Tucked away in an iPhone-related report from Korean outlet The Investor are a few interesting details about how Samsung will handle the transition from physical buttons to virtual keys in its own upcoming flagship. The site reports that, as the sole supplier of OLED panels for the iPhone 8, Samsung Display is working on integrating a sensor for 3D Touch into the panel. That's not unexpected, nor would pressure sensitivity in an OLED phone screen be a new thing — Huawei has been doing that since 2015's Mate S. But the article also lets slip that Samsung's mobile arm may be implementing a similar technology in a part of the Galaxy S8's display — specifically the portion around the home screen. Verizon is offering the Pixel 4a for just $10/mo on new Unlimited lines

And citing sources, The Investor says the Galaxy Note 8 may adopt pressure sensitivity for the entire display. (A phone which may well make it to market before Apple's next iPhone, if previous years are any indicator.) Samsung has been rumored to introduce pressure sensitivity in its phone screens since the first rumors of 3D Touch emerged, but now the timing may finally be right. The use of pressure-sensitive software keys on the Galaxy S8 would answer a few major usability questions. Firstly, removing the physical home key would eliminate the one really easy way to power on the phone while it's lying flat. A combination of Samsung's existing Always-On Display tech and a pressure-sensitive home key on the screen would fill this gap, allowing GS8 owners to simply press on the screen and get some kind of haptic feedback. Sure enough, an Always-On Display with a virtual home key has been seen in some of the recently leaked GS8 photos, like the one on the right.

One piece of the puzzle Samsung's missing is Apple's legendary haptics.