Finally, the Samsung Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8+ are here. After countless rumors and speculations, Samsung on Wednesday officially unveiled its next-generation Galaxy S flagship models. Although most of the specs have been leaked, the launch of the S8 series was still highly anticipated as it is Samsung’s first major event since the withdrawal of Note 7s.
(Image: Samsung)
The series includes a 5.8-inch Galaxy S8 and 6.2-inch S8+, and both feature an “Infinity Display” with near bezel-less design that forms a continuous curved screen without harsh angles. The result is a large display, occupying a whopping 83% of the surface, but the phone itself is about the same size as the S7 lineup and enables one-handed operation.
Both models have Quad-HD Super AMOLED panels with a resolution of 2960 x 1440 pixels and 570ppi. The screen, as Samsung pointed out, is the first on a mobile phone to be certified by the UHD Alliance as Mobile HDR Premium. The Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8+ thus have much richer colors and can provide more immersive video experiences.
To achieve the screen-to-body ratio, Samsung replaced the physical home button with a pressure-sensitive bottom area. However, the removal means Samsung has to relocate the fingerprint sensor, which the company decided to place at the back of the phone, right next to the camera. Some said this might result in leaving fingerprints on the camera lens.
(Image: Samsung)
For the new models, Samsung also integrated facial recognition and iris scanner into the front camera on the top bezel as additional unlock options, which the company said can make unlocking easier and faster. So users may consider using them more often instead of the fingerprint option.
Apart from hardware, Samsung debuts its new virtual assistant Bixby on the new models. As the company put it, the new Bixby button on the left side of the handset will enable users to conveniently access Bixby and navigate through services and apps with simple voice, touch and text commands.
With contextual awareness capabilities, Bixby can offer personalized help based on the user’s interests, situation and location. Users can easily shop, search for images and get details about nearby places with Bixby’s image recognition technology.
The S8 and S8+ will be sold in the U.S. and other major regions on April 21 and preorders start on March 30. Designed to compete with Apple’s iPhone, Samsung’s high-end flagship model certainly have new features that Apple also has in mind. Now all eyes are starting to turn to what the tech giant will bring to market in September.
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