Samsung Electronics' Galaxy S8 may get rid of the home button in favor of a screen that covers all the front edges, according to Bloomberg, which cited unidentified sources with direct knowledge.
The company now uses flexible organic light-emitting diode (OLED) screens that wrap around the sides of the phone, but still has physical borders on the top and bottom of the phone to hold the home sensor, camera and speakers. The Galaxy S8 could have an "all-screen front," Bloomberg's sources said, to keep the smartphones smaller while still growing the display size.
The new phone, slated for spring, comes as Samsung faces increased pressure to revive its smartphone brand after the high-profile recall of the Galaxy Note 7, which had a large screen but also batteries prone to catching fire. An innovative design could put Samsung back on par with rival Apple, which is reportedly considering similar features for the iPhone 8.
Samsung is the world leader in producing the type of bright, power-saving OLED screens that may be needed for the new iPhone and S8.
Since the recall, Samsung has adopted more stringent testing procedures that could push back the launch of its new phone, Bloomberg reported on Thursday. It is also mulling new features like a voice-activated assistant and dual-camera, Bloomberg reported.
Samsung declined to comment to CNBC, citing a policy against commenting on rumors or speculation.