Samsung Galaxy Note 8: Rumours, release date and leaked images of the new phone

Samsung is gearing up to announce the next device in its Galaxy Note series of luxury mobile phones with large "infinity" displays, a stylus pen and a powerful camera.

The company is due to announce the Samsung Galaxy Note 8 smartphone at a major press event on Wednesday.

Official teasers for the new device have shown a phone with a stylus, known as the S Pen, under the tag line "do bigger things".

The last Samsung Galaxy Note was one of the best-looking smartphones you could buy. But the device proved to be a failure after dozens of reports of batteries overheating led to a global recall of the high-end smartphone.

Samsung has recovered consumer trust somewhat with the Galaxy S8, which has been a hit for 2017 and is arguably one of the best Android phones you can buy. But the company will will be hoping the new Note 8 can return the brand to its former glory.

When will Samsung release the Galaxy Note 8?

The Samsung Galaxy Note 8 will be unveiled on Wednesday. It is not clear when the device will go on sale, but it is likely to be a few weeks after the launch, which will mean it goes on sale around the time Apple is due to unveil its 10th anniversary iPhone 8. 

What will it look like?

Samsung leaked pictures of the Note 8 the day before its release. The pictures appear to confirm a 6.3-inch device with a display that covers the whole front of the device, much like its predecessor and the Galaxy S8. The edge-to-edge display is known as an infinity display.

The Note 8 is also reported to be Samsung's first handset with a dual-lens camera, the sort found on the iPhone 7 Plus and Android rivals such as the OnePlus 5 and Nokia 8.

What colours will it come in?

The Samsung Galaxy Note 8 is expected to come in four colours, blue, gold, black and silver, and be available in a larger 128GB version, according to the leaks.

Bixby

Samsung debuted the Bixby voice assistant, its answer to Amazon's Alexa and Apple's Siri, when it released the Galaxy S8 earlier this year. 

The launch was only partial to begin with, but a day before the launch of the Note 8 Samsung released Bixby in 200 countries, including the UK. 

The release makes it almost certain the Note 8 will feature Bixby. 

Battery and performance

One of the big concerns from previous fans of the Note series is whether Samsung has fixed its battery problems. Last year's Note 7 had major problems with its battery, leading to several scores of handsets overheating, some of which burst into flames.

While the problem did not effect all the phones, it was a major public relations blow to the company.

The Note 8 will have a 3300mAh battery battery with wireless charging capabilities, according to Venturebeat.

We don't know what processor it will come with, but a picture from Samsung's official Twitter account leaked images of an unknown smartphone next to its latest Exynos 8895 microchip.

How much will the Note 8 cost?

It certainly won't come cheap. The Note 7 cost £750 when it was released and the Note 8 could cost more as manufacturers continue to push up the prices of  high-end smartphones.

One rumour suggests the phone could cost an eye-watering €1,000 (£900). This will make it the most expensive smartphone Samsung has ever made.

What will the iPhone 8 look like?