Samsung Galaxy S8: Specs, Release date & Price
Samsung is currently working hard on the Galaxy S8, its next flagship phone that will be unveiled and launched early this year. This new model should bet on a virtually borderless screen, a new chip for the first time made in 10 nm (nanometer), and a modern and complete connectivity. We can expect the Samsung Galaxy S8 to be officially announced in March and it is rumoured that the release date will be the 21st of April (TBC).
Samsung is set to release two versions of its latest upcoming phone, the Galaxy S8 and the Galaxy S8 Plus with a larger screen. Here are their characteristics:
- Samsung Galaxy S8: 5.8 inch Super AMOLED QHD, 2560 x 1440 pixels.
- Samsung Galaxy S8 Plus: 6.2 inch screen Super AMOLED QHD, borders equivalent to 2560 x 1440 pixels.
Processing power and storage
The Galaxy S8 will come either with the Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 processor or Samsung’s own Exynos Processor. No matter what processor is used we should see a noticeable performance increase from the Galaxy S7 due to 10 nm chip.
In 2016, Apple finally decided to increase the storage of its iPhone from 16 GB minimum to 32 GB. Samsung would therefore keep its lead as the Samsung Galaxy S8 will have a minimum storage of 64 GB and up to 256 GB for the most expensive models. If that wasn’t enough then you should be glad to know that the micro SD slot is coming back with the new S8, so you will be able to expand your phone memory even further.
In terms of connectivity you can expect the S8 to still have 3.5 mm headphone jack which is great news for most, and for the first time in the ‘S’ series we should get a Type-CUSB port.
Has Samsung improved the Camera for the Galaxy S8?
The rear camera would still be equipped with a 12-megapixel f / 1.7 sensor, but the front facing camera would gain in definition from 5 mp to 8mp. Of course, photography remains one of the best selling points of a smartphone and Samsung will therefore improve its camera slightly, with optimizations on photos taken in low light, or on the speed of capture, but the changes should be minor. After all, the Samsung Galaxy S7 was already equipped with one of the best cameras on the market.
All new Iris Scanner
The Galaxy S8’s will come with a fingerprint reader which will be located in the back of the phone next to the camera. The Korean manufacturer will also add an Iris scanner which means you can unlock your phone just by looking into the screen. This Technology has already been seen in the Lumia 950 from Microsoft and more recently in the Samsung Galaxy Note 7.
What’s the design of the phone like?
For now, only one credible photo has leaked regarding the Samsung Galaxy S8. Many images have circulated, often coming from accessories, but have been denied by several sources.
Bixby your personal assistant
Youtube channel: CNET
With Google Assistant, Apple’s Siri and Cortana by Microsoft, Samsung now has Bixby which it will propose for the first time on the Galaxy S8. It will be based on Viv, an artificial intelligence platform.
Use your phone as desktop computer with Samsung DeX
The integration of USB Type-C and native DisplayPort support have allowed Samsung to develop a new feature that turns the Galaxy S8 into a true desktop computer. Once the phone is connected to a keyboard, mouse and screen, Samsung DeX will display a real desktop similar to that of Windows.
When is the release date and how much will it cost?
We know officially since the beginning of the year that the Samsung Galaxy S8 would not be unveiled at the MWC 2017, as the investigation of the Galaxy Note 7 ended recently and Samsung wants to make sure not to repeat the same errors. Several sources point to a conference organised on March 29 in New York where Samsung would unveil the Galaxy S8.
Its commercial launch would be scheduled three weeks later, on April 21, 2017. The price of the S8 is still not clear at this point but expect to see a increase from the Galaxy S7.
Image Credits:
iphonedigital, https://www.flickr.com/photos/iphonedigital/23407667369
Samsung, http://bit.ly/2bM1NUa