Electronics giant Samsung will this week offer an unusually early software update for its newly- released Galaxy S8 phone, it said today after some consumers complained of red-tinted screens.

The launch of the device is a key step for the South Korean tech firm as it seeks to move on from last year&#39;s humiliating withdrawal of the Galaxy Note 7 over exploding batteries, which hammered the firm&#39;s once-stellar reputation.

The Galaxy S8 started over-the-counter sales in the US and its home market but South Korean users who pre-ordered the phones complained their screens displayed an unusually reddish hue.

Online images of their phones went viral on social media but Samsung denied a hardware flaw and maintained that users could manually adjust the colour range according to their preferences.

As more users voiced doubts, Samsung said that a software update would fix the problem by allowing them to readjust colours over a wider range than at present.

&quot;Samsung... Has decided to release a software update starting from this week which will provide consumers with a further enhanced ability to adjust the colour setting to their preference,&quot; it said in a statement.

Samsung - the world&#39;s largest maker of smartphones - has pinned its hopes on the Galaxy S8 to compete against arch-rival Apple&#39;s iPhone after last year&#39;s Note 7 disaster.

The recall debacle cost Samsung billions of dollars in lost profits and hammered its global credibility, forcing it to apologise to consumers and postpone the S8 launch.

(AFP)

Samsung pins its hopes on the Galaxy S8 to compete against arch-rival Apple's iPhone after last year's Note 7 disaster

Electronics giant Samsung will this week offer an unusually early software update for its newly- released Galaxy S8 phone, it said today after some consumers complained of red-tinted screens. The launch of the device is a key step for the South Korean tech firm as it seeks to move on from last year's humiliating withdrawal of the Galaxy Note 7 over exploding batteries, which hammered the firm's once-stellar reputation. The Galaxy S8 started over-the-counter sales in the US and its home market but South Korean users who pre-ordered the phones complained their screens displayed an unusually reddish hue. Online images of their phones went viral on social media but Samsung denied a hardware flaw and maintained that users could manually adjust the colour range according to their preferences. As more users voiced doubts, Samsung said that a software update would fix the problem by allowing them to readjust colours over a wider range than at present. "Samsung... Has decided to release a software update starting from this week which will provide consumers with a further enhanced ability to adjust the colour setting to their preference," it said in a statement. Samsung - the world's largest maker of smartphones - has pinned its hopes on the Galaxy S8 to compete against arch-rival Apple's iPhone after last year's Note 7 disaster. The recall debacle cost Samsung billions of dollars in lost profits and hammered its global credibility, forcing it to apologise to consumers and postpone the S8 launch. (AFP)

Samsung acknowledges display issue in Galaxy S8; promises a fix

Almost a month after the global unveiling, Samsung has introduced the much-awaited Galaxy S8 and S8+ smartphones in India. Priced at Rs 57,900 for the Galaxy S8 and Rs 64,900 for the Galaxy S8+, the new flagship phones are now available for pre-booking in the country. The Galaxy S8 and S8 Plus will be available in India from May 5 across select retail stores. The phones, however, will be available online exclusively on Samsung Shop and Flipkart.

The most striking feature of the new phones is what Samsung dubs an &quot;infinity display&quot; - an expanded glass screen that covers the entire front of the device and appears to curve seamlessly around its edges. The home button has been replaced with a pressure-sensitive section embedded under the screen.

Both phones are water-resistant and allow for biometric authentication with fingerprint and iris scanners.

The Galaxy S8 features a 5.8-inch Quad HD+ display, the Galaxy S8+, on the other hand, has a slight bigger screen measuring 6.2 inches (Quad HD+). Running Android 7.0 Nougat, the new Galaxy phones come with a 64-bit oct-core processor paired with 4GB of RAM, Dual Pixel 12 megapixel rear camera, and an 8 megapixel auto focus front camera.

The new phones come with Samsung&#39;s new digital assistant Bixby, which will compete with Apple&#39;s Siri, Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa.

Bixby is expected to mark a further step into services for the world&#39;s biggest smartphone vendor, allowing users to shop, search for images and get details about nearby places with image recognition technology.

The Galaxy S8 and S8+ will be available in India in three colours - Midnight Black, Coral Blue and Maple Gold.

Boasting the largest wrap-around screen ever made, the Galaxy S8 and S8+ are the South Korean tech giant&#39;s first new premium phones since the Note 7 debacle in October, which wiped out $5.48 billion of profit and helped Apple overtake Samsung as the world&#39;s top smartphone maker in the fourth quarter.

Samsung is hoping the design update and the new features - nothing revolutionary but focused on making life easier for consumers - will be enough to revive sales in a year Apple is expected to introduce major changes to its iPhones for their 10th anniversary, including the very curved screens that have become staples of the Galaxy brand.

<table style="border-collapse:collapse;border-spacing:0;border-color:#ccc">
	<tbody>
		<tr>
			<th style="font-family:Arial, sans-serif;font-size:14px;font-weight:normal;padding:10px 5px;border-style:solid;border-width:0px;overflow:hidden;word-break:normal;border-color:#ccc;color:#333;background-color:#f0f0f0;border-top-width:1px;border-bottom-width:1px;vertical-align:top">&nbsp;</th>
			<th style="font-family:Arial, sans-serif;font-size:14px;font-weight:bold;padding:10px 5px;border-style:solid;border-width:0px;overflow:hidden;word-break:normal;border-color:#ccc;color:#333;background-color:#f0f0f0;border-top-width:1px;border-bottom-width:1px;text-align:center;vertical-align:top">Galaxy S8</th>
			<th style="font-family:Arial, sans-serif;font-size:14px;font-weight:bold;padding:10px 5px;border-style:solid;border-width:0px;overflow:hidden;word-break:normal;border-color:#ccc;color:#333;background-color:#f0f0f0;border-top-width:1px;border-bottom-width:1px;text-align:center;vertical-align:top">Galaxy S8+</th>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td style="font-family:Arial, sans-serif;font-size:14px;padding:10px 5px;border-style:solid;border-width:0px;overflow:hidden;word-break:normal;border-color:#ccc;color:#333;background-color:#fff;border-top-width:1px;border-bottom-width:1px;vertical-align:top">Display</td>
			<td style="font-family:Arial, sans-serif;font-size:14px;padding:10px 5px;border-style:solid;border-width:0px;overflow:hidden;word-break:normal;border-color:#ccc;color:#333;background-color:#fff;border-top-width:1px;border-bottom-width:1px;text-align:center;vertical-align:top">5.8 inches (2960x1440)</td>
			<td style="font-family:Arial, sans-serif;font-size:14px;padding:10px 5px;border-style:solid;border-width:0px;overflow:hidden;word-break:normal;border-color:#ccc;color:#333;background-color:#fff;border-top-width:1px;border-bottom-width:1px;text-align:center;vertical-align:top">6.2 inches (2960x1440)</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td style="font-family:Arial, sans-serif;font-size:14px;padding:10px 5px;border-style:solid;border-width:0px;overflow:hidden;word-break:normal;border-color:#ccc;color:#333;background-color:#fff;border-top-width:1px;border-bottom-width:1px;vertical-align:top">Operating system</td>
			<td style="font-family:Arial, sans-serif;font-size:14px;padding:10px 5px;border-style:solid;border-width:0px;overflow:hidden;word-break:normal;border-color:#ccc;color:#333;background-color:#fff;border-top-width:1px;border-bottom-width:1px;text-align:center;vertical-align:top">Android 7.0</td>
			<td style="font-family:Arial, sans-serif;font-size:14px;padding:10px 5px;border-style:solid;border-width:0px;overflow:hidden;word-break:normal;border-color:#ccc;color:#333;background-color:#fff;border-top-width:1px;border-bottom-width:1px;text-align:center;vertical-align:top">Android 7.0</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td style="font-family:Arial, sans-serif;font-size:14px;padding:10px 5px;border-style:solid;border-width:0px;overflow:hidden;word-break:normal;border-color:#ccc;color:#333;background-color:#fff;border-top-width:1px;border-bottom-width:1px;vertical-align:top">Processor</td>
			<td style="font-family:Arial, sans-serif;font-size:14px;padding:10px 5px;border-style:solid;border-width:0px;overflow:hidden;word-break:normal;border-color:#ccc;color:#333;background-color:#fff;border-top-width:1px;border-bottom-width:1px;text-align:center;vertical-align:top">Exynos 8895 (octa-core)</td>
			<td style="font-family:Arial, sans-serif;font-size:14px;padding:10px 5px;border-style:solid;border-width:0px;overflow:hidden;word-break:normal;border-color:#ccc;color:#333;background-color:#fff;border-top-width:1px;border-bottom-width:1px;text-align:center;vertical-align:top">Exynos 8895 (octa-core)</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td style="font-family:Arial, sans-serif;font-size:14px;padding:10px 5px;border-style:solid;border-width:0px;overflow:hidden;word-break:normal;border-color:#ccc;color:#333;background-color:#fff;border-top-width:1px;border-bottom-width:1px;vertical-align:top">RAM</td>
			<td style="font-family:Arial, sans-serif;font-size:14px;padding:10px 5px;border-style:solid;border-width:0px;overflow:hidden;word-break:normal;border-color:#ccc;color:#333;background-color:#fff;border-top-width:1px;border-bottom-width:1px;text-align:center;vertical-align:top">4GB</td>
			<td style="font-family:Arial, sans-serif;font-size:14px;padding:10px 5px;border-style:solid;border-width:0px;overflow:hidden;word-break:normal;border-color:#ccc;color:#333;background-color:#fff;border-top-width:1px;border-bottom-width:1px;text-align:center;vertical-align:top">4GB</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td style="font-family:Arial, sans-serif;font-size:14px;padding:10px 5px;border-style:solid;border-width:0px;overflow:hidden;word-break:normal;border-color:#ccc;color:#333;background-color:#fff;border-top-width:1px;border-bottom-width:1px;vertical-align:top">Rear camera</td>
			<td style="font-family:Arial, sans-serif;font-size:14px;padding:10px 5px;border-style:solid;border-width:0px;overflow:hidden;word-break:normal;border-color:#ccc;color:#333;background-color:#fff;border-top-width:1px;border-bottom-width:1px;text-align:center;vertical-align:top">12MP Dual Pixel sensor</td>
			<td style="font-family:Arial, sans-serif;font-size:14px;padding:10px 5px;border-style:solid;border-width:0px;overflow:hidden;word-break:normal;border-color:#ccc;color:#333;background-color:#fff;border-top-width:1px;border-bottom-width:1px;text-align:center;vertical-align:top">12MP Dual Pixel sensor</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td style="font-family:Arial, sans-serif;font-size:14px;padding:10px 5px;border-style:solid;border-width:0px;overflow:hidden;word-break:normal;border-color:#ccc;color:#333;background-color:#fff;border-top-width:1px;border-bottom-width:1px;vertical-align:top">Front camera</td>
			<td style="font-family:Arial, sans-serif;font-size:14px;padding:10px 5px;border-style:solid;border-width:0px;overflow:hidden;word-break:normal;border-color:#ccc;color:#333;background-color:#fff;border-top-width:1px;border-bottom-width:1px;text-align:center;vertical-align:top">8MP</td>
			<td style="font-family:Arial, sans-serif;font-size:14px;padding:10px 5px;border-style:solid;border-width:0px;overflow:hidden;word-break:normal;border-color:#ccc;color:#333;background-color:#fff;border-top-width:1px;border-bottom-width:1px;text-align:center;vertical-align:top">8MP</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td style="font-family:Arial, sans-serif;font-size:14px;padding:10px 5px;border-style:solid;border-width:0px;overflow:hidden;word-break:normal;border-color:#ccc;color:#333;background-color:#fff;border-top-width:1px;border-bottom-width:1px;vertical-align:top">Battery</td>
			<td style="font-family:Arial, sans-serif;font-size:14px;padding:10px 5px;border-style:solid;border-width:0px;overflow:hidden;word-break:normal;border-color:#ccc;color:#333;background-color:#fff;border-top-width:1px;border-bottom-width:1px;text-align:center;vertical-align:top">3000mAh</td>
			<td style="font-family:Arial, sans-serif;font-size:14px;padding:10px 5px;border-style:solid;border-width:0px;overflow:hidden;word-break:normal;border-color:#ccc;color:#333;background-color:#fff;border-top-width:1px;border-bottom-width:1px;text-align:center;vertical-align:top">3500mAh</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td style="font-family:Arial, sans-serif;font-size:14px;padding:10px 5px;border-style:solid;border-width:0px;overflow:hidden;word-break:normal;border-color:#ccc;color:#333;background-color:#fff;border-top-width:1px;border-bottom-width:1px;vertical-align:top">Storage</td>
			<td style="font-family:Arial, sans-serif;font-size:14px;padding:10px 5px;border-style:solid;border-width:0px;overflow:hidden;word-break:normal;border-color:#ccc;color:#333;background-color:#fff;border-top-width:1px;border-bottom-width:1px;text-align:center;vertical-align:top">64GB (expandable support up to 256GB)</td>
			<td style="font-family:Arial, sans-serif;font-size:14px;padding:10px 5px;border-style:solid;border-width:0px;overflow:hidden;word-break:normal;border-color:#ccc;color:#333;background-color:#fff;border-top-width:1px;border-bottom-width:1px;text-align:center;vertical-align:top">64GB (expandable support up to 256GB)</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td style="font-family:Arial, sans-serif;font-size:14px;padding:10px 5px;border-style:solid;border-width:0px;overflow:hidden;word-break:normal;border-color:#ccc;color:#333;background-color:#fff;border-top-width:1px;border-bottom-width:1px;vertical-align:top">Weight</td>
			<td style="font-family:Arial, sans-serif;font-size:14px;padding:10px 5px;border-style:solid;border-width:0px;overflow:hidden;word-break:normal;border-color:#ccc;color:#333;background-color:#fff;border-top-width:1px;border-bottom-width:1px;text-align:center;vertical-align:top">155g</td>
			<td style="font-family:Arial, sans-serif;font-size:14px;padding:10px 5px;border-style:solid;border-width:0px;overflow:hidden;word-break:normal;border-color:#ccc;color:#333;background-color:#fff;border-top-width:1px;border-bottom-width:1px;text-align:center;vertical-align:top">173g</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td style="font-family:Arial, sans-serif;font-size:14px;padding:10px 5px;border-style:solid;border-width:0px;overflow:hidden;word-break:normal;border-color:#ccc;color:#333;background-color:#fff;border-top-width:1px;border-bottom-width:1px;vertical-align:top">Price</td>
			<td style="font-family:Arial, sans-serif;font-size:14px;padding:10px 5px;border-style:solid;border-width:0px;overflow:hidden;word-break:normal;border-color:#ccc;color:#333;background-color:#fff;border-top-width:1px;border-bottom-width:1px;text-align:center;vertical-align:top">Rs 57,900</td>
			<td style="font-family:Arial, sans-serif;font-size:14px;padding:10px 5px;border-style:solid;border-width:0px;overflow:hidden;word-break:normal;border-color:#ccc;color:#333;background-color:#fff;border-top-width:1px;border-bottom-width:1px;text-align:center;vertical-align:top">Rs 64,900</td>
		</tr>
	</tbody>
</table>

 
(WION)

The latest Galaxy phones come with Samsung's new digital assistant Bixby

Almost a month after the global unveiling, Samsung has introduced the much-awaited Galaxy S8 and S8+ smartphones in India. Priced at Rs 57,900 for the Galaxy S8 and Rs 64,900 for the Galaxy S8+, the new flagship phones are now available for pre-booking in the country. The Galaxy S8 and S8 Plus will be available in India from May 5 across select retail stores. The phones, however, will be available online exclusively on Samsung Shop and Flipkart. The most striking feature of the new phones is what Samsung dubs an "infinity display" - an expanded glass screen that covers the entire front of the device and appears to curve seamlessly around its edges. The home button has been replaced with a pressure-sensitive section embedded under the screen. Both phones are water-resistant and allow for biometric authentication with fingerprint and iris scanners. The Galaxy S8 features a 5.8-inch Quad HD+ display, the Galaxy S8+, on the other hand, has a slight bigger screen measuring 6.2 inches (Quad HD+). Running Android 7.0 Nougat, the new Galaxy phones come with a 64-bit oct-core processor paired with 4GB of RAM, Dual Pixel 12 megapixel rear camera, and an 8 megapixel auto focus front camera. The new phones come with Samsung's new digital assistant Bixby, which will compete with Apple's Siri, Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa. Bixby is expected to mark a further step into services for the world's biggest smartphone vendor, allowing users to shop, search for images and get details about nearby places with image recognition technology. The Galaxy S8 and S8+ will be available in India in three colours - Midnight Black, Coral Blue and Maple Gold. Boasting the largest wrap-around screen ever made, the Galaxy S8 and S8+ are the South Korean tech giant's first new premium phones since the Note 7 debacle in October, which wiped out $5.48 billion of profit and helped Apple overtake Samsung as the world's top smartphone maker in the fourth quarter. Samsung is hoping the design update and the new features - nothing revolutionary but focused on making life easier for consumers - will be enough to revive sales in a year Apple is expected to introduce major changes to its iPhones for their 10th anniversary, including the very curved screens that have become staples of the Galaxy brand. Galaxy S8 Galaxy S8+ Display 5.8 inches (2960x1440) 6.2 inches (2960x1440) Operating system Android 7.0 Android 7.0 Processor Exynos 8895 (octa-core) Exynos 8895 (octa-core) RAM 4GB 4GB Rear camera 12MP Dual Pixel sensor 12MP Dual Pixel sensor Front camera 8MP 8MP Battery 3000mAh 3500mAh Storage 64GB (expandable support up to 256GB) 64GB (expandable support up to 256GB) Weight 155g 173g Price Rs 57,900 Rs 64,900 (WION)

Galaxy S8, S8+: Samsung launches new flagship phones in India

The world&rsquo;s biggest smartphone maker Samsung will unveil its latest flagship model, the Galaxy S8, on Wednesday in New York (at 8:30 PM IST) as it seeks to move on from last year&rsquo;s humiliating burning handset recall.

Samsung Electronics was forced to abandon its premium Galaxy Note 7, originally intended to compete with Apple&rsquo;s iPhone, after a chaotic recall that saw replacement devices also catching fire.

The debacle cost the South Korean company billions of dollars in lost profit and hammered its global reputation and credibility, during a torrid period when it has also been embroiled in a corruption scandal.

Its vice-chairman Lee Jae-Yong, heir to the parent Samsung group, has since been arrested and indicted for bribery, along with four other senior executives, in connection with a graft scandal that saw ex-president Park Geun-Hye impeached.

Samsung blamed the Galaxy Note 7 crisis on faulty batteries from two different suppliers after numerous handsets caught fire.

The company apologised to consumers for causing concern and was forced to postpone the S8 launch.

In total 3.1 million smartphones were recalled as authorities in the US and elsewhere banned them from use on planes and even from being placed in checked luggage.
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<div class="embed-container"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed//2iNTxLXO-Iw"></iframe></div>

 
The company later embarked on a campaign to restore its battered reputation, issuing repeated apologies and putting full-page advertisements in US newspapers, admitting it &quot;fell short&quot; on its promises.

Samsung says it has also come up with elaborate step-by-step safety verification procedures for future products to prevent similar disasters.

The Verge, a US-based online news network specialising in technology, described the new device as Samsung&#39;s &quot;biggest test ever&quot;.

&quot;It now needs to reassert its reliability while also rebooting its technological advantage,&quot; it said. On its website, Samsung says the latest addition to the Galaxy lineup represents &quot;the start of a new era&quot;, but has offered little information about its new hardware features.

Some leaked images of the new phone suggest the Galaxy S8 will sport a larger curved display than its predecessor the S7, at 5.8 inches, while maintaining a similar body size.

The home button on the front of the phone appears to have been replaced by a fingerprint scanner on the rear, while pundits speculate it will have an iris scanner, most likely used for unlocking the handset and authorising payments.

The news website TechCrunch also reported that leaks suggest the new device will likely keep its headphone jack -- setting it in opposition to rival Apple, which embraced wireless headsets with their iPhone 7 and 7 Plus phones released last year.

Samsung announced last week that its new voice-powered digital assistant Bixby will debut with the phone, which will have a set of pre-installed applications that will work with the interface.

Bixby will differ from digital aides already on the market in ways that include controlling nearly all tasks in applications instead of limited sets, and being flexible when it comes to understanding what users are saying, according to Samsung.

The South Korean electronics giant late last year bought Viv, an artificial intelligence startup with co-founders who were part of the team that built virtual assistant Siri, which Apple bought some seven years ago.

While Samsung has yet to confirm a release date and pricing, the Galaxy S8 is expected to be available in late April with a price range of around $900 to $1,000.

(AFP)

Samsung faces the biggest test with the Galaxy S8 launch

The world’s biggest smartphone maker Samsung will unveil its latest flagship model, the Galaxy S8, on Wednesday in New York (at 8:30 PM IST) as it seeks to move on from last year’s humiliating burning handset recall. Samsung Electronics was forced to abandon its premium Galaxy Note 7, originally intended to compete with Apple’s iPhone, after a chaotic recall that saw replacement devices also catching fire. The debacle cost the South Korean company billions of dollars in lost profit and hammered its global reputation and credibility, during a torrid period when it has also been embroiled in a corruption scandal. Its vice-chairman Lee Jae-Yong, heir to the parent Samsung group, has since been arrested and indicted for bribery, along with four other senior executives, in connection with a graft scandal that saw ex-president Park Geun-Hye impeached. Samsung blamed the Galaxy Note 7 crisis on faulty batteries from two different suppliers after numerous handsets caught fire. The company apologised to consumers for causing concern and was forced to postpone the S8 launch. In total 3.1 million smartphones were recalled as authorities in the US and elsewhere banned them from use on planes and even from being placed in checked luggage. The company later embarked on a campaign to restore its battered reputation, issuing repeated apologies and putting full-page advertisements in US newspapers, admitting it "fell short" on its promises. Samsung says it has also come up with elaborate step-by-step safety verification procedures for future products to prevent similar disasters. The Verge, a US-based online news network specialising in technology, described the new device as Samsung's "biggest test ever". "It now needs to reassert its reliability while also rebooting its technological advantage," it said. On its website, Samsung says the latest addition to the Galaxy lineup represents "the start of a new era", but has offered little information about its new hardware features. Some leaked images of the new phone suggest the Galaxy S8 will sport a larger curved display than its predecessor the S7, at 5.8 inches, while maintaining a similar body size. The home button on the front of the phone appears to have been replaced by a fingerprint scanner on the rear, while pundits speculate it will have an iris scanner, most likely used for unlocking the handset and authorising payments. The news website TechCrunch also reported that leaks suggest the new device will likely keep its headphone jack -- setting it in opposition to rival Apple, which embraced wireless headsets with their iPhone 7 and 7 Plus phones released last year. Samsung announced last week that its new voice-powered digital assistant Bixby will debut with the phone, which will have a set of pre-installed applications that will work with the interface. Bixby will differ from digital aides already on the market in ways that include controlling nearly all tasks in applications instead of limited sets, and being flexible when it comes to understanding what users are saying, according to Samsung. The South Korean electronics giant late last year bought Viv, an artificial intelligence startup with co-founders who were part of the team that built virtual assistant Siri, which Apple bought some seven years ago. While Samsung has yet to confirm a release date and pricing, the Galaxy S8 is expected to be available in late April with a price range of around $900 to $1,000. (AFP)

Samsung Galaxy S8 to be unveiled today @ 8:30PM: Make or break time for Samsung?

Samsung unveiled its new Galaxy S8 and S8+ smartphones, incorporating the virtual assistant Bixby, as the market leader seeks to rebound from a chaotic handset recall and a corruption scandal.

Boasting some of the largest wrap-around screens ever made, the long-awaited S8 is the South Korean tech giant&#39;s first new premium phone since the Note 7 debacle in October, which wiped out $5.48 billion of profit and helped Apple overtake Samsung as the world&#39;s top smartphone maker in the fourth quarter.

Fitted with screens of 5.8 and 6.2 inches, the Galaxy S8 and S8+ include Samsung&#39;s upgraded digital assistant Bixby, competing in a crowded field that includes Apple&#39;s Siri, Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa.

The most striking feature of the new phones is what Samsung dubs an &quot;infinity display&quot; - an expanded glass screen that covers the entire front of the device and appears to curve seamlessly around its edges. The home button has been replaced with a pressure-sensitive section embedded under the screen.

Both phones are water resistant and allow for biometric authentication with fingerprint and iris scanners.

Bixby marks a further step into services for the world&#39;s biggest smartphone vendor, allowing users to shop, search for images and get details about nearby places with image recognition technology.
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<div class="embed-container"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/D8Ert5yjMV4"></iframe></div>

 
Samsung is hoping the design update and the new features - nothing revolutionary but focused on making life easier for consumers - will be enough to revive sales in a year Apple is expected to introduce major changes to its iPhones for their 10th anniversary, including the very curved screens that have become staples of the Galaxy brand.

Samsung&#39;s services chief Sriram Thodla said Bixby would allow for better navigation of applications on the phone.

&quot;We&#39;ve built intelligence into the camera,&quot; he said, adding, &ldquo;If you see something you want to buy, just point the camera at it and Bixby will find it from one of our partners.&quot;

The digital assistant will also enhance the phone&#39;s capabilities as a remote control for connected home devices, Thodla said.

The South Korean electronics giant late last year bought Viv, an artificial intelligence startup with co-founders who were part of the team that built virtual assistant Siri, which Apple bought some seven years ago.

As Samsung&#39;s top-line handsets, the Galaxy S8 models will challenge the latest Apple iPhones.

The new phones will be available starting April 21, Samsung said. In the US market, they will be sold through major carriers and retailers, with unlocked devices priced from $725.

After the debacle

The Galaxy S8 release comes after Samsung was forced to recall its Note 7 phones for catching fire due to overheating batteries.

The debacle cost the South Korean company billions of dollars in lost profit and hammered its global reputation and credibility, during a torrid period that has also seen it embroiled in a corruption scandal.

Its vice-chairman Lee Jae-Yong, heir to the parent Samsung group, has been arrested and indicted for bribery, along with four other senior executives, in connection with a graft scandal that saw ex-president Park Geun-Hye impeached.

Samsung apologised to consumers for the recall and was forced to postpone the S8 launch. Its investigation blamed the problems on faulty batteries.

The firm later embarked on a campaign to restore its battered reputation, placing full-page advertisements in US newspapers that admitted it &quot;fell short&quot; on its promises.

The tech giant says it has also come up with elaborate step-by-step safety verification procedures for future products to prevent similar disasters.

As part of its launch, Samsung will be including its Gear virtual reality headset to customers pre-ordering the handsets.

Samsung also introduced its Dex adapter which allows the smartphones to be transformed into desktop computers.

Jan Dawson of Jackdaw Research was impressed by the new devices but also noted they would be priced higher than competitors from Apple and others.

&quot;The Samsung approach is particularly clever, with its curved screen now less sharp on the edges, offering a more symmetrical and therefore more comfortable device,&quot; he said in a blog post.

&quot;The price of the new phones is up to $100 higher than their predecessors and almost all of the premium smartphones they&#39;ll be competing with, which feels like a big risk.&quot;

Dawson said Samsung is betting &quot;that its phones will justify a higher price, whereas it could have used these new phones as a way to drive higher sales after a couple of years of stagnation.&quot;

(WION with inputs from agencies)

The Galaxy S8 and S8+ feature Samsung's new artificial intelligence service, Bixby

Samsung unveiled its new Galaxy S8 and S8+ smartphones, incorporating the virtual assistant Bixby, as the market leader seeks to rebound from a chaotic handset recall and a corruption scandal. Boasting some of the largest wrap-around screens ever made, the long-awaited S8 is the South Korean tech giant's first new premium phone since the Note 7 debacle in October, which wiped out $5.48 billion of profit and helped Apple overtake Samsung as the world's top smartphone maker in the fourth quarter. Fitted with screens of 5.8 and 6.2 inches, the Galaxy S8 and S8+ include Samsung's upgraded digital assistant Bixby, competing in a crowded field that includes Apple's Siri, Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa. The most striking feature of the new phones is what Samsung dubs an "infinity display" - an expanded glass screen that covers the entire front of the device and appears to curve seamlessly around its edges. The home button has been replaced with a pressure-sensitive section embedded under the screen. Both phones are water resistant and allow for biometric authentication with fingerprint and iris scanners. Bixby marks a further step into services for the world's biggest smartphone vendor, allowing users to shop, search for images and get details about nearby places with image recognition technology. Samsung is hoping the design update and the new features - nothing revolutionary but focused on making life easier for consumers - will be enough to revive sales in a year Apple is expected to introduce major changes to its iPhones for their 10th anniversary, including the very curved screens that have become staples of the Galaxy brand. Samsung's services chief Sriram Thodla said Bixby would allow for better navigation of applications on the phone. "We've built intelligence into the camera," he said, adding, “If you see something you want to buy, just point the camera at it and Bixby will find it from one of our partners." The digital assistant will also enhance the phone's capabilities as a remote control for connected home devices, Thodla said. The South Korean electronics giant late last year bought Viv, an artificial intelligence startup with co-founders who were part of the team that built virtual assistant Siri, which Apple bought some seven years ago. As Samsung's top-line handsets, the Galaxy S8 models will challenge the latest Apple iPhones. The new phones will be available starting April 21, Samsung said. In the US market, they will be sold through major carriers and retailers, with unlocked devices priced from $725. After the debacle The Galaxy S8 release comes after Samsung was forced to recall its Note 7 phones for catching fire due to overheating batteries. The debacle cost the South Korean company billions of dollars in lost profit and hammered its global reputation and credibility, during a torrid period that has also seen it embroiled in a corruption scandal. Its vice-chairman Lee Jae-Yong, heir to the parent Samsung group, has been arrested and indicted for bribery, along with four other senior executives, in connection with a graft scandal that saw ex-president Park Geun-Hye impeached. Samsung apologised to consumers for the recall and was forced to postpone the S8 launch. Its investigation blamed the problems on faulty batteries. The firm later embarked on a campaign to restore its battered reputation, placing full-page advertisements in US newspapers that admitted it "fell short" on its promises. The tech giant says it has also come up with elaborate step-by-step safety verification procedures for future products to prevent similar disasters. As part of its launch, Samsung will be including its Gear virtual reality headset to customers pre-ordering the handsets. Samsung also introduced its Dex adapter which allows the smartphones to be transformed into desktop computers. Jan Dawson of Jackdaw Research was impressed by the new devices but also noted they would be priced higher than competitors from Apple and others. "The Samsung approach is particularly clever, with its curved screen now less sharp on the edges, offering a more symmetrical and therefore more comfortable device," he said in a blog post. "The price of the new phones is up to $100 higher than their predecessors and almost all of the premium smartphones they'll be competing with, which feels like a big risk." Dawson said Samsung is betting "that its phones will justify a higher price, whereas it could have used these new phones as a way to drive higher sales after a couple of years of stagnation." (WION with inputs from agencies)

Galaxy S8, S8+: Samsung launches new flagship smartphones

Samsung Electronics unveiled its Galaxy S8 flagship smartphone as it battles to regain the market leadership it lost to Apple Inc after the embarrassing withdrawal of the fire-prone Note 7s.

Boasting some of the largest wrap-around screens ever made, the long-awaited S8 is the South Korean tech giant&#39;s first new premium phone since the Note 7 debacle in October, which wiped out $5.48 billion of profit and helped Apple overtake Samsung as the world&#39;s top smartphone maker in the fourth quarter.

Two versions of the Galaxy S8, code-named Dream internally, were launched at a media event in New York on Wednesday, with 6.2-inch (15.75 cm) and 5.8-inch curved screens - the largest to date for Samsung&#39;s premium smartphones.

<center><a class="twitter-timeline" data-widget-id="847094005632421888" href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23galaxys8%20from%3A%40wionews">Tweets about #galaxys8 from:@wionews</a> <script>!function(d,s,id){var js,fjs=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],p=/^http:/.test(d.location)?'http':'https';if(!d.getElementById(id)){js=d.createElement(s);js.id=id;js.src=p+"://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js";fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js,fjs);}}(document,"script","twitter-wjs");</script></center>

Galaxy S8 will sport a larger curved display than its predecessor the S7, at 5.8 inches

Samsung Electronics unveiled its Galaxy S8 flagship smartphone as it battles to regain the market leadership it lost to Apple Inc after the embarrassing withdrawal of the fire-prone Note 7s. Boasting some of the largest wrap-around screens ever made, the long-awaited S8 is the South Korean tech giant's first new premium phone since the Note 7 debacle in October, which wiped out $5.48 billion of profit and helped Apple overtake Samsung as the world's top smartphone maker in the fourth quarter. Two versions of the Galaxy S8, code-named Dream internally, were launched at a media event in New York on Wednesday, with 6.2-inch (15.75 cm) and 5.8-inch curved screens - the largest to date for Samsung's premium smartphones. Tweets about #galaxys8 from:@wionews

Samsung unveils Galaxy S8, S8+ with virtual assistant Bixby

Samsung Electronics said it would launch its next key device in the aftermath of a burning-battery scandal, the Galaxy S8, on March 29.

At the end of a product presentation at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, the company showed a short video clip announcing the date for its traditional &quot;Unpacked Event&quot;.

In past years, the trade fair was the scene of major Samsung launches. This year, Samsung postponed the presentation of its next major handset.

The company withdrew the Galaxy Note 7 last October due to faulty batteries, which led some devices to catch fire.

That caused a loss of consumer trust, wiping out $5.3 billion of operating profit, and allowing Apple&#39;s iPhone to overtake it in sales.

Besides, Samsung Electronics launched two new tablets on Sunday, marking its first major announcement since being forced to withdraw the flagship Galaxy Note 7 smartphone after some of the devices caught fire.

The Galaxy Tab S3 and the Galaxy Book were presented at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, in past years the scene of major Samsung launches.

The Galaxy Book will run on Microsoft Windows 10. The Tab S3 will have speakers by Harman-owned AKG, Samsung&#39;s first use of the brand since agreeing to buy Harman for $8 billion last year.

(WION with inputs from Reuters)

&nbsp;

This year, Samsung has postponed the presentation of the Galaxy S8, its next key device

Samsung Electronics said it would launch its next key device in the aftermath of a burning-battery scandal, the Galaxy S8, on March 29. At the end of a product presentation at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, the company showed a short video clip announcing the date for its traditional "Unpacked Event". In past years, the trade fair was the scene of major Samsung launches. This year, Samsung postponed the presentation of its next major handset. The company withdrew the Galaxy Note 7 last October due to faulty batteries, which led some devices to catch fire. That caused a loss of consumer trust, wiping out $5.3 billion of operating profit, and allowing Apple's iPhone to overtake it in sales. Besides, Samsung Electronics launched two new tablets on Sunday, marking its first major announcement since being forced to withdraw the flagship Galaxy Note 7 smartphone after some of the devices caught fire. The Galaxy Tab S3 and the Galaxy Book were presented at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, in past years the scene of major Samsung launches. The Galaxy Book will run on Microsoft Windows 10. The Tab S3 will have speakers by Harman-owned AKG, Samsung's first use of the brand since agreeing to buy Harman for $8 billion last year. (WION with inputs from Reuters)

Galaxy S8: Samsung to unveil new flagship smartphone on March 29

&nbsp;

Samsung Electronic&nbsp;Co Ltd&#39;s investigation into what caused some Galaxy Note 7s to catch fire has concluded that the battery was the main reason, a person familiar with the matter said.&nbsp;

The world&#39;s biggest smartphone maker will likely announce the results of the investigation on January 23, a day before it announces detailed fourth-quarter earnings results, said the person who was not authorised to speak publicly on the matter and declined to be identified.&nbsp;

The firm will also announce new measures it is taking to avoid a repeat of the product safety failures in its future devices, the person said.&nbsp;A Samsung spokesman declined to comment.

After one of the biggest product safety failures in tech history, the company is keen to reassure that its devices are safe ahead of the launch of flagship Galaxy S8 smartphones expected sometime in the first half of this year.&nbsp; 
Investors and analysts say it is critical for Samsung to provide a detailed, convincing explanation on what went wrong with the Note 7 phones and how it will prevent such problems from recurring.

The source said&nbsp;that Samsung was able to replicate the fires during its investigation and that the cause could not be explained by hardware design or software-related matters. Samsung was forced to scrap the Note 7 smartphones in October after failing to fix the problems following an initial recall, resulting in&nbsp;$5.2 billion&nbsp;blow to its operating profit over three quarters.&nbsp;

(Reuters)

Samsung's internal investigation revealed the Galaxy Note 7 fires could not be explained by hardware or software related faults

Samsung Electronic Co Ltd's investigation into what caused some Galaxy Note 7s to catch fire has concluded that the battery was the main reason, a person familiar with the matter said. The world's biggest smartphone maker will likely announce the results of the investigation on January 23, a day before it announces detailed fourth-quarter earnings results, said the person who was not authorised to speak publicly on the matter and declined to be identified. The firm will also announce new measures it is taking to avoid a repeat of the product safety failures in its future devices, the person said. A Samsung spokesman declined to comment. After one of the biggest product safety failures in tech history, the company is keen to reassure that its devices are safe ahead of the launch of flagship Galaxy S8 smartphones expected sometime in the first half of this year. Investors and analysts say it is critical for Samsung to provide a detailed, convincing explanation on what went wrong with the Note 7 phones and how it will prevent such problems from recurring. The source said that Samsung was able to replicate the fires during its investigation and that the cause could not be explained by hardware design or software-related matters. Samsung was forced to scrap the Note 7 smartphones in October after failing to fix the problems following an initial recall, resulting in $5.2 billion blow to its operating profit over three quarters. (Reuters)

Battery reason for Galaxy Note 7 fires, reveals Samsung probe

Samsung Electronics will launch a Siri-like digital assistant with the launch of its upcoming Galaxy S8 smartphone. This new announcement from Samsung comes across as a way to rebound from the Galaxy Note 7&#39;s collapse.

The South Korean giant, in October, announced the acquisition of California-based Viv Labs, a prominent US artificial intelligence (AI) startup founded by the creators of Siri - the voice-based digital assistant used on the iPhones of arch-rival Apple.

Samsung now plans to integrate the San Jose-based company&#39;s AI platform, called Viv, into the Galaxy smartphones and expand voice-assistant services to home appliances and wearable technology devices.

The company will first bring the new digital assistant to its upcoming Galaxy S8 smartphone. Samsung is counting on the Galaxy S8 to help revive smartphone momentum after scrapping the fire-prone Galaxy Note 7, which will hit its profit by $5.4 billion over three quarters through the first quarter of 2017.

While there is no clear word on what all services would be part of this new AI assistant, which is expected to be announced early next week, the company has clarified that the new digital assistant on Samsung phones will allow customers to seamlessly use third-party services.

&quot;Developers can attach and upload services to our agent,&quot; said Samsung Executive Vice President Rhee Injong during a briefing, referring to its AI assistant.

&quot;Even if Samsung doesn&#39;t do anything on its own, the more services that get attached the smarter this agent will get, learn more new services and provide them to end-users with ease,&rdquo; he added.

Samsung has been trying for years to bolster voice-based services for its handsets to compete against iPhone&#39;s Siri.

The &quot;S Voice&quot; software installed on Samsung&rsquo;s handsets has never been warmly embraced by consumers.

Technology firms are locked in an increasingly heated race to make AI good enough to let consumers interact with their devices more naturally, especially by voice.

(WION with inputs from agencies)

Samsung has been trying for years to bolster voice-based services for its handsets to compete against iPhone's Siri

Samsung Electronics will launch a Siri-like digital assistant with the launch of its upcoming Galaxy S8 smartphone. This new announcement from Samsung comes across as a way to rebound from the Galaxy Note 7's collapse. The South Korean giant, in October, announced the acquisition of California-based Viv Labs, a prominent US artificial intelligence (AI) startup founded by the creators of Siri - the voice-based digital assistant used on the iPhones of arch-rival Apple. Samsung now plans to integrate the San Jose-based company's AI platform, called Viv, into the Galaxy smartphones and expand voice-assistant services to home appliances and wearable technology devices. The company will first bring the new digital assistant to its upcoming Galaxy S8 smartphone. Samsung is counting on the Galaxy S8 to help revive smartphone momentum after scrapping the fire-prone Galaxy Note 7, which will hit its profit by $5.4 billion over three quarters through the first quarter of 2017. While there is no clear word on what all services would be part of this new AI assistant, which is expected to be announced early next week, the company has clarified that the new digital assistant on Samsung phones will allow customers to seamlessly use third-party services. "Developers can attach and upload services to our agent," said Samsung Executive Vice President Rhee Injong during a briefing, referring to its AI assistant. "Even if Samsung doesn't do anything on its own, the more services that get attached the smarter this agent will get, learn more new services and provide them to end-users with ease,” he added. Samsung has been trying for years to bolster voice-based services for its handsets to compete against iPhone's Siri. The "S Voice" software installed on Samsung’s handsets has never been warmly embraced by consumers. Technology firms are locked in an increasingly heated race to make AI good enough to let consumers interact with their devices more naturally, especially by voice. (WION with inputs from agencies)

Samsung to launch Siri-like digital assistant with Galaxy S8

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