Samsung is now preparing to launch the new Galaxy A series for 2018. Instead of the usual A3, A5, A7, and A8, there will be only Galaxy A8 (2018) and A8+ (2018).
Now, the user manual of the said two devices and the hands-on video of the A8+ (2018) have been exposed for a while, allowing us to see the first official look in a new 18:9 aspect ratio.
Started in the physical feature, the corners are rounded here and the sides are completely flat. With the model numbers SM-A530 and SM-A730, respectively, the fingerprint scanner is now located at the bottom of the rear camera as an alternative from the normal placing on the right side. The loudspeaker is now located on the upper right side of the phone, above the power button.
The volume keys and the sim card tray sits on the left side, while the microSD card slot is located on the upper left edge. Going back to the rear panel, both the Galaxy A8 (2018) and Galaxy A8+ (2018) are using the new generation of glass protection.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n-JITwMpJto
Additionally, some of the confirmed specifications of the Galaxy A8+ (2018) were revealed too. It comes with a 6.0-inch FHD+ Infinity Display, using AMOLED screen with 2220 x 1080 resolution. There will be two dual front cameras, a 16-megapixel fixed-focus lens with f/1.9 aperture and a secondary 8-megapixel lens, also has a f/1.9 aperture. At the back sits a single 16-megapixel camera with optical image stabilization, phase detection auto-focus, and a bright f/1.7 aperture. For protection, the phone has been IP68 certified for water and dust resistance. Under the hood, the Galaxy A8+ (2018) is expected to power an unannounced Exynos 7885 Octa, clocks at 2.2Ghz, paired with Mali-G71 GPU, 64GB of storage and 6GB RAM. The microSD card is supported up to 256GB. It will be fueled by a 3,500 mAh battery with fast charging feature using USB Type-C port.
Samsung Galaxy A8+ (2018) confirmed specs:
| Display | 6.0-inch FHD+ AMOLED screen, 2220 x 1080 pixels, 411 ppi |
| Protection | Corning Gorilla Glass |
| IP68 water and dust resistance | |
| CPU | 2.2Ghz 64-bit octa-core Exynos 7885 chipset |
| RAM | 6GB |
| GPU | Mali-G71 |
| SIM | Dual-SIM, Dual-standby |
| Storage | 64GB |
| Storage expansion | Dedicated microSD slot up to 256GB |
| Rear camera | 16-megapixel, f/1.7 aperture with optical image stabilization, phase detection auto-focus and LED flash |
| Primary front camera | 16-megapixel, f/1.9 aperture |
| Secondary front camera | 8-megapixel, f/1.9 aperture |
| Video recording | 1080p (30 fps) |
| Operating system | Android 7.1.1 “Nougat” |
| Others | Fingerprint scanner |
| USB-OTG support | |
| Connectivity | WiFi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac |
| Bluetooth 5.0 | |
| GPS, with A-GPS, GLONASS and Beidou | |
| GSM, HSPA+, 4G+ LTE | |
| NFC | |
| USB Type-C 2.0 | |
| Dimensions | 159.9 x 75.7 x 8.3 mm |
| Weight | – |
| Battery | 3,500 mAh non-removable capacity, Quick Charge 2.0 |
| Colors | – |
| Price | – |
