After the Samsung Galaxy Note 7 debacle followed by the recent dethronement from the world’s top smartphone seller position by Apple, all eyes are on Samsung’s next flagships – the Galaxy S8 and S8 Plus. It is quite apparent that Samsung will not leave any stone unturned in making Galaxy S8 series a tremendous hit. The recent leaks of the phone hint that it will be an engineering marvel, which may take the smartphone world by storm.
Why The Ultra Thin Bezels Of Samsung Galaxy S8 Bode Ill
However, I am apprehensive about the radical overhaul of the design. If the leaks turn out to be true, S8 and S8 Plus may come with ultra-thin bezels on the sides and narrow bezels on the top and the bottom.
Before you get excited, we suggest you look another side of the coin. With such thin bezels, it will be prone to cracks even with small drops or impacts. Even if we assume Samsung builds this device with excellent build material that can resist routine drops, it will nevertheless be vulnerable to hard impacts.
Now, the repairability comes into the picture. The overbound design will not only make it difficult for repair but also demands skilled technicians. Samsung operates in many international markets where after sales service is not as sophisticated as on its homeland or US; it may face a tough time in those markets.
If you are still optimistic like I do, let us delve into the costing part. The phone itself may carry a hefty price tag. The screen replacement will usually cost atleast one-third of the phone’s cost, which will be a substantial amount that can eat your pocket any day. For example, the screen replacement cost for Galaxy S7 Edge costs between Rs. 14,000 to Rs.16,000. Also, to replace the glass on the back, they charge around Rs.3500. Xiaomi might have taken all the above caveats into consideration before deciding to confine Xiaomi Mix to its homeland, China. However, as a tech enthusiast, I welcome these engineering marvels from the companies and also expect them to be prepared for any repercussions. Please let us know your opinion on the S8’s design leak in the comments section.
