Samsung today updated its Galaxy A8 mid-level devices, which now follow closely the pattern set by the S8 and S8+ flagship phones.
The A8 series employs glass panels front and back with a metal frame in between. The A8 and A8+ share most every feature and specification, but the latter has a larger screen and battery. Both devices adopt the Samsung 18.5:9 InfinityDisplay with HD+ (2,160 x 1,080) resolution. The A8’s display measures 5.6 inches while the A8+’s screen stretches a longer 6 inches across the diagonal.
The phones share an octa-core processor, with two cores at 2.2 GHz and six cores at 1.6 GHz. They come with 4 GB / 6 GB of RAM and 32 GB / 64 GB of storage, depending on configuration, with support for microSD cards up to 256 GB. The main camera includes a 16-megapixel sensor with an aperture of f/1.7 for better low-light photography. It also adds digital video stabilization for smoother video.
The A8 and A8+ put a pair of cameras on the front, a 16-megapixel main sensor and a secondary 8-megapixel sensor, both at f/1.9. Samsung says the phones can produce a range of selfies and portrait effects with Samsung’s Live Focus feature for adjusting focus after the fact.
Other features include fingerprint reader, USB-C, fast charging, NFC (and MST) for Samsung Pay, Bluetooth 5, WiFi, and LTE Cat 11. The devices are certified IP68 for protection against water and dust up to 1.5 meters, and are the first A series handsets to support Samsung’s Gear VR headsets.
The A8 includes a 3,000mAh battery and the larger A8+ has a 3,500mAh battery. The 2018 Galaxy A8 series come in black, orchid grey, gold, and blue and run Android 7.1 Nougat.
Samsung said they will be available in early January 2018. Pricing wasn’t disclosed.
