Seven things to know about Samsung S8 and why it’s worth the hefty price tag
By HILARY KIMUYU and SHAMSA ABDULKADIRThe Samsung Galaxy S8 is without doubt one of the most beautiful, polished phones one will ever hold.
The Samsung Galaxy S8 and S8 Plus tops the Consumer Reports rankings this year.
This new phone has some really cool features and you can have it if you’re willing to spend more than your rent money on a phone. That said, here are some key features you should know about.
1. Design – The 5.8 and 6.2 inches for the Galaxy S8 and S8 Plus not only look good, but are slim enough to fit in one hand without feeling too bulky with its almost bezel-less design and more screen. The Edges are not exaggerated like the S7 edge and since the device is all glass and very slippery, I’d recommend getting either a skin or a case for it.
2. Customise always on display – And yes, you can customise the Always On Display. This feature adds an exceptional feel to the S8 and even if your device is off, it really isn’t off. You can adjust the layout of the clock, colour, background, and even put a timer to it. The timer helps if you don’t want to see the display glowing at night while you are asleep which can be a little distracting.
3. Edge panels – Apart from the edges of the screen lighting up when a notification pops up on the screen, the edge panels are customisable. You can choose what to have on the panel, be it the Apps edge for easy access, or the tasks edge, people’s edge, smart select and tailor them to your specific needs. The edge panels are usable either on the right or left side of the screen.
4. Full screen apps – The aspect ratio of this device is taller and some S8 users will find that some apps have black bars at the top and bottom of the screen or on the left and right while using the phone in landscape mode. However, this comes as no surprise as Samsung has built in an option that allows every app make great use of the entire screen. The full screen mode has to be enabled individually for each app.
5. Blue light filter – It is very common to stare at your smartphones in the dark, but, the blue light glare emitting from smartphones can strain your eyes and disrupt your sleep cycle. To tackle that, the Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8+ have this blue light filter feature that you can turn on or off or even schedule it.
6. Multitasking – The Galaxy S8 has the ability to multitask with a split-screen. You can set this up by pressing the Re-cent apps button. At the top section of each app, there is a button with two rectangles. When you press the rectangles, the app will go into split-screen mode at the top and the bottom half will show you other recent apps. Select one of the recent apps or tap on “More Apps.” The other app that will open in the split screen mode. You can exit split screen mode by tapping on the line separating the two apps and drag it all the way up or down. With it, you can text, watch a video, read an article or surf the net all at the same time.
7. Camera – The photos achieved by the Galaxy S8 are truly stunning, and it’s a huge jump from Galaxy S7. The first thing you’ll notice about the camera is just how fast it is. A double-tap on the power key opens the camera quicker than any other phone, and focusing is equally snappy. It’s a versatile camera too, whether you’re taking landscape shots or portraits in daytime or at night. The fantastic auto-HDR mode is something that’s turned on by default.