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Samsung's redesigned One UI will come to Galaxy S8 and Note 8
When Samsung unveiled its cleaner, easier-to-use One UI, it initially promised a beta for Galaxy S9 and Note 9 owners. But what if you're toting an older phone? You might be set. Android Authority has learned that One UI will also be available for Samsung's 2017 flagships, the Galaxy S8 and Note 8. It's not certain when it will show up, but it's likely to appear sometime after the planned early 2019 release of One UI itself.
Samsung Galaxy Note 9 vs. last year's Note 8: What's changed?
Last year's Galaxy Note 8 largely succeeded at redeeming the Note line in the wake of its predecessor's battery troubles. The new Note 9 doesn't have as much pressure on it this time around, so the changes are a lot less dramatic than the addition of a dual camera and virtual assistant. Still, there are a few things worth noting here: The cameras have gotten a bit of a bump to sit comfortably alongside those on the Galaxy S9 and S9+ while the Note 9's 6.4-inch screen size is also a nice advantage. To get the full details on all the small but key changes to Samsung's newest S Pen-equipped handset, check out our spec chart below, and stay tuned in the coming weeks for our full review.
Samsung’s Galaxy Note 8 still has game one year later
The Galaxy Note 8's job was not only to serve the legions of smartphone users who demand S Pens but also to rehabilitate Samsung's image after the Note 7, to prove that the company had bounced back from a very public failure. On both counts, I'd argue the Note 8 succeeded. With Samsung gearing up to reveal its next-generation Galaxy Note, we thought it'd be appropriate to check in with 2017's Note 8 to see just how well it holds up against a year's worth of smartphone progress.
Samsung offers in-person service for Galaxy phones in the US
Ask iPhone owners why they remain loyal and they'll likely cite convenient support as one reason: they can walk into an Apple Store and get a prompt fix that's rarely available for other devices. Samsung is taking steps to level the playing field, however. From March 15th onward, you can visit one of 300-plus uBreakiFix service locations in the US and get officially sanctioned in-person repairs on recent high-end Galaxy phones, ranging from the S6 and Note 5 through to the S9 and Note 8. The two companies are promising same-day repairs, often in less than 2 hours for "most" problems.
Samsung's Olympic Galaxy Note 8 isn't for sale, but I wish it was
In addition to the honor of representing their homelands, this year's Winter Olympic athletes will also receive something else: a limited-edition Galaxy Note 8. Unlike Samsung's first Olympic phone, though, it's unlikely that this version will ever go on sale to the public. To own one, you have to be a world-class athlete or an Olympic staff member whose job is to support world-class athletes. To play with one, though, you just have to write things on the internet, so here we are.
Samsung designed a 2018 Winter Olympics edition Galaxy Note 8
Samsung has unveiled a sweet-looking Galaxy Note 8 you might never get your hands on. The Korean conglomerate has designed a limited edition version of its extra large phone exclusively for 2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympics participants. It's fitted with a shiny white back glass to represent snow and wintertime, and it's adorned with a gold Olympics logo and similarly gold accents as inspired by the Olympics torch. Inside, it's still the same Galaxy Note 8 everyone else has, minus the pre-loaded PyeongChang 2018 themed wallpapers.
Some Galaxy Note 8 owners have reported battery charging issues
Some Galaxy Note 8 owners have been reporting that they couldn't charge or turn on their handsets after the batteries ran dry -- a problem that plagues other phones as well. While Samsung reps have been trying to address individual issues, a company spokesperson told Engadget that it has received "a very limited number of reports which could be associated with the power management circuit."
Samsung's work-focused Note 8 has better support than your phone
Wish your Android phone maker of choice would offer software updates for longer than the usual couple of years? You might want to ask your company's IT manager. Samsung has released an Enterprise Edition of the Galaxy Note 8 whose centerpiece is its "PC-class" support. It's the same hardware you can buy at the local store, but Samsung is promising up to 3 years of monthly security updates -- why can't all its Android devices get that kind of backing, regardless of who's buying? We could see that extended update timeline helping personal users worried that their phones will be vulnerable to exploits that pop up after the usual support period is over.
The Google Pixel 2 XL vs. the competition: Cameras rule
In a year where the Galaxy Note made a comeback and Apple is mixing things up by offering both the iPhone 8 and the iPhone X, it's hard to know what to make of Google's newest handsets at first. The Pixel XL isn't particularly flashy on the outside, though the single 12.2MP camera looks promising. But can it compete against the dual camera rigs on other flagship handsets? To see what else this 6-inch handset has to offer versus some of its major competitors, we've stacked up their specs in the table below. Be sure to check back later this fall to see how both the new Pixels and the iPhone X fare in their respective full reviews.
Galaxy Note 8 and iPhone 8 Plus tie for top spot in camera test
Like it or not, DxOMark is currently the go-to tester for smartphone camera quality. Companies will even base their marketing around its scores. As such, it's a big deal when the outfit declares a new winner... and it just declared two. DxOMark has given Samsung's Galaxy Note 8 an overall score of 94, putting it in a tie for the lead with the iPhone 8 Plus. No, that's not going to trigger endless fan wars, is it? Of course, diving into the scores reveals that the devices reached their scores through different means.
Galaxy S8 owners can finally disable the Bixby button
I really dig my Galaxy S8 smartphone, but for one thing: the incredibly annoying Bixby assistant. Now, Samsung will let you disable the dedicated Bixby key, making it much harder to summon the helper by accident, as Sammobile noticed. As for what purpose that key can serve after you disable Bixby, the answer, for now, seems to be... nothing. Last we checked, Samsung had "no plans" to allow you to remap it, but maybe now it's changed its mind.
Samsung’s Galaxy Note 8 hits stores today
Samsung Galaxy Note 8 fans, the day is here. The phone hits stores today after breaking series pre-order records in the US and abroad. Samsung announced earlier this week that it sold over 650,000 phones in the first five days of its presale, outselling the Note 7 over the same time period.
Samsung says Note 8 presales are the best in series history
The Samsung Galaxy Note 8 is on fire. No, not in the the literal way that the Note 7 was. I should say its sales are on fire because those actual fires don't seem to have curtailed the demand for the Note 8. During the five days after presales for the phone began, the phone racked up 650,000 orders across 40 countries. According to Samsung, which announced the sales stats at a press conference today in South Korea, those preorder numbers are around 2.5 times higher than the Note 7 over the same time period.
Samsung wants to launch a foldable Galaxy Note in 2018
Samsung's much-rumored foldable smartphone has been in the pipeline since the company first debuted its flexible display prototype, Youm, in 2013. Now the Korean tech giant says the almost-mythical device could launch next year under its Galaxy Note brand. Emphasis on the "could", though, as Samsung president Koh Dong-jin has been sure to mention the hurdles that stand in the way. Speaking at a news conference announcing the Galaxy Note 8, he said of the foldable smartphone, "I can say our current goal is next year. When we can overcome some problems for sure, we will launch the product."
YouTube HDR is available for a bunch of new phones
The Galaxy S8 will already play Netflix in high-dynamic range video, and now the handset (and its cousin, the Note 8) is the home for YouTube HDR. Reddit users have had access to the update since yesterday at resolutions up to 1140p60, while SamMobile reports that the publication can only access 1080p60. On our office S8, we've seen 1440p60. Google tells us that the Pixel, LG V30, Sony Xperia XZ Premium have gotten the update as well. More than that, the search juggernaut is working to bring it to even more devices.
Samsung Galaxy Note 8 review: Excellent, but still a tough sell
Last year's Galaxy Note 7 was a big step forward for the Note line, pairing an impeccably built body with an updated S Pen and excellent performance. Then they started blowing up. The Galaxy S8 and S8 Plus did well to rehabilitate Samsung's image as a top-notch phone maker, and now the company is trying to make up for past mistakes with the brand-new Galaxy Note 8. Samsung had a lot to prove, and it mostly succeeded. There's no doubting that the Note 8 ($929) is a great smartphone — it packs all the usual flagship amenities, not to mention a dual camera that works very, very well. The problem is, the Note 8 feels a little... by-the-book. Samsung, frankly, got so much right with its other huge phone, the Galaxy S8 Plus, that the Note 8 doesn't feel as triumphant an improvement as the Note 7 did in comparison with the S7 line. Don't get me wrong: The Note 8 is still Samsung's best smartphone, and one could even argue it's the best big phone out there. Just know that it's a pretty conservative update, and that it's going to cost you.
Galaxy Note 8 and Xperia XZ1 are the latest to support Netflix HDR
The incredibly short list of mobile devices that can play Netflix in HDR has grown just a bit longer. If you tend to watch shows on the service while on the go and want to see the best possible pictures on screen, you can now add Samsung's Galaxy Note 8 and Sony's Xperia XZ1 to your choices. Android Police has spotted the two newly launched phones' names in the company's FAQs, along with the first three devices that got the capability: the LG G6, the LG V30 and the Sony Xperia XZ Premium.
Catch up on Samsung's Galaxy Note 8 news in 10 minutes
The Galaxy Note 8 wasn't exactly a well-kept secret, but Samsung officially revealed the supersized handset earlier today. If you missed the announcement live, don't worry: We've got you covered. We chopped down today's event to a much shorter clip, so you can catch up quickly without spending an hour or more doing it. Meet the new Note 8, dual cameras, tweaked S Pen, latest software and more in the video above.
Samsung's new Gear VR is built for the big Galaxy Note 8
Thanks to its tie-in with Oculus, Samsung's Gear VR has had the most content and arguably the best image quality of any mobile virtual reality headset since it launched. It has improved ever since, and the model unveiled with the Galaxy S8 finally included a controller. At its Galaxy Note 8 event, Samsung has launched yet another Gear VR with Controller (its sixth) to go with its latest big smartphone. The changes are small, but there are a few. First off, here's what's not new: The Note 8 has QHD+ resolution like the Galaxy S8 and not 4K as many hoped, so obviously the Gear VR won't have better resolution either. The design, weight, colors and other factors have also stayed largely the same. Samsung didn't offer much detail on the new Gear VR, but here's what we do know. It has a brand-new controller, and it's larger to accommodate the bigger Note 8. Those onboard volume controls are gone as well. For now, that's all the company has revealed, which likely means the "new" headset is similar to its predecessor, but it can get cozy with the newly announced phablet. On the bright side, the new Gear VR will be available for pre-order starting tomorrow for $130 at Samsung.com, Amazon, Best Buy, AT&T, Sprint, Verizon and US Cellular. It'll go on sale on Sept. 15th at those shops, along with T-Mobile and other resellers.
The Galaxy Note 8 vs. the competition: More than just a stylus
With phone screens getting bigger and bigger, the Galaxy Note doesn't quite stand out the way it used to. The Note 8's 6.3-inch screen is only a tad larger than the 6.2 inches boasted by the Galaxy S8+, and both devices share the same Snapdragon 835 processor. Still, the Note 8 has a few things to set itself apart, including a new dual camera setup like the one on the soon-to-replaced iPhone 7 Plus. Check out the table below to see what Samsung's latest large-screen handset is packing under the hood versus other notable flagships, and check back for our full review of the Galaxy Note 8 in a few weeks.