New Samsung Galaxy S8 devices available in April for S’pore

SINGAPORE — Will eight finally be the lucky number for Samsung? Off the back of the fairly recent Galaxy Note7 battery fiasco, the Korean electronics giant has launched the long-awaited successors to its flagship Samsung Galaxy series, the S8 and S8+ on Wednesday (March 29).

Unveiled at the Samsung Galaxy Unpacked event in New York at 11pm Singapore time, the smartphones will be available sometime in April for the Singapore market, and April 21 in selected markets. Here’s what you can expect:

BIGGER SCREENS
Both Android 7.0 devices will boast of significantly bigger screens over its predecessors, the 5.1-inch Galaxy S7 and the 5.5-inch Galaxy S7 edge. Ditching Samsung’s signature home button, the Galaxy S8 and S8+ smartphones will come with 5.8-inch and 6.2-inch 2960x1440 Quad HD+ screens respectively.

RECURRING FEATURES
Expect to see some recurring features on the Galaxy S8 devices: Like their Galaxy S7 iterations, they come equipped with 12-megapixel f1.7 Dual Pixel rear cameras as well as feature 8-megapixel f1.7 front cameras. Both also feature IP68 water and dust resistance as well as microSD support (up to 256GB), a feature that was reintroduced on the Galaxy S7 smartphones.

HELLO, BIXBY
Rivalling Apple’s Siri and Google Assistant is Samsung’s voice-powered digital assistant named “Bixby” that will make its debut on the Galaxy S8 devices. At launch, Bixby’s voice function will integrate with “several” Samsung native apps and features including Camera, Contacts, Gallery, Messages and Settings. Samsung said there are plans to expand it to include other Samsung and third-party apps in the near future.

DESKTOP & VR EXPERIENCE
Another productivity tool that will mark its debut with the Galaxy S8 devices is the Samsung DeX docking station. Compatible with the Galaxy S8 devices, the docking station allows the smartphone to be connected to an HDMI-compatible monitor as well as a Bluetooth-enabled, USB or RF-type keyboard and mouse. The docking station comes installed with an Android UI optimised for a desktop experience acrosss Microsoft Office and Adobe mobile apps, Windows OS-based applications, and partner solutions such as Citrix, VMware and Amazon Web Services.

The DeX station will come with two USB 2.0 ports, Ethernet and USB type-C power-in ports as well as Adaptive Fast Charging technology to charge the Samsung smartphone while connected.

The Galaxy S8 devices are also compatible with the new Gear VR with Controller and can connect to the new Gear 360 to create 4K 360-degree videos and 15-megapixel photos.

HARDWARE & BATTERY
Performance-wise, the Galaxy S8 devices will come with “the industry’s first” octa-core 10nm processors, and also gigabit LTE and gigabit Wi-Fi ready with support for up to 1Gbps. The bigger Galaxy S8+ will come with a 3,500mAh battery while the Galaxy S8 will feature a 3,000mAh battery.

Both devices will be sold in five colours: Midnight Black, Orchid Gray, Arctic Silver, Coral Blue and Maple Gold. It is unclear at the moment what colours will eventually be made available in Singapore.

The DeX station will be available globally with the Galaxy S8 devices and may be offered as a packaged bundle depending on region, said Samsung.