Galaxy Note 8 vs iPhone 8: Release dates, rumors and features

The future of the Samsung Galaxy Note 8 was up in the air after battery problems led to the device's discontinuation. But Samsung confirmed this week that the Note 8 will be happening. "I will bring back a better, safer and very innovative Note 8," Samsung's mobile chief, D.J. Koh, told CNET. The year marks the 10th anniversary of the iPhone and Apple will launch the much-anticipated iPhone 8. Here's how the two devices fare against each other based on current rumors and information.

Galaxy Note 8 vs. iPhone 8: Release Date

Apple typically waits for the fall to unveil its new smartphone so it is safe to expect a September or October announcement. As for the Note 8, if Samsung follows its usual timeline, then consumers can expect a debut and release in the fall. But, considering how the Note 7 fiasco has delayed the Galaxy S8's release, it is entirely possible that the tech giant will push back the release for the Note 8.

Galaxy Note 8 vs. iPhone 8: Price

Apple is not known to raise prices drastically year-to-year so the iPhone 8 smartphones should be roughly the same as the iPhone 7 handsets. There is no official or rumored news on a price range for the Note 8, though there are some cases that can be made for both a price increase and keeping the cost the same. On one hand, the S8 is getting a price hike but, on the other hand, Samsung may opt to keep prices the same for the Note 8 to win back Note 7 customers.

Galaxy Note 8 vs. iPhone 8: Models

Apple offered two devices with different sizes for the iPhone 6 and iPhone 7: a standard 4.7-inch smartphone and a larger, phablet-like 5.5-inch smartphone. For the iPhone 8, Apple is rumored to be launching three models (4.7-, 5.5- and 5.8-inch) and the largest model will showcase an edge-to-edge OLED display. As for the Note 8, should Samsung follow the Note 7 pattern, then there will be one model of the phablet. 

Galaxy Note 8 vs. iPhone 8: Other features

Apple parted ways with the headphone jack in the iPhone 7 and is expected to say goodbye to the home button in the iPhone 8 — the button could be integrated in the display screen. The device may also come with a feature that uses facial recognition technology in its new device, Business Insider reported.

The biggest rumor surrounding the Note 8 is its camera: It may come with a powerful 30-megapixel rear camera. This largely based on the fact that the Note 7 had the same camera as Samsung's S7 series and the S8 is rumored to come with a 30-megapixel camera, suggesting the Note 8 will as well.

The Note 8 may also bring back the iris scanner seen in the Note 7 — this feature offered users a secure way to unlock their devices. Since the Note 7's recall was battery-related, there is no reason to believe the next-gen device will not offer the iris scanning biometric technology.

Galaxy Note 8 vs. iPhone 8: Battery

Samsung identified the cause and source of its Galaxy Note 7 battery problem in a report released on Sunday night. It also shared how it plans on preventing such a mishap from taking place in the future: an eight-point battery check that rigorously tests batteries and requires an X-ray of handsets. The tech giant has also made a team of third-party advisers with professors from the University of Cambridge, the University of California, Berkeley and Stanford University.