Samsung announces Galaxy A8 and A8 Plus smartphones with Infinity Display and dual-front camera; expect to sell from €499 onwards

Samsung, on 19 December, launched two new mid-range smartphones called Galaxy A8 and Galaxy A8 Plus. The devices could be priced at around €499 and €599 euros respectively. All though it does not seem apparent at first, the devices are the successors of the **Galaxy A5** (2017) and A7 (2017) according to a GSMArena report.

[caption id=“attachment_4265509” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] Galaxy A8 and A8 Plus. Samsung[/caption] The Galaxy A8 and A8 Plus are the first Samsung devices, apart from the S8 and Note 8, to feature the trademark Infinity Display, which includes the 18.5:9 aspect ratio and curved glass. However, the Galaxy A8 and Galaxy A8 Plus display resolution is 1080p as opposed to 2K on the S8 and **Note 8**. Both the devices will support Samsung Galaxy VR and are also IP68 certified water and dust resistant. “With the release of the Galaxy A8 (2018) and A8+ (2018), we’re bringing our customers’ favorite features from our flagship smartphones, such as the Infinity Display and our first Dual Front Camera with Live Focus, to our Galaxy A series, which is already known for its premium design”, said Junho Park, vice president of Global Product Planning, Mobile Communications Business at Samsung Electronics. [caption id=“attachment_4265569” align=“alignnone” width=“1280”] Galaxy A8.[/caption] Under the hood, both the phones pack in an octa-core processor sporting chipset alongside 4 GB RAM and 32/64 GB storage for the Galaxy A8 and 4/6 GB RAM and 32/64 GB storage for the Galaxy A8 Plus. The storage on both the devices can be extended to 256 GB via a microSD card. In terms of software, both the devices will run on Android 7.1.1 (Nougat). In the camera department, both the devices have a 16 MP rear camera with PDAF and f/1.7 aperture. In the front, there is a dual-camera system which houses a 16 MP sensor with f/1.9 aperture alongside an 8 MP sensor with f/1.9 aperture. The Live Focus feature lets you adjust the background blur on selfies to create bokeh effect. [caption id=“attachment_4265573” align=“alignnone” width=“1280”] Samsung A8.[/caption] As for connectivity options, the phone offers Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, LTE connectivity, NFC (supports Samsung Pay as well), Bluetooth 5.0, USB Type-C and GPS. The entire setup is powered by a 3,000 mAh battery in the Galaxy A8 and 3,500 mAh battery in the Galaxy A8 Plus while both devices support Fast Charging. There is currently no information on when or whether the devices will hit the Indian markets. More details will most probably be revealed at the CES 2018 in Las Vegas.