Samsung finally unveiled its latest flagship devices, the Galaxy S8 and S8 Plus. The company hopes these devices will make up for the Galaxy Note 7 fiery debacle of last year. Samsung will start shipping in the US on April 21, 2017, preorder starts today, March 30.
Galaxy S8 Specifications
The S8 will sport a 5.8-inch screen while the S8 Plus has a slightly larger 6.2-inch display. Both devices have 2960 x 1440 resolutions. Samsung gave its new smartphones a look called the “infinity display,” which makes both devices look like they have no bezels.
The S8 and S8 Plus are fitted with a big screen in a smaller body which makes it a lot more comfortable to use than other smartphones with larger displays. Samsung dropped its traditional home button and used software buttons instead. It features haptic feedback, much like Apple’s iPhone, that allows users to feel like they’re pressing a physical home button. The fingerprint sensor was moved to the back of the smartphone, next to the camera.
Both smartphones will boast 4 GB of RAM with 64 GB of internal storage with an expandable microSD card slot.
Galaxy S8 other features
When it comes to the camera, both devices are the same; a rear 12-megapixel sensor with optical image stabilization. The front-facing camera, for both devices, has an 8-megapixel sensor with autofocus.
The camera app can be launched by double-pressing the power button.
Samsung also unveiled Bixby, a smart voice assistant which is looking to rival Apple’s, Siri. Bixby will be able to answer questions users ask. One unique feature is Bixby’s camera app which turns the camera into a photo search engine. This can be enabled by pointing the Bixby camera app at anything like a monument; the app identifies the monument and then suggests web searches for it.
Its functions will be limited at first but it will eventually grow overtime.
The S8 and S8 Plus are equipped with 3,000 mAh and 3,500 mAh batteries, respectively. The company claims that the batteries were tweaked to last longer after a year or two.
Pricing of the Galaxy S8 and S8 Plus will be up to the carriers as usual. However, rumors suggest that it might start at $720. The smartphones are being praised by analysts for its innovative design and will be expected to have strong sales this year.
