Galaxy S8 leaks continue to roll in thick and fast ahead of the handset’s official unveiling later this month. The latest, a photo of its display settings screen, reveals the handset will offer a super-sharp WQHD+ resolution, but will likely default to Full HD like the Galaxy S7 series after it was upgraded to Android 7.0 Nougat.
Samsung’s next-generation handsets are rumored to offer some pretty unique displays. Not only will they have rounded edges like the LG G6, but they’re also expected to carry an unusual 18.5:9 aspect ratio. That explains why the resolutions you see below aren’t typical display resolutions.
It looks like the Galaxy S8 will offer three different modes: HD+, FHD+, and WQHD+. They are essentially 720p, 1080p, and Quad HD with additional vertical pixels due to that unusual aspect ratio — hence the “+” at the end. Most will want to use WQHD+ to take full advantage of the Galaxy S8’s Super AMOLED display.
However, it appears that FHD+ will be the handset’s default resolution. That means the display won’t appear quite as sharp as it can be right out of the box, but you will get better battery life, since it requires slightly less power to push a lower resolution. This is a move Samsung adopted last year for the Galaxy S7 series.
When it released its Nougat update, users realized that their handsets were set to 1080p by default, rather than the maximum Quad HD. Many probably hadn’t noticed a change, since 1080p is still incredibly sharp to the naked eye. But it’s nice to have both options for those who would prefer better battery life over slightly sharper text and images.
Of course, Samsung is yet to confirm the Galaxy S8’s display size, aspect ratio, or resolution, so we should consider this a rumor for now. But with more and more leaks surfacing in recent weeks, we’re confident this photo is genuine.
