Samsung launches Galaxy S8 sporting 10nm Exynos 9 microprocessor and 18:9 QHD+ display

As long as it doesn't go up in flames, the Galaxy S8 should salve Samsung's reputation

Samsung has unveiled its reputation-saving flagship Galaxy smartphones - the Galaxy S8 and S8+.

The device appears to confirm pretty much all the leaks that appeared in the run-up to the launch, with the Galaxy S8 and S8+ packing 5.8in and 6.2in QHD+ resolution displays, achieving a pixel density of 570ppi and 529ppi, respectively.

Much like the LG G6, these near bezel-less 'Infinity' displays stretch across the entire front of the smartphones, with Samsung ditching the physical home button in favour of a pressure sensor that sits under the glass on the front of the handsets.

The fingerprint sensor has been moved to the rear of the phone, while the front houses what Samsung is touting as a "vastly improved" iris scanner.

The Galaxy S8's display, like the display of the fiery Note 7, supports mobile HDR and comes with an 18:9 ratio. This means TV shows and films streamed to the smartphone will fill the entire display.

Samsung is keen to promote the Galaxy S8 as the first 10nm smartphone, beating Sony's Snapdragon 835-powered Xperia XZ Premium to market.

Galaxy S8 owners in the UK will get Samsung's homegrown Exynos 9 chip, which the company claims offers 27 per cent higher performance compared to its previous 14nm chip, while consuming 40 per cent less power.

This chip comes paired with 4GB RAM and 64GB storage, which can be expanded up to 256GB via microSD. You'll also find a 3,000mAh battery under the hood of the Galaxy S8, and a bigger 3,500mAh battery on the S8 Plus.

In terms of photography, you'll find a 12MP Dual Pixel rear camera with a f/1.7 lens, and an 8MP f/1.7 sensor on the front. Samsung has added its multi-frame image processing technology to the smartphone, which will see it capture three shots every time a photo is taken and optimise them to produce the best image.

The Galaxy S8 runs Android 7.0 Nougat, topped with Samsung's custom 'Experience'. This equips the phone with a bunch of additional software features, most notably Samsung's Siri rival called Bixby, which it is touting as more proficient in the areas of completeness, context awareness and cognitive tolerance.

However, Bixby won't be available in the UK at launch, and will instead make its debut in South Korea and the US. Until then, the Bixby button on the side of the S8 will act as a launcher for Bixby Home, a custom homescreen similar to that found on HTC smartphones.

Samsung Experience also brings with it 'Snap Window', which enables users to pin two apps on top of one another for multi-tasking, and Samsung Connect, the company's take on Android Home that lets users control connected IoT devices.

A bunch of Microsoft apps are also pre-loaded on the Galaxy S8, as is Samsung's Knox enterprise software.

Building on this business focus, the S8 will be offered alongside DeX - a docking station that enables users to transform the phone into a full-fledged PC. What's more, Samsung has partnered with Amazon, Citrix and VMWare to equip DeX with VDI support, which means business users can run a full version of Windows from the connected S8.

The Galaxy S8 also packs Bluetooth 5.0, built-in NFC and Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac support.

Just like the S7 before them, the Galaxy S8 and S8+ are IP68 certified, and they also come in a range of colours, including Midnight Black, Orchid Grey and Arctic Silver.

Pre-orders will begin today with the S8 and S8+ priced at £689 and £779, respectively.