We all know the drill when it comes to smartphone launches these days: a cavalcade of leaks reveals all the details about the handset, then it gets officially introduced.
But Samsung, perhaps a bit touchy following the Note 7 explosion fiasco, is making efforts to ensure the upcoming Galaxy S8 isn't given the usual treatment, according to a new report.
As the Korea Herald reports, the company sent an email to Samsung executives and employees, warning that “leaks of operational secrets can cause irreversible ramifications, posing a great financial risk on the company and leading to broken partnerships and loss of trust.”
The Note 7 debacle has hit Samsung hard financially
And while some have speculated the move relates a change of leadership from Samsung Group Chairman Lee Kun-hee to his son, or possible management restructuring, there seems to be an element of anti-S8 leakage among all this.
According to 'an official from one of Samsung’s parts suppliers', the South Korean firm "has notified its suppliers not to mention a single word on the Galaxy S8.”
The phone is expected to debut in February 2017, but some analysts have speculated that Samsung could bring the S8 launch forward in order to make up for the financial hit its taken as a result of the Note 7 saga.
After recalling its flagship phablet, the company was forced to halt production following widespread reports of replacement handsets overheating, and in some cases exploding.
Galaxy S7 owners were subsequently sent notifications, reassuring them that their handsets were not at risk of overheating and did not need to be returned.
Following this, Samsung will be looking to make a big impact with the Galaxy S8, which is expected to arrive with a 4K screen, SD830 chip, and could possibly see the removal of the home button.
And while it seems somewhat futile to try to limit the leaks ahead of an official launch, we can't help but hope Samsung succeeds, even slightly, in minimising the details that slip through net, if only to make the launch more exciting.
The company has not confirmed the Herald's report at this point, so as usual, take today's news with due caution.
