Phones Samsung Galaxy S8

[Sevanw]

Samsung has officially confirmed the Note 8 lives! So S8 then on to the Note 8. WoooHooooo.

 

[From A Buick 8]

I am sitting here with the cash i used to buy the note 7, just waiting for something to come out..... I like the eye scanner thing and the secure folder on the note 7 so I am hoping that the S8 has that.

 

[epicrayban]

Samsung has officially confirmed the Note 8 lives! So S8 then on to the Note 8. WoooHooooo.

I'm happy they made this comment. I said from very early on, I'd be shocked if Samsung cancels the Note line. Glad they don't plan to. I believe the S8 line shouldn't get muddled with the Note line (ie. the S8 having an S-Pen, for example).

It's a great one-two punch of flagships:
Galaxy S and S Plus for the more general public, then later in the year, a powerful Note with the S-Pen for the techy and more hardcore users.

That way, we also get to see how Samsung refines hardware/software through the year. The Note line learns from the Galaxy S line just as the Galaxy S line in the ensuing year learns from the Note.


Now, just nail this S8 launch. I'm enjoying my 3T/Pixel experience, but I'm ready to come back to Samsung's leading class hardware.

 

[MRU]

I'm glad they are taking their time. The Note 7 mess may have done us a favour and we end us with a better S8 than we would have otherwise got. Just hope as much emphasis is placed on software as hardware and then I have no doubt they would knock it out of the park ..

 

[epicrayban]

I'm glad they are taking their time. The Note 7 mess may have done us a favour and we end us with a better S8 than we would have otherwise got. Just hope as much emphasis is placed on software as hardware and then I have no doubt they would knock it out of the park ..

Exactly. How Samsung handled all this has been rocky, but in the long run, it'll hopefully lead to better and safer Samsung units, not just in their smartphones and tablets, but across the board with their product lineup.

The S8 has a huge opportunity to bounce back and propel them even further. I do believe Samsung, for the last two years or so, has been doing their best to right all their own wrongs, including in their software refinements. TouchWiz on top of Marshmallow was amazing. A 2017-refined TouchWiz on top of Nougat should be even more so.

 

[Tsepz]

Samsung has officially confirmed the Note 8 lives! So S8 then on to the Note 8. WoooHooooo.

I knew the Note series was not dead.

I simply could not understand why people were claiming it was the end of it, almost as if people wanted it gone due to the fact that their own favorite Phone Maker doesn't make anything that comes close to being as good and versatile as a Nite, and just make a bigger version of a smaller phone with nothing really added.

 

[Oohara]

I'm glad they are taking their time. The Note 7 mess may have done us a favour and we end us with a better S8 than we would have otherwise got. Just hope as much emphasis is placed on software as hardware and then I have no doubt they would knock it out of the park ..

Wanna talk about our old Note line continuation bet now?

 

[epicrayban]

I knew the Note series was not dead.

I simply could not understand why people were claiming it was the end of it, almost as if people wanted it gone due to the fact that their own favorite Phone Maker doesn't make anything that comes close to being as good and versatile as a Nite, and just make a bigger version of a smaller phone with nothing really added.

I think those people were just glad that a device that clearly surpasses the competition by nearly every measure was taken off the market.

Like I said, 2016 was Samsung's year to lose. They did it to themselves with this design flaw. Too bad. 2017 is their opportunity, but it's also a lot of OEM's opportunity to "come back."

Which is why I say again, I think 2017 will be great for smartphones. The major players have a lot riding on their flagships this year, and the newcomers have room to maneuver and to gain ground.

 

[MRU]

Wanna talk about our old Note line continuation bet now?

Always said there would a note style s-pen device, but I am surprised that they will keep the Note moniker ... But hey - it ain't an actual reality until it's launched

I am not paying up yet

 

[Sevanw]

I'm also liking the new rounded display corners Android phones are doing this year. But I feel it better suits Samsung edge displays rather than the flat displays like the new upcoming LG G6 below. Although, still a nice looking phone.

 

[epicrayban]

Samsung has exclusivity to the snapdragon 835 chip for a while.

That's why the HTC Ultra U is 821 and why the LG G6 is rumored to be, too.

The s8 will be the only phone to have that chip for a bit.

 

[frankgrimes]

Always knew the Note line can't be dead it's the best phone line Samsung has.

Glad Samsung is taking their time with both devices and hopefully the new chips are really as beastly as advertised.

 

[Oohara]

Always said there would a note style s-pen device, but I am surprised that they will keep the Note moniker ... But hey - it ain't an actual reality until it's launched

I am not paying up yet

Hehe that's true of course...

But I can already feel that cool glass in my hand...

Can't wait to see this year's Samsung offerings. 2017 does indeed look like a very interesting year for smartphones.

 

[epicrayban]

Samsung still going strong it seems. They have the opportunity to have another big year, too.

http://www.phonearena.com/news/Sams...nnovations-in-smartphone-form-factors_id90305
Samsung posts best quarter in 3 years, OLED screens demand to grow on 'innovations in smartphone form factors'

http://www.androidauthority.com/samsung-operating-profits-jump-q4-2016-744811/
Samsung saw its profits spike in Q4 2016, even with Note 7 recall


Imagine if they didn't flub the Note 7?

This feels right: the company that is pushing new/novel technology, offering the best specs and design, both influencing and keeping up with software and features. That's the company that should be banking money. That's the company that'll push competition for the betterment of all.

 

[Sevanw]

So it seems the S8 will be the first device to have the 835. I guess it pays to be the most influential Android OEM. So basically, only after the S8 launches, companies like LG, would have to do a refresh of their G6 with the newer 835 after launching with the older 821. That would really suck.

 

[epicrayban]

Woah:

http://www.androidpolice.com/2017/0...lay-rear-fingerprint-scanner-desktop-os-mode/

The Guardian drops Galaxy S8 details: Near bezel-less display, rear fingerprint scanner, desktop OS mode

• A claimed retail launch of April 21st (this could be specific to the UK, as The Guardian is a UK publication)
• Display sizes are somewhere between 5-6" (yeah, not helpful, guys)
• Headphone jack is intact
• Displays are curved, nearly bezel-less "infinity" screens, with almost no room on the front for even a Samsung logo.
• Fingerprint scanner is now on the back of the phone (I believe it's next to the camera module, off to the side).
• Iris scanner from Note7 is present.
• Storage now starts at 64GB, microSD card remains.
• USB-C
• New Gear VR and Gear 360
• Similar camera to last year's phones, improvements only "incremental."
• Unspecified chipset, but Guardian hedges on Snapdragon 835.
• A dock and software that turn the phone into an Android "desktop" operating environment called DeX.

My thoughts:

The biggest thing to me is the fingerprint scanner on the back. I much prefer it on the front though admit that there are few instances where on the back is good (I've written in the Pixel thread that it's awesome that you can pull your phone out of your pocket with your finger in place to unlock before you even pull it up to start using).

This also leads me to believe they will really focus on IRIS scanning. Maybe that's what that was all about in the Note 7; setting the stage for a near bezel-less front panel. If the IRIS scanner is good enough, it would make perfect sense to put the now "secondary mode" of unlocking fingerprint scanner on the back.

Plus no Samsung logo up front is always a plus and allows that bezel-less display to look really slick (will that be true in the US though? Are their edge-designs different enough to avoid litigation from competitors?).

Very interesting stuff.



EDIT: If you read the actual Guardian article...

The two variants will have screens in the 5in to 6in region, with the devices having the same or smaller proportions of previous versions of Samsung’s flagship smartphone but with larger displays, according to several well placed sources talking to the Guardian. The S7 was available with either a 5.1in and 5.5in screen.

The two smartphones are codenamed Dream and Dream 2, representing the smaller and larger Galaxy S8 respectively, according to two sources. Both versions will have screens that curve down at the left and right sides of the device similar to the Galaxy S7 Edge, two sources have said.

 

[mclld]

Finger print scanner on the back is awesome but not centered is dumb

 

[epicrayban]

Finger print scanner on the back is awesome but not centered is dumb

Yeah, that'll be really odd if it ends up being off-center.

 

[epicrayban]

I bet the back finger print scanner has to stay up high to make room for wireless charging.

 

[Sevanw]

Yeah, that'll be really odd if it ends up being off-center.

I think muscle memory kicks in after a week. So I'm thinking it won't be a problem if true. I'm still hoping it's in the display.

 

[epicrayban]

I think muscle memory kicks in after a week. So I'm thinking it won't be a problem if true. I'm still hoping it's in the display.

Front or back, what's interesting to consider is how the Back and App-Switcher buttons will work.

If the scanner is upfront underneath the display, are the two keys that flank it going to be software keys?

If the scanner is on the back, will all the front buttons be software keys (Back, Home, App Switcher)?

 

[LIVEFRMNYC]

I really hope the fingerprint sensor isn't on the back. Although, I been okay with it when using the LG V20, I still prefer it on the front.

 

[epicrayban]

I really hope the fingerprint sensor isn't on the back. Although, I been okay with it when using the LG V20, I still prefer it on the front.

Feel the same exact way. Finger print on back isn't a deal breaker, but prefer front. Mainly for the car mount.

 

[frankgrimes]

Front or back, what's interesting to consider is how the Back and App-Switcher buttons will work.

If the scanner is upfront underneath the display, are the two keys that flank it going to be software keys?

If the scanner is on the back, will all the front buttons be software keys (Back, Home, App Switcher)?

This is exactly why I'm not a fan of bezel less it's fragile and Samsung would have to find q convenient way to replace the back and recent apps button. I could see them putting the recent apps button on the left frame and the back button on the right one.

Will be interesting to see if they offer flat one

 

[v0lume4]

Has anyone else posted this yet? I found this a few minutes ago.

EDIT -- @Sevanw already did. I tried to search back a few pages before posting this and I apparently missed his post. Sorry!

Image of unclear provenance shows Galaxy S8 panels with shockingly minimal bezel, rounded display corners