The long wait is almost over, with the new Samsung Galaxy S8 and S8+ due to hit local stores, tomorrow, May 5. The smooth, bezel-less Infinity Display of the new smartphone enables users to see and do more than ever before, while the smooth lines and ergonomic curvature of the device, ensures that the phone looks great and fits comfortably into your hand.  These latest designs are available with either a 5.8-inch or 6.2-inch display and come with an upgraded 8MP F1.7 front camera, complete with smart autofocus. In addition, there is a 12MP F1.7 Dual Pixel rear camera, delivering enhanced multi-frame image processing, for sharper photos, even in low-light environments.  “The phone is also water and dust resistant, making it ideal for South Africans, as we tend to spend a lot of time outdoors.

This means users have the freedom to explore, stay connected and capture their adventures,” says Craige Fleischer, Director of Integrated Mobility at Samsung South Africa. Security is of paramount importance and the Galaxy S8 and S8+ come with enhanced biometric capabilities, including an advanced iris scanner and facial recognition technology, as well as the advanced Samsung KNOX platform. The upgraded specs of the two phones offer both increased performance and efficiency thanks to the industry’s first 10nm processor, Gigabit LTE and Gigabit Wi-Fi compatibility and the first officially designated Mobile HDR Premium screen. Samsung’s key partnership with Google Play Music will continue with the launch of the Galaxy S8. Users will now have access to special features created specifically for Samsung customers. In order to qualify, purchase a Samsung tablet or smartphone from the 29th of March 2017 and it will come with a free three-month trial of Google Play Music. Consumers will also have double the storage in their Music Locker and can now store up to 100 000 songs, not mentioning the free storage space and easy access to all music.

“The launch of the Galaxy S8 is complimented by an expanded ecosystem that features impressive new services and devices, including: Bixby, the Galaxy S8’s intelligent new interface; Samsung DeX, which provides a desktop-like experience for the Galaxy S8; intuitive IoT device management via Samsung Connect; expanded healthcare solutions through Samsung Health; and so much more. The Samsung Galaxy S8 and S8+ are designed to allow users to see and experience more than ever before and to do so safely and securely, while at the same time enabling consumers to project an image of stylish simplicity,” concludes Fleischer.Customers will be able to obtain their device in a range of rich colour palettes, including Midnight Black, Orchid Gray and Maple Gold. Several more colours are also due to be launched later in the year.

The Galaxy S8 will retail at a Recommended Retail Price (RRP) of R15 499 and the Galaxy S8+ with a RRP of R17 499. Samsung Galaxy S8

Product Specifications:

• Galaxy S8Galaxy S8+OSAndroid 7.0
• NetworkLTE Cat. 16* *May differ by markets and mobile operators
• Dimension148.9 x 68.1 x 8.0 mm, 152g159.5 x 73.4 x 8.1 mm, 173g
• APOcta core (2.3GHz Quad + 1.7GHz Quad), 64 bit, 10 nm process*May differ by markets and mobile operators
• Memory4GB RAM (LPDDR4), 64GB (UFS 2.1)*May differ by markets and mobile operators
• Display5.8” (146.5mm)1 Quad HD+ (2960x1440), (570ppi)6.2” (158.1mm)1 Quad HD+ (2960x1440), (529ppi)1 Screen measured diagonally as a full rectangle without accounting for the rounded corners
• CameraRear: Dual Pixel 12MP OIS (F1.7), Front: 8MP AF (F1.7)
• Battery3,000 mAh3,500 mAhFast Charging on wired and wirelessWireless Charging compatible with WPC and PMA
• PaymentNFC, MST
• ConnectivityWi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac (2.4/5GHz), VHT80 MU-MIMO, 1024QAM Bluetooth® v 5.0 (LE up to 2Mbps), ANT+, USB Type-C, NFC,Location (GPS, Galileo*, Glonass, BeiDou*) *Galileo and BeiDou coverage may be limited.
• SensorsAccelerometer, Barometer, Fingerprint Sensor, Gyro Sensor, Geomagnetic Sensor, Hall Sensor, Heart Rate Sensor, Proximity Sensor, RGB Light Sensor, Iris Sensor, Pressure Sensor
• AudioMP3, M4A, 3GA, AAC, OGG, OGA, WAV, WMA, AMR, AWB, FLAC, MID, MIDI, XMF, MXMF, IMY, RTTTL, RTX, OTA, DSF, DFF
• VideoMP4, M4V, 3GP, 3G2, WMV, ASF, AVI, FLV, MKV, WEBM 

About Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
Samsung inspires the world and shapes the future with transformative ideas and technologies. The company is redefining the worlds of TVs, smartphones, wearable devices, tablets, digital appliances, network systems and memory, system LSI and LED solutions. For the latest news, please visit the Samsung Newsroom at http://news.samsung.com. 

For further information, please contact:

Corlette Bekker / Phathutshedzo Nepfumbada
Epic MSLGroup / Samsung Electronics South Africa
011 784 4790 / 011 549 7969 / 072 597 7558 / 078 213 4975
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. / This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.  

Providing users with an unconfined mobile experience, the new Galaxy S8 and S8+ feature a refined, ‘unboxed’ design, enhanced security with new biometric technologies, robust entertainment capabilities and an intelligent new interface to enhance the way people interact with their phone. This is according to Craige Fleischer, Director Integrated Mobility at Samsung South Africa, who highlights the top 8 features of the S8 below.

Refined Design
“The Galaxy S8 builds on Samsung’s design heritage with a large Infinity Display, a bezel-less, dual-edge display that takes up more than 80 percent of the phone’s front screen,” he says. “Visually obtrusive elements are minimal, resulting in more tangible screen space. An invisible Home button embedded underneath the screen functions just like a physical button while Recent and Back buttons are now customisable soft keys.” Available locally in three colours including Midnight Black, the all-new Orchid Gray and Maple Gold, the Galaxy S8’s subtle curvature flows from the front of the device to the back to create a more ergonomic grip ideal for one-handed operation. The phone’s camera, fingerprint scanner and heart rate sensor have been incorporated on the back of the device in a way that minimises protrusions, ensuring a sleek aesthetic at any angle.

One Unified Experience
Designed around the Infinity Display, the UX of the Galaxy S8 was developed to add convenience and enhance the flow of user interactions. Like the display itself, the UX is seamless, unifying visual and audio components to create one continuous experience. The default wallpaper of the customisable Always On Display complements the colour of the phone, while its aesthetic transitions smoothly to the Lock and Home screens. Meanwhile, a new vertical swiping interface provides seamless navigation between the Home and App screens. Even the phone’s app icons and typography incorporate the Galaxy S8’s design language through a play of continuous curves and lines. Its brand sound “Over the Horizon” and ringtones have also been updated to better harmonise with the design of the device.

See More, Scroll Less
“The stunning Infinity Display of the Galaxy S8 is 18 percent larger than the display of the Galaxy S7, making for a noticeably more immersive viewing experience,” says Fleischer.  When watched in landscape mode, 21:9 movies fill the Galaxy S8’s 18.5:9 display, while the black bars above and below the picture are minimised, increasing the viewing area by 36 percent, compared to the Galaxy S7. This, along with the phone’s High Dynamic Range (HDR) Premium capabilities, enables users to see content exactly as the creator intended. Gaming experiences, too, are enhanced, as any game that supports 18.5:9 full screen mode is automatically optimised to fill up the entire screen. “The Infinity Display also makes it easier to see and do more from a single screen without having to scroll as often. Optimised for multi-window usability, multitasking is made easy, even when using the phone’s full keyboard. The Galaxy S8’s new Snap Window feature enhances productivity by allowing users to pin a specific area from a recent app to the top of the screen, and continue using the area below it.” In addition, the Infinity Display is protected with Corning Gorilla Glass 5 which is impervious against scratches and external impacts.

Great Photos, In a Snap
The Galaxy S8 builds on the Galaxy foundation with its advanced camera, which offers multi-frame image processing. With this technology, the camera takes multiple photos in rapid succession instead of just one, then selects the clearest image and uses the others to reduce the blur. This enhanced image processing ensures that shots taken when the subject is moving, in low light or when zoomed in are clear and vibrant. The dual-pixel sensor technology, wide aperture and fast autofocus of the 12MP F1.7 rear camera work together to create beautiful photographs even in low-light conditions. The 8MP F1.7 front camera has been equipped with enhanced autofocus features and facial recognition technology that can recognise and track faces to provide clear, focused selfies, regardless of the distance between the user and the camera. “With an easy-to-use filter setting, users can enhance their photos by selecting from a variety of filters, including Auto Filter, which automatically selects one optimised for their photo. Animated stickers and stamps can also now be applied to images when taking photos, right from the native camera app.

The camera’s UX has also been optimised for one-handed operation,” Fleischer explains.

A New Way to Interact
Although Bixby, Samsung’s new intelligent interface, is continuously being developed, it was created to enhance the way people interact with their Galaxy S8. The intuitive and comprehensive interface leverages contextual awareness to learn users’ habits and provide related information, and is easily activated with a press of its dedicated hardware button or by saying “Bixby.” With its multimodal functionality, its Voice feature lets users control multiple apps simultaneously using voice and touch commands interchangeably. Bixby has the ability to control all settings and features of each service without affecting other tasks users might be working on. Its Vision interface can detect what users are looking for and respond accordingly, making it easier to search for images similar to ones selected by the user, shop online, get information about landmarks, decode QR codes and even translate foreign text through the phone’s Camera. Bixby also ensures that users remember important events through its intelligent Reminder feature. All of Bixby’s features can be accessed through its Home screen, which displays a user’s most contextually relevant apps on a single screen.

About Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.Samsung inspires the world and shapes the future with transformative ideas and technologies. The company is redefining the worlds of TVs, smartphones, wearable devices, tablets, digital appliances, network systems and memory, system LSI and LED solutions. For the latest news, please visit the Samsung Newsroom at http://news.samsung.com.

For further information, please contact:

Corlette Bekker/ Phathutshedzo Nepfumbada
Epic MSL Group / Samsung Electronics South Africa
011 784 4790 | 011 549 7969 | 072 597 7558 | 078 213 4975
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. | This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.