Galaxy S8 mired in controversy over 'red tint display'

By Lee Min-hyung

Samsung Electronics’ new smartphones, the Galaxy S8 and S8 Plus, have been mired in a controversy surrounding the so-called “red tint display” which some users claim distorts and disrupts their viewing experience.

This began about a week ago when some S8 users, who preordered the premium Samsung handsets, came up with complaints over their devices’ red-toned display by posting the images on local websites.

Samsung, however, said users can resolve the issue by adjusting the display image tone in their phone’s settings menu.

“To offer a variety of color options for our users, we have added the display color optimization mode to the devices, allowing them to change the tone to their own preferences,” a Samsung Electronics official said.

“Users can visit Samsung service centers and double-check everything about the display issue. If a hardware defect is confirmed, we will offer refunds or exchange the device in line with our compensation policies.”

The company is in a position to take a wait-and-see approach, as no specific structural faults of the device have been confirmed.

The world’s leading smartphone vendor started accepting preorders for the device for 10 days here from April 7 to 17.

The much-hyped handsets will be on sale this Friday via the nation’s three major mobile carriers ― SK Telecom, KT and LG Uplus.

The new flagship devices came at a critical time when the firm is seeking a meaningful mobile rebound in the wake of last year’s global recall of the Galaxy Note 7 smartphone over battery defects.

The S8 and S8 Plus have won explosive market responses after their unveiling late last month.

Samsung’s mobile chief Koh Dong-jin has expressed confidence that the devices’ preorders are expected to set a record of 1 million in the Korean market, beating a previous high of 400,000 for the ill-fated Note 7 devices.

This is outstanding growth, compared with this lineup’s predecessors ― the Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge ― which set 200,000 preorders last year.

The new high-end smartphones have drawn unprecedented attention from the global handset industry, largely due to their incomparable state-of-the-art functions ― such as facial recognition security and what the company calls “infinite” bezel-less display.

Samsung equipped the devices with 5.8-inch and 6.2-inch displays, respectively for the two new flagship devices, in its bid to jump on the global handset trend in which demand is growing for larger displays that offer smaller and more comfortable grips.

Samsung has yet to release any official statement over the issue.