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Samsung Launches Galaxy S8 Smartphone (cnbc.com)

Posted by msmash on from the new-phones-on-market dept.

Samsung on Wednesday unveiled the Galaxy S8, its latest flagship smartphone boasting a new voice assistant and larger display as the technology titan looks to steal a march on Apple and regain ground after the embarrassing Note 7 saga. The phone comes in two models with different screen sizes -- the 5.8-inch Galaxy S8 and 6.2-inch Galaxy S8 Plus. From a report: Some of the key features of the device include a so-called "infinity display", giving the device a bezel-less curved edge and a 12 megapixel back camera. [...] Samsung also revealed Bixby, a smart voice assistant to rival Apple's Siri. It will be able to answer questions you ask, but Samsung highlighted how it's different. One use case involved taking a picture of a monument and Bixby being able to tell you information about this as well as recommendations of restaurants nearby. The display has a resolution of 2960 x 1440. The Galaxy S8 (both variants) comes powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 octa-core SoC (in international markets, Exynos octa-core). Other features include 12MP rear camera, 8MP front-facing camera, 3,000 mAh battery (3,500 mAh battery on Plus model), USB-C charging port, 3.5mm headphone jack, IP68 water and dust resistance capability, support for wireless charging, Bluetooth 5.0, and support for LTE Cat 16. It runs Android 7.0. Prices are yet to be announced.

17 of 104 comments (clear)

  1. Boom baby! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Funny

    No headline like "explosive launch"? :)

  2. Look like spec by denisbergeron · · Score: 2

    From last year second level Corp. Like my zenfone 3 that have 4gb and 64gb in its smallest version, and you can get a 256gb zenfone for the price of a Samsung 7!

    --
    Ceci n'est pas une Signature !
    1. Re:Look like spec by thegarbz · · Score: 2

      The silly thing is someone thinking this is silly because of reason X without having any of the inside information that went into the design and engineering.

      It's even sillier complaining about this on a phone with an SD card slot. I for one will be buying the smallest version available because unlike other manufactures this one doesn't limit my storage.

    2. Re:Look like spec by TheFakeTimCook · · Score: 2

      The silly thing is Samsung is the world's largest DRAM and NAND manufacturer. It would cost them literally a few dollars to bump up the amount of RAM and storage on their devices.

      You're assuming that Samsung is just big pile of products and divisions.

      In reality, Samsung's mobile device manufacturing company has to BUY components from Samsung Semiconductor company. They probably get an extreme sweetheart deal; but I can guarantee they don't just "transfer stock" for zero dollars over cost.

  3. bezel-less curved edge by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Interesting

    "bezel-less curved edge"

    F that! I already have a hard enough time holding my phone with a bezel without accidentally touching the edges of the screen. Forget putting adding a protective case to protect your multi-hundred dollar toy as you won't be able to use the edges of the screen.

    1. Re:bezel-less curved edge by The+Snowman · · Score: 3, Interesting

      F that! I already have a hard enough time holding my phone with a bezel without accidentally touching the edges of the screen. Forget putting adding a protective case to protect your multi-hundred dollar toy as you won't be able to use the edges of the screen.

      I traded in my S7 Edge specifically because the curved edges were so damn annoying. I would almost constantly trigger functionality on the edges of the screen, interrupting what I was doing. Adding a case did not help: the pressure the case put on the edges actually made it worse. Touching elsewhere on the phone would distort all the interconnected pieces of the case just enough to trigger a touch in a random place. It was also annoying when playing games where I might need to touch near the edge of the screen: the curvature made it harder to read the screen and touch the edges.

      Upgrading to an "old-school" flat-screen phone eliminated all of the annoyances caused by the curved edges. I will never buy another curved-screen phone. Since Samsung is committed balls-deep to technology that actively pisses me off, I doubt I will ever buy another one of their phones.

      --
      24 beers in a case, 24 hours in a day. Coincidence? I think not!
  4. Still clinging to iPhone limitations by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Bring back the removable/easily swapped-out battery _with_ waterproofing. Stop thinking thinness is the primary design goal.

    1. Re:Still clinging to iPhone limitations by Dracos · · Score: 2

      Yes: thinness is an anti-feature, just like bezel-less screens.

  5. 3.5mm jack and IP68? by LynnwoodRooster · · Score: 4, Funny

    Clearly a lie - after all Apple would have done it if it could be done!

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    Browsing at +1 - no ACs, I ignore their posts. So refreshing!
  6. "Bixby" by Rick+Schumann · · Score: 3, Funny

    Don't make Bixby angry, mister McGee; you won't like Bixby when it's angry.

  7. Battery by fnj · · Score: 2

    The battery is removable, or they can go straight to hell with the crap. I wouldn't take it as a gift.

  8. Sounds boring & expensive by jareth-0205 · · Score: 2

    Which is good really. That smartphones have matured to a state where there is not much new each year gives us a bit of stability, which I welcome after the past few years of constant upgrades.

    But I have to wonder who now pays $800 or whatever for a phone. My current is a Moto Z Play, which is mid-range really, but I haven't found anything to complain about at all... or atleast nothing that I believe would be fixed by a faster (more power-hungry) CPU or a higher screen resolution (that I can't see). If you were in the market for an Android phone, why would anyone get a flagship these days?

  9. If only by Artem+S.+Tashkinov · · Score: 3, Interesting

    they could make their phones 2mm thicker and add 20-40% larger battery.

    CPU and GPU performance increase is nothing to write home about despite the new 10nm fabrication process.

    The screen to body ratio is just excellent. This is what we should have had years ago.

    DEX is really cool or even more functional. Microsoft should start worrying about Windows dominance on the desktop right away.

    VR has been and will remain a gimmick people will try and then forget about in a month.

    Overall it's a very cool and functional phone Apple will be copying in the next three years. I'd buy one if not for its staggering price.

  10. The must have specs... by HockeyPuck · · Score: 2

    Waterproof, usb-c and a headphone jack...

    Why can't Apple just include these...?

  11. Re:"It runs Android 7.0." by hackel · · Score: 2

    Exactly what I was thinking. Not even 7.1? Really? Certainly doesn't bode well for software updates, where they already have a miserable track record.

  12. Re:Garbage in, Garbage out by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Interesting

    I have high technical aptitude. I don't want to unlock the bootloader to my phone, I consider Galaxy phones fast, I can easily ignore the software I don't use with no harm done, and my phone has never exploded, nor do I consider it remotely possible it will do so.

    Overpriced? Maybe you are just poor or old (probably both, considering you are a 5 digit UID). Considering how much I use cell phones for, paying what amortizes to $1/day or $1.50/day is an amazing price. People easily pay a lot more for barely-used luxury items.

  13. Samsung fan here, owned 4 or 5 of them. by AbRASiON · · Score: 2

    Great job doing what the whiners said, the whiners who don't buy your phones.

    "We want metal" - now they're heavier, less flexible, more prone to break. (Apple, HTC fans)
    "We hate the home button" - finally removed.
    "Make it flashy" (forced curved screen)

    Excellent job. You've added all the shit which NON SAMSUNG CUSTOMERS whined about, meanwhile alienating Samsung customers.

    I can deal with the transition to a metal case, but the home button and especially the curved display? Great job. You lost a long time customer if you force this shit on the next model.