VIDEO Galaxy S8 comes with innovative features
By Kang Seung-woo
Samsung Galaxy S8 smartphone / Courtesy of Samsung Electronics
NEW YORK ― Samsung Electronics’ long-awaited Galaxy S8 smartphone is ready to wow Android users or even those who are disappointed with Apple’s iPhone 7.
The world’s largest smartphone maker held an unpacked event here, Wednesday (local time), to launch its latest handset ― the first flagship device since the ill-fated Galaxy Note 7 last year ― to reclaim its old glory.
With large screens emerging as a selling point in new smartphones, the S8 boasts a nearly all-screen design with the unusual 18.5:9 “infinity display,” considered essential by those watching videos or playing games.
When the S8 and its predecessor, the S7, both play a 21:9 video, the aspect ratio mainly used in movies and games, the former’s image is nearly 40 percent larger, offering a more immersive viewing experience.
Due to the increased screen size and smaller bezel, Samsung has replaced the physical home button with a virtual one, but its absence does not bother users because a slight press on where it used to be continues the function.
In addition, the display has rounded corners designed to maximize screen space and make it more durable against cracking.
The S8 also showed improvement in multitasking as owners can operate apps at the same time without changing the screen, which was impossible with the S7. If a user watching a video on the S8 receives a text message, they can reply while continuing to watch the video in the traditional 16:9 aspect ratio.
When it comes to the snap window feature, a user can pick an area and affix it to the top of the screen, while using other apps or features in the lower window.
En route to the official launch, Samsung’s new artificial assistant called Bixby had been the biggest draw although some international media outlets have expressed some negative opinions.
As a voice-activated assistant, Bixby showed a better performance than Apple’s Siri.
Unlike Siri, when Samsung’s new AI assistant receives an order to create a new folder, find pictures taken in New York and move them to it, Bixby executed the command exactly.
Bixby Vision is an image-recondition feature that scans objects and identifies them through the camera to tell users what they are or where they can be purchased online.
Samsung has added facial recognition to the S8’s security features that include an iris scanner and fingerprint sensor.
The latest method to detect faces means users only have to look in the sensor for less than a second to unlock the phone instead of entering a password or drawing a pattern ― easier and faster than existing technology.