In case you’ve been living in a cave for the past few weeks, there’s a brand new Samsung Galaxy smartphone about to launch on 25th February. Bring it on! So, we thought it might be timely to go back to last year’s Samsung Galaxy S8 features and find out all the S8 stuff you’ve enjoyed using since its launch.
Whether you’re an Apple fan or an Honor convert, you can’t deny that Samsung are giants when it comes to all things tech. So, we had to be super-restrained to only focus on 9 things that people love, love, LOVE about the 2017 S8. From the mouths of Samsung Galaxy S8 owners themselves, here are the best features of last year’s super smartphone:
1. “The screen is so glossy and oleophobic – it feels really nice to touch.”
OK, we admit it – we had to get the dictionary out for this one. Basically, ‘oleophobic’ refers to the Galaxy S8’s ability to repel water, dust, oil and dirt. The coating is similar to the kind you get on flash sunglasses – so there’s minimal smudge action, even though you’ve got your mitts all over it most of the time!
Let’s hope Samsung also put this feature on the new Galaxy S, because we’ve come to love the IP68-rated water and dust resistance that lets us whip our phone out in the rain without a care in the world. (By the way carrying an IP68 dust and water resistance rating is based on being able to submerge it in up to 1.5 meters of fresh water for up to 30 minutes – impressive, hey?).
2. “The curved screen just makes the handset feel solid and top-quality.”
Mmmm, there’s no denying it, we all love the curves and smooth bits on our gadgets. Many of today’s smartphones focus on a slick, comfortable design and the illustrious iPhone is no stranger to the curve.
It’s not simply an aesthetic bonus though, it’s also really practical. The curved edges allow Samsung to make the phone narrower than if it had a flat display – and a narrower phone is easier to use in one hand. We think that both the S8 and S8+ are much easier to handle than other phones with similar-sized displays.
3. “Samsung has built in the screen casting ‘Smart View’ so I can ‘cast’ what’s on the phone screen to my TV via a Chromecast, meaning I don’t have to worry whether a particular app supports it or not.”
According to Samsung “It’s a total cinch to get connected!”. And they’re right – in fact, it’s this simple:
– Touch Smart View
– If there’s more than one possible option, touch the device you want to display your screen on. Depending on the TV, you’ll need to enter a PIN or allow access to complete the connection.
– To stop sharing your screen, touch Disconnect.
This means that you can stream whatever’s on your phone direct to your TV (or any other device) in seconds. Show off your holiday snaps and videos, or stream movies and TV shows straight from your phone onto a bigger screen. This way you can really make the most of Go Binge while you’re at home.
4. “I can show a clock on the screen when the phone is asleep and set the hours it’s active. This means I can use the phone as a bedside clock, knowing that the function will only be on for the few hours either side of when I wake up – so it won’t kill the battery for the rest of the day.”
This nifty feature makes perfect sense and means you can wave goodbye to your bulky radio alarm clock. It’s all thanks to the Always-on Display, or AOD, that you also get on the Samsung Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge. You can check the time and date with ease, and keep an eye on missed calls and message alerts – all when your S8 is on standby.
5. “The camera is great – especially in low light.”
Samsung are known for awesome camera phones. And the Samsung Galaxy S8 is hard to beat – especially when it comes to capturing images at night or in low light. Without getting too techie, it’s all thanks to OIS (Optical Image Stabilisation). Here’s how Samsung describe it: “The bright F1.7 lens and large 1.4µm pixels bring in more light when there’s not enough around”. Simple, right? All you really need to know is that whether you’re in the pub, partying, or enjoying a sunset, you’ll get sharp, vivid pictures that capture the moment in all its glory.
6. “I was worried about the fingerprint reader being on the back but it actually makes a lot of sense when you think about how you hold the phone in one hand. It’s much easier than using a thumb to hit a button on the front, and there’s much less chance of dropping it.
This is a controversial one. There’s been a fair amount of talk online about Samsung’s decision to put the fingerprint sensor on the back of the phone, and many have described it as a poor, last-minute decision. But a few of our users really likes this feature – so it’s made the cut in our list of Galaxy S8 features.
7. “’Edge’ gives you another way to get to your most used stuff (such as apps or contacts).”
If you like keeping things quick and easy – and you don’t want too much clutter on your home screen – you should make the most of the Edge panels on the Samsung S8.
The curved, cascading edge of the S8 display means that you can now use these panels that were previously limited to ‘edge’ models like the S7 Edge. You can tailor the Edge panels to suit you. So, if you’re keen on photography, you can dedicate the Apps Edge panel to editing and filter apps and find everything you need with one swipe. Here’s hoping we get this on the new Samsung device because Edge panels make it a whole lot simpler to do the stuff you love.
8. “The wireless charging options are good, especially if you get one which is also a stand for the bedside table.”
The Samsung Galaxy S8 supports wireless charging, so it’s super convenient and means you can charge your phone on your desk or bedside table, without messy wires getting in the way. There are a wide range of wireless chargers available, if you fancy making the most of this nifty little perk.
9. “The OS is very configurable. You can just take it as it comes – and that’s great – but often I find there’s something I ‘wish’ the phone did, only to find it already does it and I just hadn’t discovered it yet.”
The Samsung Galaxy S8 comes with Android 7.0 – otherwise known as Nougat. But hold tight because on 8th February (after an extensive beta period) Android Oreo was reported to be rolling out to the Galaxy S8 and S8 Plus at an announcement by Samsung in Germany. The update is expected to hit other regions in the coming weeks, which is great news.
Couple the awesome Android OS with Samsung’s virtual assistant, Bixby, and you’re on to a usability winner with the S8. This virtual PA you can use voice, text, or touch to say what you need your S8 to do. It’s integrated into every aspect of the Galaxy S8 and S8+, so it’ll handle the tasks you normally do while learning how you like to use your phone so it can eventually give you a more tailored experience. Genius.
So, there we have it. 9 Samsung Galaxy S8 features we love. There are plenty more where these came from, and fingers crossed the newest edition to the Galaxy family will have all of this, plus a whole lot more. Roll on 25th February.
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Source: Three Mobile Hub
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