Samsung Galaxy S8 release date: New phone will be delayed because Note 7 kept exploding, company says

The company wants to focus on regaining consumer trust before unleashing its next flagship

Unlike the S7, S6 and S5, the S8 will not be unveiled at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona (REUTERS/Kim Hong-Ji TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY)

Samsung has confirmed that the Galaxy S8 will not launch at technology tradeshow Mobile World Congress next month.

The company has officially confirmed that Galaxy Note 7 handsets caught fire because of a range of battery issues, and says it will now focus on regaining consumer trust.

“We look forward to moving ahead with a renewed commitment to safety,” the company said in a statement. “The lessons of the past several months are now deeply reflected in our processes and in our culture.

“More than ever, we are committed to earning the trust of our customers through innovation that redefines what is possible in safety, and as a gateway to unlimited possibilities and incredible new experiences.”

The S8 will arrive as Samsung’s latest flagship smartphone, following in the footsteps of the S7, S6 and S5, which were all unveiled at pasts MWC events.

Though Samsung has made no mention of a possible launch date, analysts expect it to be available to buy in April.

A new virtual assistant called Bixby is rumoured to debut on the Galaxy S8, allowing consumers to make quick online purchases by analysing real-world objects through the camera app and tracking them down on the web.

The phone has also been tipped to feature an enlarged display, slimmed-down bezels and no home button. Whether or not Samsung decides to drop the headphone jack, as Apple controversially did with the iPhone 7 last year, also remains to be seen.