The Samsung Galaxy S8 is finally here... almost. As expected, the Korean conglomerate unveiled its latest flagship smartphone at the Unpacked 2017 event held yesterday, March 29. Pre-orders for the handset will start on the 31st while the device itself will be shipped to U.S. shores come April 21. This gives fans three weeks to ponder on their decision while waiting for their orders to be delivered.
There's little to debate about regarding the features and specifications of the Galaxy S8. On paper, the smartphone is arguably one of the best ever. Understandably, some people may be having second thoughts about purchasing the smartphone because of Samsung's recent bad rep courtesy of recalls, arrests, and exploding batteries.
It's undeniable, however, that the highly-anticipated Samsung Galaxy S8 is a beautiful piece of machinery. The svelte look of the Galaxy S8 is both surprising and not. Despite the number of rumors and leaks showing the design of the Galaxy S8, seeing and holding the actual device still fuels awe and amazement. The Samsung Galaxy S8 combines glass and metal perfectly while giving its users more space to work on with its huge 5.8-inch screen (6.2 inches for the S8 Plus) packed in a rather lithe body. The bezels are distinctly slimmer, the sides are curved and the physical home button is gone.
Another feature that got an impressive upgrade is its front camera. The Galaxy S8 now sports an 8MP front-facing camera, up from the S7's 5MP. The rear camera, however, remained at 12MP.
Samsung also introduced its Bixby voice assistant. The company claims that Bixby is capable of doing more as compared to other digital assistants, though, for now, it will only work with certain Samsung apps.
The biggest concern with the Galaxy S8, as CBS noted, is its battery. Samsung acknowledged the embarrassment of the Galaxy Note 7 when its executives explained that the company implemented new and better standards and procedures including an eight-point battery check for their devices starting with the Galaxy S8.
The Verge stated that Samsung did not announce a fixed price for the flagship smartphone. This is a common practice of the Korean tech company which prefers that carriers dictate the actual retail price. However, many estimate the smartphone to be available for no less than $720. While the price will depend on the carriers, what is set in stone is that the Samsung Galaxy S8 will come on April 21.
