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    Samsung S8 Australian release date and pricing details

    The Samsung Galaxy S8 and S8+ is now official. Overnight in New York, Samsung unveiled their latest flagship devices, available with a 5.8 inch or 6.2″ screen. This is the world’s first mobile device certified by the UHD Alliance as mobile HDR Premium.

    The new display is known as an ‘infinity display’ which refers to expansiveness, wrapping edge to edge, but this year Samsung is going taller as well. To be able to achieve this, the internals were completely redesigned and the home button is now dealt with digitally, rather than a dedicated hardware button.

    Multi-tasking
    Samsung have supported split-screening applications for a while now, even before Android jumped on-board. With the S8, the taller display makes this more practical, with plenty of room to have a conversation or browse your Facebook or Twitter feeds, while streaming a video at the top of the display.

    Bixby
    Here’s where things get confusing.. Samsung have ditched S-voice and are now going with a full on competitor to Google Voice known as Bixby. This means you’ll have 2 voice assistants on the same phone. Some may argue this gives you choice, but it certainly is a bold move.

    Bixby does offer some new features we haven’t seen from a voice assistant before, like the ability to string functional and operational commands together. In the demo video, Samsung show a user say “Bixby, capture the screen and text it to Jane”. The screenshot is taken, then attached to a MMS to a contact Jane, if it works as advertised, this could definitely speed up common, multi-step tasks.

    Iris scanner
    You now have two ways to unlock the phone. There’s the fingerprint reader on the back of the device, as well as facial recognition that will unlock your phone just by looking at it. The best results are achieved by holding the phone at eye level 25-35cm away from your face. We’ll have to use it to fully understand if this is fast enough to ditch the pin, password and finger print as authentication methods.

    Object recognition
    Of everything new in the S8, this feature may the most innovative. You camera can now detect objects in the photos you take and provide suggestions to find our more, or even link you to product pages to buy from. If you were amazon, this is your new best friend. Samsung does say the availability of this service won’t be in every country.

    Samsung Dex
    If you’ve ever thought to yourself, my phone is my PC, it has all the data and connectivity and performance I need, just let me connect it to a display and keyboard, your dreams have just been answered.

    Samsung Dex is a dock that lets your phone become a PC. Sound familiar? Yep, this is a copy and paste of Microsoft’s Continuum. This problem Windows Phone suffered was from a lack of apps, but with Android, you’re good to go for much of what regular users need from a PC.

    You’ll need to BYO your own HDMI cable and Office365 subscription, but this has a big potential to disrupt. It will add around another $200 to your phone purchase price, but if you really can get by without a PC, its a massive saving.

    It’s completely redesigned Android UI is optimized for use with a keyboard and mouse and includes multiple resizable windows, contextual menus and a desktop version Web browser.

    Key collaborations with Microsoft and Adobe enable Samsung DeX compatibility with Microsoft Office and Adobe mobile apps, including Adobe Acrobat Reader mobile and Lightroom Mobile, allowing desktop-like functionality and a user interface previously unavailable from a smartphone.

    For those mobile professionals and organizations that require access to Windows OS-based applications, Samsung DeX also allows users to remotely and securely access virtual desktops through partner solutions including Citrix, VMware and Amazon Web Services.

    Cameras
    One of the most important features of phones are their cameras. Front facing cameras have often been forgotten and fallen lower in the priority tree than the rear. The front camera on the S8 has been upgraded to an 8MP F1.7 camera and with continual autofocus and facial recognition, Samsung claim you’ll never take a bad selfie. I guess it depends on the subject matter.

    The rear camera gets an upgrade to a 12MP F1.7 dual camera which opens the door to depth of field effects, zoom and all round better photos.

    Gear360
    Taking photos and video from your phone is great, but it still can’t capture the whole environment you’re experiencing. This year the Gear360 gets an upgraded capability of live streaming to services like Facebook, as well as a stick to hold on to. The 4K 360 videos you create, are also consumable on the GearVR. This allows you to revisit a location or memory later, or share it with the world.

    The S8 also comes familiar Galaxy features customers have come to love, including:

    • IP68 water and dust resistance
    • MicroSD support up to 256GB
    • Always-on display
    • Fast and wireless charging capabilities

    Samsung S8 and S8+ Full Specs
    We know you love the detail, so here’s the full list of specs for Samsung’s latest flagship phones.

      Galaxy S8
    OS Android 7.0
    Network LTE Cat. 16*

    *May differ by markets and mobile operators

    Dimension 148.9 x 68.1 x 8.0 mm, 152g
    AP Octa core (2.3GHz Quad + 1.7GHz Quad), 64 bit, 10 nm process

    Octa core (2.35GHz Quad + 1.9GHz Quad), 64 bit, 10 nm process

    *May differ by markets and mobile operators

    Memory 4GB RAM (LPDDR4), 64GB (UFS 2.1)

    *May differ by markets and mobile operators

    Display 5.8” (146.5mm)1 Quad HD+

    (2960×1440), (570ppi)

    1 Screen measured diagonally as a full rectangle without accounting for the rounded corners
    Camera Rear: Dual Pixel 12MP OIS (F1.7), Front: 8MP AF (F1.7)
    Battery 3,000 mAh
    Fast Charging on wired and wireless

    Wireless Charging compatible with WPC and PMA

    Payment NFC, MST
    Connectivity Wi-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.

    Sensors Accelerometer, Barometer, Fingerprint Sensor, Gyro Sensor,
    Geomagnetic Sensor, Hall Sensor, Heart Rate Sensor, Proximity Sensor,RGB Light Sensor, Iris Sensor, Pressure Sensor
    Audio MP3, M4A, 3GA, AAC, OGG, OGA, WAV, WMA, AMR, AWB,

    FLAC, MID, MIDI, XMF, MXMF, IMY, RTTTL, RTX, OTA, DSF, DFF

    Video MP4, M4V, 3GP, 3G2, WMV, ASF, AVI, FLV, MKV, WEBM

    Australian price & availability
    Pre-orders for the Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8+ in Australia open on March 31 and conclude at midnight on April 27, 2017.

    The Samsung Galaxy S8 will have a RRP of $1,199 and Galaxy S8+ will have a RRP of $1,349.

    If you pre-order the Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8+ from Samsung Electronics Australia or one of its operator or retail partners, you’ll receive a free new model Gear VR with motion-sensing wireless controller (RRP $199) and a $50 Oculus content voucher.

    If you pre-order the Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8+ in the first few days, you could receive your bundle from April 21, which would make you among the first in the world to receive the S8.

    The phone goes on sale at retail April 28, 2017 in Australia. Aussies will choose from three colours: Midnight Black, Orchid Grey and Maple Gold.

    Vice President, Mobile Division, Samsung Electronics Australia, Richard Fink said,

    “The Galaxy S8 and S8+ are testament to Samsung’s commitment to continually breaking new ground in what mobile technology should offer our customers.

    It represents genuine innovation, from the optimal viewing experience of the infinity screen through to services such as Bixby and DeX that will transform how our customers will be able to use their smartphone.

    The design of the Galaxy S8 and S8+ are not only beautiful to look at but also fit comfortably in, and are easy to use, with one hand. These smartphones are perfect for our mobile lives.”

     

    Samsung DeX (RRP $199), the new Samsung Gear VR with Controller (RRP $199) and the new Samsung Gear 360 (RRP $399) will be sale in Australia from April 28, 2017.

    For more information or to register to pre-order the Galaxy S8 or S8+ from Samsung Australia please visit www.samsung.com.au.

    Jason Cartwright
    Jason Cartwrighthttps://techau.com.au/author/jason/
    Creator of techAU, Jason has spent the dozen+ years covering technology in Australia and around the world. Bringing a background in multimedia and passion for technology to the job, Cartwright delivers detailed product reviews, event coverage and industry news on a daily basis. Disclaimer: Tesla Shareholder from 20/01/2021

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