These days there’s no such thing as a secret when it comes to new smartphones and the Samsung Galaxy S8 was no exception. Plenty of leaks including renderings and press photos were released before today’s Samsung Galaxy Unpacked 2017 event in New York. During the event, as expected, the company announced their latest flagship device: the Samsung Galaxy S8.
The event started off with their “This is a Phone” commercial which was released about a month ago to garner interest for the Galaxy S8 announcement today.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2iNTxLXO-Iw
It seems Samsung agrees with most of the staff here at Techaeris, in that while companies have driven smartphone innovation in the past, there hasn’t really been much lately. Samsung is looking to change that up with the Samsung Galaxy S8 by changing the way people think of mobile. Samsung’s President of Mobile Communications Business, DJ Koh, took the stage and spoke about the challenging year Samsung has had and stated that the most important commitments to Samsung are quality, safety, and craftsmanship.
As mentioned above, the company is aiming to change the way people think of mobile. Most people think of smartphones, but Samsung feels that view is too narrow and hopes the Galaxy S8 can change that with great innovation and stunning design.
“The Samsung Galaxy S8 ushers in a new era of smartphone design and fantastic new services, opening up new ways to experience the world,” said Koh. “The Galaxy S8 is our testament to regaining your trust by redefining what’s possible in safety and marks a new milestone in Samsung’s smartphone legacy.”
Available in two variants — the Galaxy S8 and the slightly larger Galaxy S8+, the new smartphones will be nearly identical aside from screen and battery size. The S8 will feature a 5.8″ screen and a 3,000mAh battery while the larger S8+ will feature a 6.2″ screen and a 3,500mAh battery. Both devices will ship with Android 7.0, include an octa-core processor (2.3GHz quad + 1.7GHz quad or 1.9GHz quad depending on market), 4GB RAM, 64GB storage space, dual pixel 12MP OIS rear camera, 8MP front camera, and Quad HD+ Infinity Display screens for a virtually bezel-less design.
Other features include IP68 water and dust resistance, MicroSD support up to 256GB, always-on display, fast charging capabilities, Samsung Knox, fingerprint scanner, iris scanner, facial recognition, and more. The Galaxy S8 smartphone also features earphones tuned by AKG by Harman, offering high-performance audio with a better hybrid canal fit for better noise cancellation.
While the Galaxy S8/S8+ definitely have a sleeker design, Samsung is hoping users get more out of the device using Bixby, their new intelligent interface. Instead of incorporating Alexa or Google’s voice commands, Bixby’s Voice function will integrate with several native Samsung apps. As the Bixby ecosystem grows, personalized help based on a user’s location, interests, and interaction will allow Bixby to become your personal assistant.
To further expand the smartphone experience, Samsung has taken a page out of Google’s playbook as the new Samsung Gear VR ships with a controller for better motion interaction with interactive VR content. Users can also connect their Galaxy S8 smartphones to the new Gear 360 to take 15MP photos and create 360º 4K videos. Previously teased, Samsung DeX will transform your smartphone into a desktop which will allow users to easily display and edit data.
The Galaxy S8 and S8+ will be available for purchase starting on April 21st. Those who pre-order may be eligible to get the new Samsung Gear VR with Controller as a thank-you gift once their purchase is completed. Depending on market, the Galaxy S8 will be available in Midnight Black, Arctic Silver, Maple Gold, Coral Blue, and Orchid Gray.
What do you think about the Samsung Galaxy S8? Do you think the new design and services are innovative enough? Let us know in the comments below or on Google+, Twitter, or Facebook.
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