Update: Here's a better look at that dual-camera Galaxy S8 Plus prototype

Update, April 17: Two live images published on Weibo (via Playful Droid) purport to show the cancelled Galaxy S8 Plus prototype with two cameras and no fingerprint sensor on the back. There’s a decent chance that Samsung will use this design on a future device like the Galaxy Note 8.

Original post, April 3: Unlike the LG G6 and HUAWEI P10, Samsung’s flagship smartphones do not feature a rear dual-camera setup. Both devices come with a single primary camera that has a 12 MP sensor. However, it looks like the company did consider equipping the Galaxy S8 and S8 Plus with two cameras on the back, at least according to the images of early prototypes of the two devices that have recently popped up online.

As you can see, the device in the image above has the same model number as the Galaxy S8 Plus, which is SM-G955F. It shows an early prototype of the flagship with a dual-camera setup and an LED flash and the heart rate sensor positioned below it.

What’s interesting is that there’s no fingerprint scanner on the back, probably because of Samsung’s rumored plans to embed it underneath the display. That, unfortunately, did not happen, as the technology wasn’t quite ready yet. As a result, Samsung had to change the design of the smartphone and has decided to position the scanner on the back of the devices, in quite a strange location.

There’s no word on exactly why Samsung decided to ditch its plan to equip the Galaxy S8 and S8 Plus with a dual-camera setup. It would’ve been a welcomed addition, as I am sure the majority of users would love to see it on the flagship devices.

The good news is that we might not have to wait much longer to see the first smartphone from Samsung with two cameras on the back. About a week ago, the company filed a patent for a dual-camera sensor in South Korea. Although we still don’t know which device will be the first to feature it, it is possible that the sensor will make its debut on the upcoming Galaxy Note 8.