Last year, Samsung was caught up in media storm, in fact a mess. They were caught up in a battle to save the Galaxy legacy; a legacy that saw their name up there as one of the best, if not the best.
The company had released arguably the best mobile device of 2016 – the Galaxy Note 7. That build quality, that excellence and supremacy just went down the drain. The phablet’s batteries were exploding.
It was so bad that, the Galaxy Note 7 was banned on flights. You couldn’t board a plane with that phone anymore. It was simply a crime to even own a Note 7!
Discontinuation and recall of the Galaxy Note 7, according to estimates, cost Samsung at least $5.3 billion.
Many wondered if Samsung would survive such a massive fall to tell a glorious tale. I knew they would, because I know Samsung too well.
Samsung cares:
To tell the truth, Samsung is the only tech company, where I live - Ghana - that truly cares about consumers. The customer is their number one priority and mishaps like the Galaxy Note 7 is a big deal to them.
At the invitation of the company, I saw the launch of the Galaxy Note 3 in Cape Town, South African in 2013, the Galaxy S5 in Barcelona, Spain in 2014 and the Samsung Africa Forum in Antalya, Turkey in 2015.
One key lesson I learned from these trips is, each Samsung product, be it a mobile phone, TV set, washing machine or refrigerator, it is engineered with the consumer in mind! They go as far as consulting and involving users in the production process. They even consult chefs to produce their fridges!
Bigger, better:
So, the Galaxy Note 7 explosion bruised their ego real big. An ego that saw them release some of the best tech devices the world has seen. They were the first to dare try to release phones with edge screens! The Note Edge and Galaxy S6! Wizards! Now edge screens are second nature to them.
That Galaxy Note 7 episode did not kill their spirit, it rather inspired and energised them to do better, to go a step further. Many waited with bated breath to see how Samsung will pick up the pieces.
Masterpieces:
They didn't just pick up the pieces, they took a giant and a bold step into greatness; telling the world they truly rule this business called tech innovation.
It is evident in their new creations - the Galaxy S8 and S8+ - which were officially unveiled in Ghana over the weekend. They are masterpieces!
In true Samsung fashion, they are the first to truly experiment infinity display and they’ve perfected it. The two devices are the world’s first bezel-less, full-frontal, edge-to-edge screen phones.
Both devices are true beauties! Masterfully shaped to give the user maximum satisfaction. They fit perfectly in the hands.
Specs: Galaxy S8 Galaxy S8+
Dimensions
148.9 x 68.1 x 8 mm
159.5 x 73.4 x 8.1 mm
Weight
Operating System
115g
Android 7.0 Nougat
173g
Android 7.0 Nougat
Display
5.8-inch AMOLED
2960x1440 (570 ppi)
6.2-inch AMOLED
2960x1440 (529 ppi)
Processor
Qualcomm Snapdragon 835
or Samsung Exynos 8895
Qualcomm Snapdragon 835
or Samsung Exynos 8895
Storage
64GB (UFS 2.1)
64GB (UFS 2.1)
Expandable
microSD up to 256GB
microSD up to 256GB
RAM
4GB
4GB
Rear Camera
12MP Dual Pixel, f/1.7
1.4-micron pixels
OIS
12MP Dual Pixel, f/1.7
1.4-micron pixels
OIS
Front Camera
8MP, f/1.7
auto focus
8MP, f/1.7
auto focus
Battery
3000mAh
3500mAh
Water resistance
IP68 rating
IP68 rating
Security
One-touch fingerprint sensor
Iris scanner
Samsung KNOX
One-touch fingerprint sensor
Iris scanner
Samsung KNOX
While the device is beautiful, it is very disappointing; Samsung could have done better with the Fingerprint security.
The fingerprint reader is awkwardly placed. It will lead to camera smears and longer unlock times, which is irritating when you use it to unlock your phone dozens of times a day.
But hey, the phone is blessed with several security options including the Iris scanner which is super-fast!
In all, the Samsung Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8+ are worth owning. They are sleek and the fastest on the market now!
Written by Ernest Dela Aglanu. I can be reached via email: [email protected].
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