After having a torrid time last year with the Note7 fiasco and the corruption scandal at the top of the company, Samsung had LOTS riding on the S8 release today.
Despite almost every leak ahead of today’s event being correct on everything from design to features of the new handset, there is no denying Samsung has crafted a thing of beauty in the S8.
Samsung Galaxy S8 & S8+
A few hours ago in New York and London, the best-selling handset manufacturer of 2016 launched their newest devices.
Amazingly, Samsung has achieved something many users want; bigger screens on smaller handsets!
The S8 is physically smaller than it’s predecessor the S7, yet the screen has increased to 5.8inches (5.1 on S7) and 6.2 inches for the S8+. How? The removal of the bezel, or what was left of it after the S7 Edge, and the physical home button!
The result is a crisp, cleaning looking handset with a Quad HD screen from top to bottom and, even out to the sides thanks to the curved edges. Samsung is calling it the Infinity Display! A new, virtual, on-screen button replaces the old physical home one which has a vibration module and pressure sensor built-in behind where it appears on the screen, so you get a feedback response similar to using a normal button.
To the delight of some, the headphone socket has remained, and the in-box headphones take that joy further!
New high-performance earphones tuned by AKG by Harman, offering uncompromised audio for unbeatable sound quality, will come as an in-box accessory. These earphones will have a comfortable hybrid canal fit for better noise cancellation and will be made from anti-tangle metal-fabric material.
Could these be the best bundled in headphones to date?
The main rear camera is a 12MP F1.7 Dual Pixel shooter for the best low-light, zoom and anti-blur photos with enhanced image processing. The selfie, or front facing, the camera has 8mp and Smart autofocus.
Some of the now staple features of Samsung Galaxy handsets return with IP68 water and dust resistance, Wireless charging capabilities and Micro SD support up to 256GB.
There is also new digital assistance in the form of Bixby.
Bixby is an intelligent interface that will help users get more out of their phone. With the new Bixby button, you will be able to conveniently access Bixby and navigate through services and apps with simple voice, touch, vision and text commands. At launch, Bixby’s Voice function will integrate with several Samsung native apps and features including Camera, Contacts, Gallery, Messages and Settings, with the plan to expand its capabilities to include more Samsung and third-party apps in the near future. Contextual awareness capabilities enable Bixby to offer personalized help based on what it continues to learn about the user’s interests, situation and location.
Although we all knew what was coming today, the Unbox your Phone event still delivered a hugely desirable handset. Samsung now need to get the release right, avoid the issues of the Note7 and stake their claim to the best handset of 2017!
The S8 and S8+ are both on pre-order now and will be available from 21st April. The S8 will be £689 and the S8+ £779.