After months of leaks, Samsung has taken off the covers from the Galaxy A8 (2018) and Galaxy A8+ (2018). These phones are considered as mid-range editions of Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8+ flagship phones as they are equipped with lower-end specs and Infinity Display.
Design and Display
The Galaxy A8 (2018) and A8+ (2018) are equipped with IP68 certified chassis. The A8 duo feature an aluminum frame that is placed between glass panels on both sides. The Galaxy A8 (2018) measures 149.2 x 70.6 x 8.4mm and it weighs 172 grams. The dimensions of the Galaxy A8+ (2018) are 159.9 x 75.7 x 8.3mm and its weight is 191 grams. Both the smartphones can be availed in color choices such as Black, Gold, Blue and Orchid Grey.
The Galaxy A8 (2018) is equipped with a 5.6-inch S-AMOLED display that supports an aspect ratio of 18.5:9 and a resolution of 2,220 x 1,080 pixels. The larger Galaxy A8+ (2018) houses a 6-inch S-AMOLED screen that supports the same aspect ratio and resolution. Both the displays are well protected by Corning Gorilla Glass 5.
Performance and Variants
Both the smartphones also feature dual front-facing cameras. The dual camera setup includes an f/1.9 aperture fixed focus camera of 16-megapixel and an f/1.9 aperture 8-megapixel camera. The Live Focus feature allows users to snap selfies with bokeh effect by blurring the background.
An Exynos 7885 chipset that includes an octa-core processor that clocks at 2.2 GHz and Mali G71 graphics is present under the hood of the Galaxy A8 (2018) and Galaxy A8+ (2018). The A8 features 4 GB of RAM whereas the A8+ has 6 GB of RAM. Both the models include 64 GB of native storage. The A8 (2018) is powered by 3,000mAh battery and A8+ (2018) is driven by a larger 3,500mAh capacity battery.
Cameras, Software and Connectivity
The Galaxy A8 (2018) and A8+ (2018) are equipped with 16-megapixel (f/1.7 aperture) rear-facing cameras. It supports features like PDAF, digital stabilization, dual-LED flash and video shooting in Hyperlapse mode.
These 2018 Galaxy A8 duo are preloaded with Android 7.1.1 Nougat OS. The fingerprint scanner can be found below the rear-facing camera on both phones. Other features available on these phones are Always-On Display and Bixby AI.The Galaxy A8 (2018) and A8+ (2018) smartphones offer connectivity features like 3.5mm audio jack, USB-C port, 4G LTE, Wi-Fi 802.11ac and GPS.
Price and Release Date
The Galaxy A8+ (2018) is priced at 499 euros (~Rs. 37,800) whereas the A8+ (2018) carries a price tag of 599 euros (~Rs. 45,400). These phones are expected to be available for purchase in European markets starting from January. There is no information on their release date for India.
