Samsung Galaxy S8 may have batteries from new Japanese supplier

Samsung may be ditching one of the battery suppliers for the ill-fated Galaxy Note 7 in favor of a new one for the upcoming Galaxy S8. A new report claims Samsung is in talks with the Japanese company Murata Manufacturing for it to supply batteries for the upcoming flagship device.

The report, from the Japan-based Nikkei business daily (via Reuters), comes just a few days after Samsung revealed the final results of its Galaxy Note 7 investigation. The smartphone was recalled after a number of units exploded soon after it went on sale in the fall of 2016. Samsung put the blame on the batteries that were used in the phone, and added that it will implement a new 8-point battery testing system for its future smartphones.

The Samsung Galaxy Note 7 had two battery suppliers. One was from the company’s own affiliate, Samsung SDI, while the other supplier was China’s Amperex Technology. The new report claims, via unnamed sources, that Murata Manufacturing would replace Amperex as the second supplier of batteries for the Galaxy S8, if the talks between Samsung and Murata are successful.

If this report is accurate, it should not be a huge shock to learn that Samsung wants to trade up on its second smartphone battery supplier. It certainly can’t ditch its own affiliate, so the second one has to go. The company simply cannot afford anything bad to happen with the Galaxy S8 launch, so dumping Amperex for a new company is in its best interest.

Samsung previously said it would not reveal the Galaxy S8 at its 2017 Mobile World Congress press event on February 26. However, recent rumors claims the company might offer a teaser video for the phone at MWC 2017, before the official reveal happens. Current rumors claim the phone will be unveiled in late March, a few weeks before it actually goes on sale in mid-April.