Samsung is investigating claims by a German hacking group that it fooled the iris recognition system of the new flagship Galaxy S8 device, the firm said on Wednesday.

The launch of the Galaxy S8 was a key step for the world&#39;s largest smartphone maker as it sought to move on from last year&#39;s humiliating withdrawal of the fire-prone Galaxy Note 7, which hammered the firm&#39;s once-stellar reputation.

But a video posted by the Chaos Computer Club (CCC), a German hacking group founded in 1981, shows the Galaxy S8 being unlocked using a printed photo of the owner&#39;s eye covered with a contact lens to replicate the curvature of a real eyeball.

&quot;A high-resolution picture from the internet is sufficient to capture an iris,&quot; CCC spokesman Dirk Engling said, adding: &quot;Ironically, we got the best results with laser printers made by Samsung.&quot;

A Samsung spokeswoman said it was aware of the report and was investigating.

The iris scanning technology was &quot;developed through rigorous testing&quot;, the firm said in a statement as it sought to reassure customers.

&quot;If there is a potential vulnerability or the advent of a new method that challenges our efforts to ensure security at any time, we will respond as quickly as possible to resolve the issue.&quot;

Samsung&#39;s hopes of competing against archrival Apple&#39;s iPhone had been pinned on the Galaxy S8 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.&nbsp;

But since it was released in April it has received positive reviews and strong orders.&nbsp;

The CCC previously demonstrated a way to defeat Apple&#39;s TouchID fingerprint sensors -- using graphite powder, a laser etching machine and wood glue -- just weeks after the first iPhone 5s hit the shelves.

Traditional PIN protection was &quot;a safer approach than using body features for authentication&quot;, Engling said.

(AFP)

A video posted by a German hacking group shows the Galaxy S8 being unlocked using a printed photo of the owner's eye

Samsung is investigating claims by a German hacking group that it fooled the iris recognition system of the new flagship Galaxy S8 device, the firm said on Wednesday. The launch of the Galaxy S8 was a key step for the world's largest smartphone maker as it sought to move on from last year's humiliating withdrawal of the fire-prone Galaxy Note 7, which hammered the firm's once-stellar reputation. But a video posted by the Chaos Computer Club (CCC), a German hacking group founded in 1981, shows the Galaxy S8 being unlocked using a printed photo of the owner's eye covered with a contact lens to replicate the curvature of a real eyeball. "A high-resolution picture from the internet is sufficient to capture an iris," CCC spokesman Dirk Engling said, adding: "Ironically, we got the best results with laser printers made by Samsung." A Samsung spokeswoman said it was aware of the report and was investigating. The iris scanning technology was "developed through rigorous testing", the firm said in a statement as it sought to reassure customers. "If there is a potential vulnerability or the advent of a new method that challenges our efforts to ensure security at any time, we will respond as quickly as possible to resolve the issue." Samsung's hopes of competing against archrival Apple's iPhone had been pinned on the Galaxy S8 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. But since it was released in April it has received positive reviews and strong orders. The CCC previously demonstrated a way to defeat Apple's TouchID fingerprint sensors -- using graphite powder, a laser etching machine and wood glue -- just weeks after the first iPhone 5s hit the shelves. Traditional PIN protection was "a safer approach than using body features for authentication", Engling said. (AFP)

Samsung investigating Galaxy S8's iris scanner hack

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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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 Electronics Co Ltd said on Sunday it would launch an artificial intelligence digital assistant service for its upcoming Galaxy S8 smartphone, seeking to rebound from the Galaxy Note 7&#39;s collapse and differentiate its devices.

The world&#39;s top smartphone maker in October announced the acquisition of Viv Labs Inc, a firm run by a co-creator of Apple Inc&#39;s Siri voice assistant programme. Samsung 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.

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.

Investors and analysts say the Galaxy S8 must be a strong device in order for Samsung to win back customers and revive earnings momentum.

Samsung did not comment on what types of services would be offered through the AI assistant that will be launched on the Galaxy S8, which is expected to go on sale early next year. It said the AI assistant would allow customers to use third-party service seamlessly.

&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.&quot;

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.

Alphabet Inc&#39;s Google is widely considered to be the leader in AI, but others including Amazon.com, Apple and Microsoft Corp have launched their own offerings including voice-powered digital assistants.

Samsung also hopes to differentiate its devices, from phones to fridges, by incorporating AI. Competition from Google&#39;s new Pixel smartphones, armed with the US&nbsp;firm&#39;s voice-powered digital assistant, adds to the urgency.

The South Korean firm has said it plans more acquisitions to bolster its AI and other software capabilities.

&nbsp;

(Reuters)

Samsung also plans to integrate voice-assistant services to home appliances and wearable technology devices

Samsung Electronics Co Ltd said on Sunday it would launch an artificial intelligence digital assistant service for its upcoming Galaxy S8 smartphone, seeking to rebound from the Galaxy Note 7's collapse and differentiate its devices. The world's top smartphone maker in October announced the acquisition of Viv Labs Inc, a firm run by a co-creator of Apple Inc's Siri voice assistant programme. Samsung 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. 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. Investors and analysts say the Galaxy S8 must be a strong device in order for Samsung to win back customers and revive earnings momentum. Samsung did not comment on what types of services would be offered through the AI assistant that will be launched on the Galaxy S8, which is expected to go on sale early next year. It said the AI assistant would allow customers to use third-party service seamlessly. "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." 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. Alphabet Inc's Google is widely considered to be the leader in AI, but others including Amazon.com, Apple and Microsoft Corp have launched their own offerings including voice-powered digital assistants. Samsung also hopes to differentiate its devices, from phones to fridges, by incorporating AI. Competition from Google's new Pixel smartphones, armed with the US firm's voice-powered digital assistant, adds to the urgency. The South Korean firm has said it plans more acquisitions to bolster its AI and other software capabilities. (Reuters)

Samsung to launch Galaxy S8 with AI

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Samsung to launch Galaxy S8 with AI