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Samsung’s latest flagship, the Galaxy S8 and S8 Plus, will be going on sale in most of the markets of the world by the end of this month. The Galaxy S8 will be Samsung’s first flagship handset after the ill-fated Galaxy Note 7 and a lot rides on the handset for the company.
The Galaxy S8 and S8+ pack a lot of new features and deviate from Samsung’s previous flagships in a few ways. If you are planning on buying Samsung’s latest flagship but have some questions about it, check out our FAQ below.
Q) What are the full specifications of the Galaxy S8 and S8+?
A) The full specs of the Galaxy S8 and S8+ are as follows:
| Samsung Galaxy S8 | Samsung Galaxy S8+ | |
| Dimensions | 148.9 x 68.1 x 8.0 mm, 155g | 159.5 x 73.4 x 8.1 mm, 173g |
| Display | 5.8” (146.5mm)1 Quad HD+ | 6.2” (158.1mm)1 Quad HD+ |
| (2960×1440), (570ppi) | (2960×1440), (529ppi) | |
| Chipset | 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 | ||
| RAM and Storage | 4GB RAM (LPDDR4), 64GB (UFS 2.1) | |
| Camera | Rear: Dual Pixel 12MP OIS (F1.7), 1.4um Pixel | |
| Front: 8MP AF (F/1.7) | ||
| Battery | 3000mAh | 3500mAh |
| Connectivity | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac (2.4/5GHz), VHT80 MU-MIMO, 1024QAM, LTE Cat.16 | |
| 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 | |
| OS | Android 7.0 | |
| Software Features | Samsung Pay, Facial Recognition, Bixby with dedicated hardware button | |
| Colors | Midnight Black, Orchid Gray, Arctic Silver, Coral Blue, and Maple Gold | |
Q) Are the Galaxy S8 and S8+ dust and water-resistant?
A) Yes, just like their predecessor, the Galaxy S8 and S8+ feature an IP68 certification that makes them dust and water-resistant. You can read more about the IP68 water resistant rating of the Galaxy S8 and S8+ below.
Read: Samsung Galaxy S8 IP68 Water Resistant Rating Explained
Q) Is the battery of the handset removable?
A) No, the battery of the Galaxy S8 S8 and S8+ is not removable.
Q) Is there a risk of the Galaxy S8 battery exploding suddenly like that of the Galaxy Note 7?
A) No. Since the ill-fated Note 7 incident, Samsung has taken multiple steps and introduced an eight-point safety check to ensure that such an incident is never repeated in the future. Additionally, the company says that the Galaxy S8’s battery has a better lifespan as it will be able to retain 95 percent of its efficiency two years down the line.
Q) What kind of SIM card slot does the phone have? Can one use two SIM cards and a microSD card at the same time?
A) The US and European variants of the Galaxy S8 and S8+ feature a nanoSIM card and microSD card slot. The Asian variants of the handsets will feature dual-SIM functionality, though it will be a hybrid slot meaning you can use either two SIM cards or one SIM card and microSD card at any given time.
Q) What kind of Gorilla Glass do the Galaxy S8 and S8+ use at the front and back?
A) The front of the handsets makes use of Gorilla Glass 5, while the rear glass panel makes use of Gorilla Glass 4.
Q) What are the primary differences between the Galaxy S8 and S8+?
A) Both phones differ from each other in terms of their dimensions, screen size, and battery capacity. The Galaxy S8 is the smaller of the two and features a 5.8-inch QHD+ display with a 3000mAh battery, while the Galaxy S8+ features a larger 6.2-inch QHD+ display. The larger dimensions of the handset also allow Samsung to include a bigger 3500mAh battery on it.
If you are confused on which handset to buy between the two, read our comparison below.
Read: Samsung Galaxy S8 vs Galaxy S8+: Which One Should You Buy?
Q) How does one take a screenshot on the Galaxy S8?
A) The process of taking a screenshot is slightly different on the Galaxy S8 since it lacks a physical home button. The key combination has now changed to Volume Down + Power, which is similar to many other Android devices out there.
Read: How to Take a Screenshot on Samsung Galaxy S8 and S8+
Q) Where is the fingerprint scanner on the Galaxy S8? Is it touch based?
A) Unlike previous Samsung devices, the fingerprint scanner on the Galaxy S8 and S8+ is located at the rear just beside the camera sensor. The position is slightly awkward, especially on the larger Galaxy S8+.
Q) How many fingerprints can one register on the Galaxy S8?
A) 5.
Q) Does the Galaxy S8 support fingerprint gestures?
A) Yes, the Galaxy S8 does support fingerprint gestures albeit only one: swiping down on the fingerprint scanner to open the notification shade.
Q) Can you record slow-motion videos on the Galaxy S8 and S8+?
A) Yes, you can. However, unlike what rumours had pointed out, the S8 and S8+ are NOT capable of recording slow motion videos at 1,000fps.
Q) Do the Galaxy S8 and S8+ have a microSD card slot?
A) Yes, the Galaxy S8 and S8+ feature a microSD card slot that accepts cards of up to 2TB.
Q) Which version of Android do the handsets run on?
A) Android 7.0 Nougat.
Q) Do the Galaxy S8 and S8+ support LTE and VoLTe networks? Will a Reliance Jio SIM work on the phone?
A) Yes, the Galaxy S8 and S8+ support LTE and VoLTE out of the box. Unlike many other phones, the handset will also work with a Reliance Jio SIM out of the box including VoLTE.
Q) Is Fast charging supported on the Galaxy S8?
A) Yes, the handset supports fast charging as well as fast wireless charging. Sadly, Samsung has not upgraded the fast charging technology on the handsets so they continue to offer charging speeds equivalent to Qualcomm’s Quick Charge 2.0.
Q) How much free storage space does the Galaxy S8 offer out of the box?
A) Almost 52GB out of the box.
Q) Can you uninstall or disable pre-installed apps on the handset?
A) Yes, you can uninstall or disable some of the pre-installed apps and bloatware on the Galaxy S8 and S8+.
Q) Does the carrier variant of the Galaxy S8 feature any operator logo or apps?
A) While the Galaxy S8 and S8+ will not feature any carrier logos at least in the US, the handsets will continue to come preloaded with certain carrier apps and bloatware.
Q) Does the Galaxy S8 lack a physical home button?
A) Yes, the Galaxy S8 and S8+ are the first handsets from Samsung to lack a physical home button. Instead, they feature an on-screen navigation bar, with the home button area also coming with a 3D Touch-like feature. This allows users to quickly bring up the home button by hard pressing on that particular area on the screen, even while using fullscreen apps.
Q) How does one quickly launch the camera app on the Galaxy S8 and S8+?
A) Since the Galaxy S8 lacks a physical home button, the shortcut to launch the camera app has changed on the device. Instead of the home button, one now has to double press the power button to open the camera app from anywhere in the OS. The shortcut works even when the device is sleeping that makes it incredibly handy to have.
Q) What contents do you get inside the retail box of the Galaxy S8?
A) You get the phone, a 9v 2A charger, a USB cable, SIM ejector tool, AKG earphones, and some regulatory papers.
Q) Is Samsung bundling AKG earphones with the Galaxy S8 in all markets of the world?
A) Yes, Samsung is bundling AKG earphones with the Galaxy S8 in all markets of the world.
Q) Does the handset support USB OTG?
A) Yes, the Galaxy S8 supports USB On-The-Go. This allows you to directly connect pen drives, external hard disks and more using an adapter to the device. Do note that since the handset now comes with a USB-C port, you will need to use a new OTG adapter with it.
Q) Does the Galaxy S8 come with an IR blaster?
A) No, the Galaxy S8 does not feature an IR blaster.
Q) When does the Galaxy S8 go on sale and where?
A) In the United States, Korea, and Canada, the Galaxy S8 and its Plus sibling go on sale starting from April 21. The handsets will be available across all major carriers and retailers in the above markets. You can read more about the retail availability and price of the Galaxy S8 here.
In India, the Galaxy S8 and S8+ are currently up for pre-order and will hit retail stores on May 5. As a pre-order offer, Samsung is bundling free wireless chargers with the handset. You can pre-order the Galaxy S8 or S8+ from Flipkart (order link) to get them delivered to your doorstep on May 4th itself.
If you have any other questions about the Galaxy S8 or S8+, drop a comment below and we will answer them for you.
