After a disastrous 2016, Samsung only had one option: regroup, withstand the blows, and prove that it still knows how to build mobile devices. Technically, the company never went anywhere, but we all expected a sort of "comeback", which was confirmed with the official unveiling of the new Galaxy S8 and S8+ smartphones. Samsung's bet is enormous, with a complete redesign, almost non-existent bezels, a virtual assistant whose appearance is deceiving, and the need to step firmly again in the premium market.
A Complete Redesign
The wait is over. Enough rumors and leaked images. The Samsung Galaxy S8 and S8+ smartphones were presented to the public, and from a certain point of view, we can talk about "hinge products" for the South Korean manufacturer. The changes are many and of a very high level. Gone is the Edge label, in favor of a curved screen on both models. The bezels have practically disappeared, and their main buttons are now touch. The Super AMOLED panels use a non-standard ratio, 18.5:9 to be precise (Samsung calls this QHD+), and make the phones look much taller, so to speak.
Specifications and Hardware
The exact sizes are 5.8 inches on the Samsung Galaxy S8, and 6.2 inches on the S8+. Despite this difference, the base resolution is identical on both models, 2,960 by 1,440 pixels. Depending on the region, the smartphones will adopt a Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 SoC (octa-core big.LITTLE, 4 x 2.35 GHz + 4 x 1.9 GHz), or a Samsung Exynos 8895 (4 x 2.3 GHz + 4 x 1.7 GHz). RAM stands at 4 GB, and internal storage is 64 GB, expandable via microSD. The rear camera remains at 12 megapixels (same as the S7), but the front sensor jumps to 8 megapixels with autofocus. Connectivity includes WiFi ac, Bluetooth 5.0, NFC, and GPS / GLONASS. The Galaxy S8 models support wireless charging (PMA and Qi), which automatically makes us think of their glass-heavy design. The batteries are not removable (...), with capacities of 3,000 mAh on the S8 and 3,500 mAh on the S8+. The main port is USB Type-C, and yes, there is a 3.5 mm jack, without losing its IP68 protection.
Security, Bixby, and DeX
The security profile of the Galaxy S8 and S8+ includes a fingerprint sensor located on the back, next to the camera (a strange and uncomfortable decision, especially for left-handed users), and an iris scanner. On the software side, Samsung decided to stay in the territory of Android 7.0, accompanied by its "Samsung Experience" (formerly TouchWiz). Two more things remain to be mentioned. The first is Bixby. At first glance, it's easy to label Bixby as a common assistant, but its goal is to go much further than that traditional definition. Bixby has a dedicated physical button on the S8. That already conveys the priority it has in Samsung's strategy, and its goal is for the user to control the device with their voice just as they would with their fingers. Object recognition, dynamic translation, and contextual analysis are some of its tricks, but everything seems to indicate that the Galaxy S8 will be just its "first home." The second thing to report is a dock named DeX. Basically, it turns both Galaxies into desktop computers, as long as we connect the monitor-mouse-keyboard combo. It is a concept that has been explored a lot, though difficult to implement, and Samsung has an uphill road here.
Availability and Price
The pre-sale of the Galaxy S8 and S8+ has already begun, with prices of 809 and 909 euros. General availability will be on April 28.
