The Samsung Galaxy S8 and S8 Plus are set to be one of the biggest smartphone releases of 2017, the only potential rival being the Iphone 8. The phone will be available to consumers on April 21st. On this page we will take you through why the Galaxy S8 is set to be the best ever smartphone, what its features are, what gifts to buy a Samsung owner and we’ll also select the best deals to help you save a wad of cash on the S8.
Unpacked Event - 29.03.2017
The Unpacked event is what all Samsung lovers are looking forward to with bated breath. This will be the official unboxing of the phone, including a live demonstration and q & a session about the phones features. The event takes places in London.
*Update
At the unpacked event Samsung released the Samsung Galaxy S8 and S8 Plus, as rumoured the phone features no physical home button, a larger screen, the S8 5.8in (14.7cm) and the S8 plus 6.2in (15.7cm). The phone has been priced 1t £690 making it the most expensive smartphone to ever go on sale n the UK market. The
BBC Report that Samsung made comment that the new display which uses an aspect ratio of 18.5:9 makes it ideal for two apps simultaneously on the screen. There's enough space to watch a video, chat on a messenger and display the keyword.
Save money on the S8
Best Samsung Galaxy S8 vouchers, freebies and packages
Available to pre-order at plenty of retailers, but UK price still to be confirmed, although it's believed to be in the region of £695 making it the most expensive smart phone ever. But, it also might be the best, meanwhile we are working hard to find you the best Samsung Galaxy S8 packages, deals and freebies and we’ll bring them to you here as soon as we find them.
Notable Changes From S7
- Fingerprint scanner on the back of the display
- Larger screen size with less space taken by bezels
- New AI assistant Bixby
- Upgraded screen
- No physical home button
- New colours black sky, orchid grey and arctic silver
Features
Bixby: Samsung’s New AI Assistant
Launching with the S8 Bixby will be a voice command system to compete with Alexa, Cortana and Siri. Bixby has been created in conjunction with Viv, the AI company run by Dag Kiitlaus, who was also the co-creator of Siri. Bixby will replace S Voice.Bixby will have a unique button placed on the side of the phone and can operate 10 apps via voice commands: check the weather, set your alarm, make calls and more.Bixby will be enabled for all Samsung native Galaxy S8 apps. Some of Bixby’s skills will include visual search, and the camera app will have a Bixby button allowing users to search for items included in a photo. You’ll also be able to ask Bixby to pull up a certain picture from the camera gallery and click to send to contacts. Bixby can also identify landmarks in a picture, perfect for tourist. And if you see something attractive at the shops a table, a new top, a book, Bixby will recognise the item and show where you can buy it online.
Dual-lens Camera
The new camera will feature a high speed photo function which will allow the primary camera to shoot 1,000 frames per second. And to get technical there is DRAM storage between the image sensor and the circuit of the camera; this will mean the phone can store images quicker than ever before. The rear camera remains 12 megapixels, just like the S7, while the front-facing camera will be 8 megapixels.Next to the camera will be the fingerprint scanner, so be careful not to place your finger on the lens!Also included is an iris scanner, which can be used instead of the fingerprint scanner for unlocking your phone. Also, included is the Samsung Connect app, used in controlling your smart home appliances.
Upgraded Screen
The Galaxy S8 will be the first phone to feature what Samsung are calling the infinity screen. This allows more display space 5.8 inches for the Galaxy S8 & 6.2 inches for the Galaxy S8 Plus.
Bezel Size Reduction
Meaning the space between the screen and casing of phone, bezels are becoming increasingly surplus to requirements, with smarter phones. Previously they were necessary to prevent accidental clicking/scrolling/swiping.Bezel-less phones are more and more in demand, with consumers drawn to the appealing, futuristic feel of screens that are impossibly thin, almost like a sci-fi film. Notable phones with reduced bezels include Sony Xperia XA1 and XA1 Ultra, LG G6 and the Sharp Aquos Crystal
No Physical Home Button
The Galaxy S7 had a home button along the bottom of the handset, on the S8 this has been removed to allow more space for a bigger screen.
Rear-mounted Fingerprint Scanner
On the S7 the finger print scanner was on the home button, with the S8 it will be moved to the back of the phone next to the camera. Some commentators complain this will make it harder to unlock the phone when it’s on a flat surface, although this a very small gripe In our opinion. Samsung decided to put the sensor on the right hand side of the back of the phone as most people hold a phone in their right hand and its located in the perfect place for scanning an index finger.
Android 7.0 Nougat
Some great features of Nougat include the ability to reply to messages on apps like Facebook Messenger without entering the web browser or app. You can switch between the last two apps you have used just by clicking the multi-tasking button on the bottom of the screen and multiwindow allows you to view two apps at once.
Exynos 8895 Processor
Said to be more powerful than rival processor Snapdragon 835 chipset by Qualcomm.
PC Docking
Now you can use your Samsung phone as your main computer, and it's certainly powerful enough to be the only PC you need. All you need to do is connect it to a monitor and wireless mouse and you can replace your computer.If you’re not lucky enough to land the free Galaxy and accessories you’ll need to fork out yourself. So, we’ve put together a gift guide of the 10 best Android accessories compatible with the Galaxy.
Android Accessories Gift Guide
Wireless qi Charging Pad
How great are these? A qi charging pad will allow you to charge your S8 without any late night wire grasping, so there’s no pain, nothing to trip over, just a simple pad which will fit perfectly on your bedside table, stick your phone on it and it will be full of juice when you rise and shine.The only disadvantage of one of these clever devices is the length of time it takes to fully recharge the phone. Best used as a compliment to a superfast charger, more on that later.
WoodPuck Bamboo Edition qi
This really has an elegant design; you might even mistake it for a chopping board or dinner table place mat! Being a bamboo product it's more sustainable than wood due to the super fast rate of growth that bamboo boasts. What’s more, it won’t look out of place in your living room, dining room, you name it, it’s stylish design will complement any environment. The Woodpuck even discretely hides the micro usb socket and plug that it sources its power from, no messy cables! You’ll know its charging when the the ping goes off. It has Poor Sync Dectection Tech built in which means it won't overheat or start fires – always a nice bonus.
Spigen F300W Wireless Charger
(doubles up as a stand)This is so awesome, with this charger/stand from Spigen you can charge your phone while watching movies, sport or tv on the go. There’s never a need to worry about draining your battery while your out and about. The stand is cleverly designed allowing for vertical and horizontal orientations – again ideal for watching movies on the train or plane. Bear in mind the manufacturer recommends the use of a 2A adapter when plugging in the device.Qi wireless charging is a global standard to which many smartphones adhere. It allows you to wirelessly charge a compatible device's battery using induction transfer, simply by placing it on top of a wireless pad - and with no need for cables or adaptors (other than to the wireless charger itself).Check out which android devices are
compatable Noise Cancelling Headphones
With leaked images showing Samsung is keeping a headphone jack, you have a range of options for headphones to treat your Samsung S8 owner to. Let’s consider some reasonably priced options with the following
below £100 headphones.
AKG Y50 – Cheaper Option
These come in three snazzy primary colours, well does turquoise count as a primary colour? Probably not, but they do come in a sunny yellow and vibrant red shade also. We’ve seen these ranging from a tick under £60-71.99 on the AKG website. T3 reckon the plus points include the design and the good noise cancelling qualities the listener gets. However, they do also say the bass could be slightly improved. Conclusion: a great set of all round cans, but maybe not for drum and bass heads
Soul Electronics Flex – For Gym Bunnies
5 star rated from What Hi Fi. The ultra flexible cord is great for use during a vigorous workout, and priced around £40 are inexpensive as well. Pros: bouncy bass, solid vocals, ergonomic sport design, comfortable wear and they do what they say on the tin. Cons: remote control is best used with Apple devices.
Audio-Technica ATH-M50X – Higher End of the Price Range
Priced around £90 these are pushing the sub £100 limit, however, according to Trusted Reviews they match up well for value for money with headphones in this price range. The bass is strong, and three different length cables are included for a more versatile listening experience. What holds them back is the emphasis on the bass and the slightly lacking isolation quality, maybe avoid buying for that friend who complains about a noisy office.
Tempered Glass Screen Protector
This will help stop your phone looking like mine or one of my friends (my phone looks like a spider crawled inside the screen and weaved a web – before scarpering).
Why Glass Screens are Better Than Plastic
What is Tempered Glass?
Tempered glass is basically tough as nails glass, invented in the early 1900s it can protect your phone much more efficiently than one of those slim plastic sheets. Tempered glass can be up to 5 times thicker than normal glass, protecting glass with glass sounds daft, but it works! Pros: no annoying bubbles like with plastic. Cons: more expensive than plastic protectors and you only get one per pack.Buy on at
Tesco.
Protective Case
Be mindful of the S8s dimensions: 140.1 x 72.2 x 7.3 mm (5.52 x 2.84 x 0.29 in). There’s nothing worse than buying a thoughtful gift that someone has to return to the store. It's probably best to wait until after the phone is released before purchasing, as after a quick google search there aren’t many cases available at the moment. Consider when buying a phone case, the personality you are buying for: a girly girl or a macho man, should you go for his favourite football team or her favourite colour?
Superfast usb c Chargers
Now we know that the Samsung Galaxy S8 is using a usb c type charger lets look into some of the best superfast usb c chargers to gift an S8 owner.
Belkin 2.0 USB-A to USB Type C Charge Cable
Belkin is known for its quality cables and accessories, so you can bet it didn’t take them long to join the USB Type-C game. This USB Type-C to Type-A cable measures 6 feet and supports 3 amps of charge output.
TurboPower™ 30 Wall Charger
This charger delivers 15 hours of charger in just 15 minutes (with the Moto Z Force Droid Edition), it does work with usb c devices so will make a Galaxy owners life so much easier. No worries if you forget to charge your phone overnight all you need is 15 minutes with your charger and a power source, and you’re sorted for whatever life throws at you.
Car Mounts & Phone Stands
With your phone capable of so much these days the only issue you sometimes face is displaying your phone screen in visible sight. There are many occasions when you need to see your phone, but have no access to your hands or simply don’t want to hold your phone for long periods. Take for instance using your Sat Nav in an unfamiliar area. The S8s huge screen and crystal clear display mean using it as your Sat Nav is perfectly viable, but you need a simple solution to fixing in place on your car. Then there’s times where you need to kill a few hours on a boring train journey or flight. Why not watch a movie or binge a tv marathon?Here are the best car mounts and stands to help you use your phone on the move.
Spigen F300W Wireless Charger
With the Spigen F300W Wireless Charger you can kill two birds with one stone. As well as a neat stand that allows portrait and landscape display this stand is also a qi charger. Charge your phone as you enjoy a good movie.
Spigen Stealth Universal Cradle
This stylish car mount is perfectly suited to fix your phone in place to use with sat nav. The mount has a reusable gel pad that secures the stand to your car dashboard, whether it's flat or curved.You can display a phone in two horizontal positions to suit your line of sight. Can be inserted as removed as you drive as it only requires one hand to fasten or remove your phone from the device.
Glif Adjustable Tripod Mount & Stand
There's even camera mounts. This piece of kit is designed for functionality, not prettiness. It’s basically a clamp that can hold your phone securely in portrait or landscape. The Glif is cleverly designed allowing for quick mounting and releasing of your phone. What’s more the Glif Tripod Mount and Stand comes with three additional tripods, suitable for microphones, lights or grips. So if you know an aspiring film maker or photographer, this is the perfect gift for them.
Fitness Trackers
Samsung Gear Fit 2
Being a Samsung-designed device this will be perfect for a Galaxy owner as using the Samsung interface should be familiar to them. This activity tracker can log your results from a wide range of sports and fitness activities. This clever device even knows which activity or exercise you are doing, so at a long gym session there’s no need to fiddle with any settings. The Fit 2 displays your stats in conveniently large text, so just a quick glance will tell you exactly how you’re doing. Its sleek and attractive design means it won’t look out of place anywhere, it comes in two sizes: small – 125-170mm and large 155-210mm.If you and your partner are on opposite sides of the Apple/Samsung/ios/android fence this may not be for you as it's only compatible with Android devices.
Fitbit Charge 2
What to say about the Fitbit Charge 2, well its been described as the king of fitness trackers. This top of the range activity tracker sends you notifications through the day, reminding you to keep active. It also tracks the quality of your sleep, which is helpful to improving your sleep routine. With a large display it’s easy to track your progress, and its comfort fit means you’ll never need to take it off. It’s also compatible with ios which makes it perfect for sharing. Naturally, it tracks almost any activity you can dream up from running to yoga.
Smartwatch
Pebble Time
The Pebble Time is one of the very best smart watches you can buy for under £100. The Pebble Time connects via Bluetooth with your phone to send you notifications from apps, play music and read messages. You can even reply to messages using the voice command system that allows you to easily dictate responses. Other top features include a sleep tracker and heart rate monitor.
