This could be a critical year for Samsung after last year’s launch of the Galaxy Note 7, which had to be recalled because of a number of instances of the phones’ batteries catching fire. The Korean company needs a big launch of its latest flagship devices to try to make up for some of the losses that came about from the Note 7 situation. The first Samsung flagships to hit the market in 2017 are the Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8+, which the company officially unveiled earlier today.
The phones share similar specs, with the main differences being screen size and the batteries. The S8 features a 5.8″ Super AMOLED Quad HD+ screen with 2960×1440 resolution (571ppi) while the S8+ is bigger, with a 6.2″ Super AMOLED Quad HD+ display at with the same resolution (529ppi). With the bigger screen, the S8+ naturally has a bigger battery, clocking in at 3500mAh, compared to 3000mAh for its smaller counterpart.
Both feature a Snapdragon 835 processor (in the US) with 4GB RAM and 64GB of internal storage (with support for microSD cards up to 256GB capacity). The devices feature 8MP cameras on the front and 12MP rear cameras. They’ll ship with Android 7.0 Nougat with the typical connectivity with WiFi 802.11a/b/g/n/ac, 4G LTE and GPS, One thing that sets the S8 series apart is they are the first mobile phones to support Bluetooth 5.0. They each have a USB-C port and 3.5mm headphone jack, bucking the trend of companies leaving that out of phones. They also feature IP68 water resistance.
These are also the first devices to include Samsung’s new digital assistant Bixby. They are compatible with accessories, including Samsung’s latest Gear VR headset and the newly introduced Samsung DeX, a dock that allows you to use the phone as a computer with a desktop experience.
The phones come in a variety of colors (which may not be available through all carriers and retailers), including midnight black, orchid gray, arctic silver, maple gold and coral blue.
The phones will be available to pre-order — with various pre-order bonuses — tomorrow, with an expected release date of April 21. They’ll be available for all major carriers — including AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile, Sprint and US Cellular — and at retailers including Best Buy and Amazon. Pricing varies, but generally ranges from $720-750 for the S8 and $820-850 for the S8+ if you pay full price up front or monthly payments of roughly $30-35 if you go with an installment plan through your carrier.
Full details can be found here. Below, you will find the specs followed by Samsung’s official press release detailing the p
| CATEGORY | GALAXY S8 | GALAXY S8+ |
|---|---|---|
| Operating System | Android 7.0 Nougat | Android 7.0 Nougat |
| Display | 5.8-inch AMOLED 2960×1440 (570 ppi) |
6.2-inch AMOLED 2960×1440 (529 ppi) |
| Processor | Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 or Samsung Exynos 8895 |
Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 or Samsung Exynos 8895 |
| Storage | 64GB (UFS 2.1) | 64GB (UFS 2.1) |
| Expandable | microSD up to 256GB | microSD up to 256GB |
| RAM | 4GB | 4GB |
| Rear Camera | 12MP Dual Pixel, f/1.7 1.4-micron pixels OIS |
12MP Dual Pixel, f/1.7 1.4-micron pixels OIS |
| Front Camera | 8MP, f/1.7 auto focus |
8MP, f/1.7 auto focus |
| Connectivity | Wi-Fi 802.11ac MIMO Bluetooth 5.0 NFC, GPS, Glonass, Galileo, BeiDou LTE Cat.16 |
Wi-Fi 802.11ac MIMO Bluetooth 5.0 NFC, GPS, Glonass, Galileo BeiDou LTE Cat.16 |
| Charging | USB-C Fast charging Qi wireless Powermat wireless |
USB-C Fast charging Qi wireless Powermat wireless |
| Battery | 3000mAh | 3500mAh |
| Water resistance | IP68 rating | IP68 rating |
| Security | One-touch fingerprint sensor Iris scanner Samsung KNOX |
One-touch fingerprint sensor Iris scanner Samsung KNOX |
| Dimensions | 148.9 x 68.1 x 8 mm | 159.5 x 73.4 x 8.1 mm |
| Weight | 155 g | 173 g |
PRESS RELEASE:
Samsung Electronics introduces the Galaxy S8 and S8+ to the world, a smartphone that pushes the boundaries of traditional smartphones with its seamless hardware design and a variety of new service offerings. With the launch of multiple services and apps, as well as a stunning Infinity Display for immersive viewing experiences, the Galaxy S8 and S8+ bring a new level of functionality and convenience, opening up a galaxy of possibilities.
“The Samsung Galaxy S8 and S8+ usher in a new era of smartphone design and fantastic new services, opening up new ways to experience the world,” said DJ Koh, President of Mobile Communications Business, Samsung Electronics. “The Galaxy S8 and S8+ are our testament to regaining your trust by redefining what’s possible in safety and marks a new milestone in Samsung’s smartphone legacy.”
See and Experience More
The Galaxy S8 builds on Samsung’s heritage of creating stunning designs and functional devices. Available in 5.8-inch Galaxy S8 and 6.2-inch Galaxy S8+, the Infinity Display and bezel-less design form a smooth, continuous surface with no buttons or harsh angles. The result is a truly immersive viewing experience without distractions and makes multi-tasking more convenient. The Galaxy S8’s compact design enables comfortable one-handed operation and Corning® Gorilla® Glass 5 on both the front and back for durability and a high-quality finish.
The Galaxy Foundation
In addition to the new design innovations, Samsung continues to deliver cutting-edge technology including an advanced camera, enhanced performance and more to the devices that users love, including:
• Premium Camera: The Galaxy S8 and S8+ are equipped with an advanced 8MP F1.7 Smart autofocus front camera and 12MP F1.7 Dual Pixel rear camera for the best low-light, zoom and anti-blur photos with enhanced image processing.
• Powerful Performance: Packing powerful performance and connectivity, the Galaxy S8 and S8+ feature the industry’s first 10nm processor, enabling heightened speed and efficiency. It is also gigabit LTE and gigabit Wi-Fi ready with support for up to 1 Gbps so users can quickly download files, regardless of the file size.
• Robust Entertainment: As the world’s first mobile device certified by the UHD Alliance as MOBILE HDR PREMIUMTM, Galaxy S8 and S8+ let you see the same vibrant colors and contrasts that the filmmakers intended while watching your favorite shows. In addition, the Galaxy S8 and S8+ offer next-level gaming experiences with vivid and superior graphic technology, as well as Game Pack, featuring top game titles, including select titles supported by the Vulkan API.
• Global Standard in Mobile Security: The Galaxy S8 and S8+ are built on Samsung Knox, a defense-grade security platform. In addition, the Galaxy S8 and S8+ will offer a wide selection of biometric technologies including a fingerprint scanner, iris scanner and facial recognition so users can select a secure biometric authentication method that works best for them.
The Galaxy S8 and S8+ will also come with the foundational Galaxy features that our customers have come to love, including:
IP68 water and dust resistance
MicroSD support up to 256GB
Always-on display
Fast and wireless charging capabilities
New Way to Interact with Your Phone
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.
Users can also shop, search for images and get details about nearby places with Bixby’s image recognition technology. As the Bixby ecosystem grows, it will connect across devices, apps and services as a ubiquitous interface, and open up new experiences and scenarios to simplify life.
Beyond the Phone Experiences
The Galaxy S8 and S8+ offers robust portfolio of products and services, elevating the both devices experience for premiere mobile productivity and connectivity.
The Galaxy S8 and S8+ unlock the new Gear VR with Controller, powered by Oculus. Enabling convenient one-handed control and navigation, the controller provides better motion interaction when accessing interactive VR content. The Galaxy S8 and S8+ will also connect to the new Gear 360 to create 4K 360-degree videos and 15MP photos.
Leveraging the processing power of the Galaxy S8 and S8+ for enhanced productivity, Samsung DeX is a unique solution that transforms your smartphone into a desktop by providing a secure desktop-like experience. With Samsung DeX, users can easily display and edit data from their phone, making working from a smartphone faster and smarter.
In addition, as more IoT devices enter the market and the connected network becomes more complex, Samsung Connect simplifies smart device management. With Samsung Connect, users can easily activate IoT-enabled devices through a quick three-step configuration process and manage all connected devices through one integrated app.
The Galaxy S8 and S8+ also come with the enhanced Samsung Health service, expanding one of Samsung’s most widely used services with 60 million monthly active users and 11 million daily active users worldwide. Samsung Health includes tele-health (U.S.-only), personal coaching, social capabilities that redefine traditional health and fitness.
Users can leave their physical wallet behind with Samsung Pay, turning their Galaxy S8 and S8+ into a digital wallet they can use almost anywhere they’d use a credit or debit card. With more than 870 worldwide banking partnerships, Samsung Pay has processed more than 240 million transactions to date.
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.
The Galaxy S8 and S8+ will be available starting on April 21, and will be offered in a rich color palette including Midnight Black, Orchid Gray, Arctic Silver, Coral Blue and Maple Gold.
Thoughts From Scott 