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After weeks of leaks and rumors, the Samsung Galaxy A8 (2018) and the Galaxy A8+ (2018) are officially announced. The infinity display of Samsung has moved beyond the S series flagships and is adopted by these A series smartphones. The Galaxy A8 (2018) will be the successor to the Galaxy A5 (2017), while the Galaxy A8+ (2018) will be replacing the Galaxy A7 (2017).
As for the specs, the A8 sports a 5.6-inch Super AMOLED display with an 18.5:9 aspect ratio and a resolution of full-HD+ (2220 x 1080 pixels), while the A8+ features a 6-inch FHD+ Super AMOLED display with the same aspect ratio and resolution like the A8. The display panels are edge-to-edge, bezel-less, and have curved glass protection on top, resembling the S8 series. Both smartphones use virtual on-screen buttons and contain a fingerprint sensor on the rear, below the camera module.
Under the hood, both smartphones carry an unknown Octa-core processor with two cores clocked at 2.2 GHz and six cores clocked at 1.6 GHz. The A8 comes in two variants: 4GB RAM + 32 GB internal storage and 4GB RAM + 64 GB internal storage, while the A8+ will also be available in two variants: 4 GB RAM + 32 GB internal storage and 6 GB RAM + 64 GB internal storage. All variants will carry memory expandable options up to 4 GB RAM + 32 GB internal storage and 4 GB RAM + 64 GB internal storage.
In the optics department, Samsung has put a dual camera setup on the front to capture the selfie market. The dual camera setup consists of a 16 MP fixed focus, f/1.9 camera sensor, and an 8 MP f/1.9 sensor. These sensors allow users to blur the background, creating a bokeh effect and enhancing the selfies. Additionally, a pre-installed Live Focus feature allows manipulating the Bokeh effect after capturing. The smartphones offer a 16 MP camera sensor with an f/1.7 lens on the front. The rear camera has video digital image stabilization (VDis), features like hyper-lapse, and a Food mode.
The A8 and the A8+ run Android 7.1.1 Nougat but will get an Android Oreo update later. Also, they come with IP68-certified dust and water resistance and support Samsung Pay. The smartphones feature all-glass and metal design and come in four color options: Black, Blue, Gold, and Orchid Grey. Connectivity options include 4G LTE, Wi-Fi 802.11ac, Bluetooth v5.0, GPS/ A-GPS, NFC, and USB Type-C port. The Galaxy A8 is backed by a 3000 mAh battery, while the Galaxy A8+ contains a bigger 3500 mAh battery.
As for the pricing, Samsung is yet to formally announce a price for the Galaxy A8 and Galaxy A8+ 2018. However, we can be sure that it will be priced less than the S-series. As per rumors, the A8 will be priced at 499 Euros (roughly Rs 37,755), while the A8+ will come with a price tag of 599 Euros (approximately Rs 45,323). The pricing and the global (including India) release details are expected to be announced at CES 2018 next month.
