. Re:Removable battery? by Ksevio · 2017-01-26 04:28 · Score: 1
  
  Still would rather swap out a battery than walk around with a battery pack for half an hour
13. Re:Removable battery? by GuB-42 · 2017-01-26 05:23 · Score: 1
  
  Common factors : Heavy usage, battery often at 100%, heat, fast charge, bad luck.
  And for replacement batteries : poor quality third party, refurbished, in stock for too long and in poor conditions.
  Batteries also tend to degrade well before they die. You can live with it, many people don't even notice, but if you barely make it to the end of the day, spending $25 and 30 seconds to get a fresh battery may be worth it. The old battery can be kept as a spare.
14. Re:Removable battery? by vux984 · 2017-01-26 06:20 · Score: 1
  
  I think the point is to replace the battery when it stops holding a decent charge (instead of the whole phone),
  Could be. But in that case, the S5 didn't hold enough charge to get me through a day when it was brand new.
15. Re:Removable battery? by Drethon · 2017-01-26 07:30 · Score: 1
  
  Haven't spent over $210 on a device|phone. $169 Xiaomi, and the potential replacement, a Nexus 6, 64GB for $209.
  I always bought the expensive phones because Verizon was going to charge me a new phone fee even if I didn't buy one. Now that they've dropped that charge, time to start looking at more practical ones.
16. Re:Removable battery? by adolf · 2017-01-26 08:13 · Score: 1
  
  Both of mine did just fine with battery life over the course of a day.
  Perhaps you were holding yours wrong?
  (One died a water death after being dumped out of a canoe. It did come back to life a couple of years(!) later. The other had microphone death, which I guess is kind of common when doing confirmation-biased research.)
  
  --
  Kid-proof tablet..
17. Re:Removable battery? by vux984 · 2017-01-26 09:04 · Score: 1
  
  Both of mine did just fine with battery life over the course of a day.
  Perhaps you were holding yours wrong?
  If by wrong you mean "too much" then perhaps. Mine would last a day too if all I did was make a few calls and receive a few texts and check email once or twice. The S5 easily handled a day of just being 'on' just fine -- but fell over if before the day was over if i need to take a lot of calls, use the navigation, etc etc. While the S7 edge lasts a day of me me using it pretty heavily.
WTF is an "Android Desktop"? by TheFakeTimCook · 2017-01-25 14:56 · Score: 2

Ok, so you can put a USB-C connector on your phone, throw a few generic drivers into the OS, offer one of the many USB-C port replacer docks that people use with their laptops, and call your phone a "desktop". Yeah, ok...

Doesn't make it actually practical in the real world.

You can do that right now (actually, for the past few years) with an iPhone using AirPlay (or the HDMI adapter), a Bluetooth keyboard and mouse (yes, iOS can use them just fine), and an AirPrint-compatible printer. Again, doesn't make it actually practical for anything but the most limited of use-cases.
1. Re:WTF is an "Android Desktop"? by thegarbz · 2017-01-26 04:24 · Score: 1
  
  *Releases smartphone! :Look at all the things it can do!
  "Nah its too small it will never be a practical replacement for a PC"
  *Releases tablet! :Look at all the things it can do now that it has a large screen!
  "Nah it doesn't have a physical keyboard, it will never be a practical replacement for a PC"
  *Releases Android Desktop! :Look at all the things it can do now that it has a dock, keyboard, mouse, external screen and all the other PC things that make your PC a PC.
  "Nah it still isn't practical for reasons I won't share"
  *Releases Galaxy S9! :Look we removed the microSD slot and headphone jack again because fuck you you whinging bastard!
2. Re:WTF is an "Android Desktop"? by TheFakeTimCook · 2017-01-26 05:06 · Score: 1
  
  "Nah it still isn't practical for reasons I won't share"
  I am not sure if your comment was directed at me; but I'll bite...
  
  Reason #1: Lack of Desktop-Quality Applications (not "APPS").
  
  Reason #2: See Reason #1.
  
  Reason #3: If you HAVE to hook up a dock, external display, and keyboard/mouse in order to PRACTICALLY use your Phone as a PC in other than an "emergency" situation, then WHY NOT JUST USE A LAPTOP???
  
  Reason #4: See Reason #1.
3. Re:WTF is an "Android Desktop"? by thegarbz · 2017-01-26 07:38 · Score: 1
  
  It was only partially directed at you. Mostly it's directed at people who dismiss everything.
  The why not just use a laptop, is the most classic example. Not all of us want a dedicated device for a dedicated workload and then the management hassle of working between them.
  I put it to you, if all you do is type documents (there are perfectly find office tools available on android, your lack of quality applications if you define quality by doing what it needs to and not bolting on every tiny little piece of crap ala MS Office 20##) and browse web, why OWN a laptop? Then when you look at the devices you have you'll answer the question of why not use a laptop.
4. Re:WTF is an "Android Desktop"? by adolf · 2017-01-26 08:21 · Score: 1
  
  FFS, I could do that years ago with a Droid 4, using micro-HDMI for display and any random Bluetooth or USB OTG accessories that I felt like.
  For the Droid Bionic, they even made a lapdock, with a built-in keyboard, monitor, and pointer.
  Fast forward, and I can do it with an S5 using wired MHL for video display and Bluetooth peripherals.
  Or just about anything else Android using Chromecast and whatever peripherals.
  It's a shitty idea in that it is clever, efficient and seems useful, but really isn't useful at all.
  
  --
  Kid-proof tablet..
5. Re:WTF is an "Android Desktop"? by TheFakeTimCook · 2017-01-26 09:40 · Score: 1
  
  It was only partially directed at you. Mostly it's directed at people who dismiss everything.
  The why not just use a laptop, is the most classic example. Not all of us want a dedicated device for a dedicated workload and then the management hassle of working between them.
  I put it to you, if all you do is type documents (there are perfectly find office tools available on android, your lack of quality applications if you define quality by doing what it needs to and not bolting on every tiny little piece of crap ala MS Office 20##) and browse web, why OWN a laptop? Then when you look at the devices you have you'll answer the question of why not use a laptop.
  I believe your example comes under the definition in my original post about "...for anything but the most limited of use-cases.", now, doesn't it?
6. Re:WTF is an "Android Desktop"? by TheFakeTimCook · 2017-01-26 09:45 · Score: 1
  
  FFS, I could do that years ago with a Droid 4, using micro-HDMI for display and any random Bluetooth or USB OTG accessories that I felt like.
  For the Droid Bionic, they even made a lapdock, with a built-in keyboard, monitor, and pointer.
  Fast forward, and I can do it with an S5 using wired MHL for video display and Bluetooth peripherals.
  Or just about anything else Android using Chromecast and whatever peripherals.
  It's a shitty idea in that it is clever, efficient and seems useful, but really isn't useful at all.
  My point exactly.
  
  Just like that Moto phone that advertised being a "dockable" "transfoming" device. Went exactly NO WHERE.
  
  And as I point out, just like the Droid 4, you have been able to do that with an iPhone for years, too. Don't know ANYONE who actually would do that by CHOICE, other than in an "emergency" situation.
  
  Maybe someday...
No Bezel? Why? by Chordonblue · 2017-01-25 15:34 · Score: 1

I mean, I get that it probably looks cool and all, but how the hell do you hold it without selecting something on the screen? I have an S7 Edge now, and I have to say that were it not for the extended battery life, I could care less about the curved screen. I want to be able to hold it in one hand without having to be super cautious of how I hold it.
I dunno, maybe I'm doing it wrong...

--
"...Well, there's egg and bacon; egg sausage and bacon; egg and spam; egg bacon and spam; egg bacon sausage and spam..."
1. Re:No Bezel? Why? by vux984 · 2017-01-25 15:54 · Score: 1
  
  I have an S7 Edge now, and I have to say that were it not for the extended battery life, I could care less about the curved screen
  Yeah... i've had mine for a year now and have only activated the extra edge functionality via the side of the screen a couple times. I don't think having the screen go up to the top would cause me any issues. I'd miss the the physical home button on the bottom though if that goes away... its nice to have some idea which way is up. :)
  The flashing when it rings on silent face down is nice... but could have been done with LEDs... doesn't need a curved screen.
  The battery life is the main thing i was looking for too. And it delivered... so im happy with it. But the 'curved screen' is more gimmick than anything else.
  Does anyone get a lot of mileage out of the extra 'edge' functionality (the apps and notifications and launcher etc that slides in from the edge)?
2. Re:No Bezel? Why? by Overzeetop · 2017-01-26 00:13 · Score: 1
  
  Indeed, though I had the Note 7 and it had very, very good edge touch rejection. I have the S7E now and I mostly keep it in a thin case to prevent edge touches (and to keep it in good shape - I'm pretty clumsy). My biggest beef with both it mis-touches when picking it up - it's so thin and the case so slippery that to grip it almost requires you touch the screen. My second is the optical distortion at the edges - the Note 7 wasn't bad, the S7E is pretty significant.
  I'm a little disappointed that the Note 8 variant (or whatever the call it to make it "not the one that blew up") isn't on the docket. I won't get a replacement phone until there is one with a stylus. Man, I loved that thing. The quick notes / screen-off notes was the killer app for me.
  
  --
  Is it just my observation, or are there way too many stupid people in the world?
Motorola Atrix lives! by cant_get_a_good_nick · 2017-01-25 15:39 · Score: 1

Now when people have more data in the cloud and less on their phone, i don't think we really need a dock. It's a nice to have, i guess, but id never use it - bringing a dock someplace i might as well have a laptop.
Re:Modern OQO please by Anonymous Coward · 2017-01-25 16:21 · Score: 1

but none run anything but android, so that doesn't really count.
Let them run Linux/WinXP-8.1.
Lenovo K80M
ASUS ZenFone 2
Take a Droid 3 case/design with it's slide out keyboard, removable battery, microsd slot(that can be changed w/o powering off), hdmi, usb, audio jack and put an Intel M-5y70 or more power efficient in it, that can run real OS's and that's all any respectable IT professional would own. Add a 2nd microUSB port to use for charging/bus.
Turns out jackless isn't taking the world by Master5000 · 2017-01-25 18:21 · Score: 1

by the storm. And that is good. Fuck iphone 7. and I say that as an iphone user.
Headphone jack? by bazmail · 2017-01-25 20:49 · Score: 2

Where's the COURAGE?
Waiting for the next logical step by johannesg · 2017-01-25 21:10 · Score: 2

Apparently a phone without a border is deemed the pinnacle of human achievement by phone manufacturers. Still, I think it's not good enough. I'm holding out for a phone where the screen actually extends beyond the physical phone. Not this sissy "right up until the edge but no further", no silly "wrap around and continue on the back", no, I want a phone where the screen is larger than the physical device itself!
What's that? Pointless? Impossible? Well, that didn't stop you for this model, did it?
Missing feature by maroberts · 2017-01-26 00:49 · Score: 1

I've had to return my S7 Note and miss not having a phone with the emergency firelighter feature. Will this be on the S8?

--
Donte Alistair Anderson Roberts - hi son!
Karma: Chameleon
Too late by coofercat · 2017-01-26 00:50 · Score: 1

I'm very jaded about Samsung - nice hardware, terrible, terrible software and a load of bloatware you really don't want. Maybe it's an age thing, but the latest 'flagship' phones don't really excite me any more. The 'edge' screens look nice, but I'm not sure they actually add all that much to the experience.
For now, I'm using a Wiley Fox - it's great, it does what you want and you can uninstall all the bits you don't want. It's also £180 (compared to something like £700 for the newest generation phones from anyone else).
And more? by OneHundredAndTen · 2017-01-26 01:57 · Score: 1

As in "more explosive"? It's Samsung that we are talking about - a company on fire, hell-bent on delivering the hottest products,
Headphone jack on a hand grenade by wcrowe · 2017-01-26 04:42 · Score: 1

"Samsung's Latest Unstable Hand Grenade Will Feature a Headphone Jack..."
There. Fixed that for ya.

--
Proverbs 21:19
Note 7 Hardware Reuse by Bratch · 2017-01-26 06:12 · Score: 1

They gotta do something with all that recalled hardware from the Note 7. I'm wondering if they put it into the S8 or Note 8.
Yes on headphone jack, yes on removable battery, and please bring back my FM radio (headphone jack is needed for the antenna).

--
Beware of the Redittor who loans you a Sharpie.
Bezels exist for a REASON, people by sootman · 2017-01-26 08:02 · Score: 1

It's so you can HOLD the damn thing with HUMAN FINGERS comfortably, without covering the screen. My current phone has a mere 4mm between the left and right sides of the screen and the physical edge of the phone. My life would not be made better if the screen itself were 8mm wider or if the phone itself were 8mm narrower. It would, in fact, be a bit *worse* because my fingers would cover little bits of the content every so often.

--
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