Samsung Galaxy S8 and S8 Plus: Specs and reviews

Samsung Galaxy S8: What to expect at tonight's launch

29 March

Samsung announces its new Galaxy S8 smartphone this evening and reports say it's set to shake up the range with new technologies and design features.

Here are all the rumours so far.

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What will the Galaxy S8 look like?

Among the rumoured additions to the smartphone is a fingerprint scanner located on the back of the device and an edge-to-edge display.

It's also believed that the screen will be curved, a move which could see the end of the Edge series.

It could mark the end of the Edge Series

Recent rumours say the Galaxy S8 has a bezel-less curved display that could make the current Edge handset redundant.

A report by Cnet Korea claims the Galaxy and Edge series will be combined into one device featuring a curved AMOLED (active-matrix organic light-emitting diode) display similar to the S7 Edge.

This bolsters rumours posted on VentureBeat claiming a "QHD super AMOLED display" will cover "83 per cent" of the front panel and be available in either 5.8ins or 6.2ins form.

Is there a home button?

A bezel-less AMOLED display leaves little room on the front of the phone for a home button, but Samsung could relocate it to the rear.

Leaked schematics reveal that Samsung has relocated the home button to the rear of the device, next to the central camera, Trusted Reviews reports. This suggests the S8 will use on-screen navigation buttons, which the website says "makes sense" if the smartphone gets an edge-to-edge screen.

Is a 4K screen on the way?

Pocket-Lint says the S8 could be on course to get a 4K display with a resolution of 2160 x 3480 and a pixel density of 806ppi.

Samsung has developed several 4K-screened prototypes over the last couple of years, the site continues, and that could indicate a production version is on the way.

What does it look like?

Serial leaker Evan Blass has recently posted several images of what appears to be the Galaxy S8 on his Twitter account.

These images reveal a bezel-less design with no sign of any Samsung branding on the front panel. The camera, speaker and pair of sensors all seem to be located at the very top of the display, while a trio of physical buttons can be seen on either side of the device.

At the back of the smartphone is a centrally positioned camera with what appear to be the fingerprint scanner and home button located next to it.

When is it coming out?

Many expected the Galaxy S8 to be revealed during Samsung's conference at the World Mobile Conference last month. However, the company instead revealed the Galaxy Tab S3.

But it later released a teaser image saying it would unveil a new addition to the Galaxy series at its Unbox Your Phone event at 4pm today.

The event "represents a new era", said the company, and hinted that the new device would be a radical departure from traditional smartphones.

Fans will have to wait, however. VentureBeat says the iPhone-rivalling smartphone won't be on the shelves until 28 April.

It was originally planned to hit stores a week earlier and while no official reason was given, VentureBeat says it could have been to avoid a similar "disaster" to the Galaxy Note 7 fiasco.

Samsung pushes back Galaxy S8 release date

7 March

Report claims decision to delay was made to avoid a 'disaster' similar to the Note 7

According to VentureBeat, the original retail release date of 21 April has been pushed back a week to 28 April. "No particular reason was given" for the change, it adds.

However, the decision may have been taken to avoid a "disaster" similar to last year's "rushed" launch of the Galaxy Note 7, which had to be recalled due to a series of battery fires.

It was believed that Samsung would unveil the Galaxy S8 last month, at the World Mobile Congress a popular forum for the Galaxy S series. In the event, the firm debuted a pair of Galaxy series tablets instead.

Serial leaker Evan Blass has posted an image of what many believe to be the Galaxy S8 in its production form, supporting earlier rumours that it will feature a bezel-less display with no physical buttons on the front panel.

A teaser image from Samsung suggests some form of announcement about the Galaxy S8 will be made on 29 March, at its "unbox your phone" event.

Samsung Galaxy S8: Leaked image surfaces ahead of March reveal

1 March

A leaked image appears to reveal Samsung's upcoming Galaxy S8 in its full form, weeks before it is due to be unveiled.

Serial leaker Evan Blass posted a photo of what appears to be the handset on his Twitter account.

The smartphone features a bezel-less display with curved edges similar to the current S7 Edge.

VentureBeat claims the Galaxy S8 will come in 5.8ins and 6.2ins form, with a "QHD super AMOLED display" that covers "83 per cent" of the front panel.

This removes a significant amount of space that could be used for physical buttons, although the image suggests onscreen buttons along the bottom of the display will be used instead of the current layout.

There are, however, physical buttons for what appears to be the volume control and power button on either side of the device. A small lip below the screen indicates that Samsung has retained the headphone jack - the port Apple controversially removed from its iPhone 7.

Blass's picture doesn't confirm the new location of the home button, which is also used as a fingerprint scanner, but TrustedReviews says it may have been moved to the rear of the device, as on the Google Pixel.

However, while that home button is positioned at the centre of the backplate, the website suggests the Galaxy S8's could be located next to its camera.

Samsung is expected to announce the Galaxy S8 at its "unbox your phone" event on 29 March.

Samsung Galaxy S8: New smartphone launch date set for March

27 February

Samsung has released another product teaser image for a Galaxy mobile launch after the company revealed two new tablets at the World Mobile Congress (MWC).

The Korean tech giant says that it will "unveil the newest Galaxy" on March 29, which it claims "represents the start of a new era". It says it has reshaped a device that has "become an indispensable tool in our everyday lives".

The company had been expected to release the Galaxy S8 at the MWC on Sunday after it released similar teasers pointing to a new device announcement during the event on 26 February.

But Samsung instead released two Galaxy tablets, the Tab S3 and Book, at the mobile event that has become the traditional conference for the smartphone range.

Its decision to unveil a pair of tablets instead of the eagerly anticipated S8 could be due to "the fallout surrounding the disastrous Galaxy Note 7", says the Independent. The device was recalled two months after going on sale due to a series of battery fires.

Meanwhile, a leaked document posted on TechnoBuffalo suggests the Galaxy S8 will launch in two sizes, a 5.8ins and 6.2ins, and could share almost identical tech specifications. Both models will reportedly get 12-megapixel rear-facing cameras and iris scanning security features as standard.

The Galaxy S8 could also mark the end of the Edge series. Cnet Korea reports that Samsung's upcoming handset will incorporate an AMOLED (active-matrix organic light-emitting diode curved display) similar to that found of the current S7 Edge.

More details on the Galaxy S8 are expected to be revealed during the company's event on 29 March.

Samsung Galaxy 8: All the tech revealed in new leak

24 February

Samsung is expected to make an announcement about its Galaxy S8 until this weekend, but a leaked specification sheet may already have revealed what's coming to the smartphone.

Posted on TechnoBuffalo, the document reveals that the 5.8ins Galaxy S8 will include the iris scanning security system that briefly appeared on the ill-fated Note 7, which was recalled last year due to a series of battery fires.

The iris scanner can be used to unlock the handset as well as authenticate purchases on the Google Play Store. A fingerprint scanner, rumoured to be positioned as the back of the handset, will also let users into their phones.

Additionally, it appears the S8 will receive a 12-megapixel rear-facing camera and an eight-megapixel sensor at the front. Wireless charging and 64GB of expandable storage are also expected to come as standard.

The leak doesn't contain details of the S8's processor and battery size, but TechRadar claims the smartphone could house a "Snapdragon 835 or Exynos 8895" chipset with a 3,000mAh battery.

Meanwhile, it seems the only apparent difference between the standard S8 and the S8+ is that the plus version has a 6.2ins AMOLED (active matrix light-emitting diode) display, 0.4ins larger than the base model.

If true, Samsung would be moving in a different direction for its flagship phones than rival Apple, which offers a better camera, screen and battery life in its iPhone 7 Plus than in the regular 7.

Samsung has yet to confirm the launch date of the Galaxy S8 and S8+, although a teaser image posted on its Twitter account suggests it will make its announcement at the World Mobile Congress on 26 February.