Galaxy S8

Read Cult of Mac’s latest posts on Galaxy S8:

Samsung gives up on competing with Face ID for Galaxy S10

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Samsung Intelligent Scan Face ID
Samsung could scrap Intelligent Scan already.
Photo: Samsung

Samsung might have beaten Apple to iris scanning and facial recognition, but it certainly isn’t doing a better job.

Face ID is considered to be far more advanced than anything available on Android today. A new report claims Samsung is actually giving up on competing technology and returning to fingerprint scanners for the Galaxy S10.

Exploding Samsung phone destroys woman’s car

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Galaxy Note 7 that exploded while charging.
Oh no, not again!?
Photo: Mr NiBaidu

Samsung’s explosive reputation could be flaring up again, based on a new report that the company’s smartphone caused one woman’s car to catch fire and explode.

The Detroit woman says she was driving in her car with a Samsung Galaxy S4 and Galaxy S8 in her cupholders when suddenly one of the devices burst into flame. It took just a few minutes for the fire to completely destroy her car, and she says she’s lucky to be alive.

Look at the damage:

Everything we know about iPhone X’s Face ID

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Michael Cohen Face ID
Michael Cohen was forced by a court warrant to open his iPhone with Face ID.
Photo: Apple

When the iPhone X arrives November 3, it will bring a new age of security with it.

Apple is ditching fingerprints for facial scanning when it comes to unlocking your device, thanks to the iPhone X’s all-new Face ID feature. Not all Apple fans are excited about this. But if Face ID works as well as Apple says it does, it could be the most innovative iPhone addition in years.

Here’s what you need to know about Face ID.

Samsung’s Galaxy Note 8 is ready to take on the next iPhone

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Galaxy Note 8
Apple should be worried about Galaxy Note 8.
Photo: Samsung

The Galaxy Note 8 has landed, and it’s ready and waiting to take on the next iPhone.

It is Samsung’s best smartphone to date, building upon the strong foundations laid by the Galaxy S8 series, and setting an even higher bar for new competitors.

It boasts everything you want in a modern smartphone and more, including a stunning Infinity Display, iris scanning, dual cameras like iPhone 7 Plus, and the beloved S Pen stylus.

Samsung has no interest in taking on HomePod

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HomePod
Samsung doesn't want to fight HomePod... yet.
Photo: Apple

Samsung currently has no plans to take on HomePod with a smart speaker of its own.

Recent rumors have claimed the South Korean company is working on a standalone Bixby device, but a source familiar with its plans says the market is too small to be profitable.

iPhone 8’s main competitor will go on sale a month earlier

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Galaxy Note 7
The new Galaxy Note will go on sale early again this year.
Photo: Killian Bell/Cult of Mac

Samsung is again planning to launch its next-generation Galaxy Note handset early in an effort to get a head start on the iPhone 8 — a strategy that backfired in a big way last year.

A Samsung execu told South Korean media that the Galaxy Note 8 will get its big unveiling at an event in New York City in the second half of August.

Galaxy S8 does little to disrupt iPhone 7 sales

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iPhone 7 red
iPhone 8 rumors haven't had an impact yet, either.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

iPhone 7 sales remain “steady” despite the introduction of the Samsung Galaxy S8 and a flood of iPhone 8 rumors.

A new report suggests that Apple’s most recent smartphone is dominating the premium smartphone market in the U.S. alongside its main rival, and there’s little sign of a mass-holdout for the big refresh this fall.

Leaked dummy unit provides new look at iPhone 8

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iPhone 8 dummy
Is this our best look yet at the iPhone 8?
Photo: Benjamin Geskin

An iPhone 8 “dummy unit” made from leaked parts give us an early glimpse at what Apple’s next big upgrade might look like.

Its form is similar to that of recent handsets like the iPhone 7, but with a larger edge-to-edge display that will help it compete with rivals like the Galaxy S8.

Apple suppliers confirm two of iPhone 8’s biggest features

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iPhone 8 facial recognition
We could be waiting a long time for iPhone 8.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

Apple supplier Largan says it will ship its new 3D sensors in time for iPhone 8, while another supply chain vendor confirms waterproof wireless charging technology.

Largan’s sensors are capable of carrying out facial and iris recognition and provide an alternative to fingerprint scanning. They could be the solution Apple turns to if it is unable to embed a Touch ID scanner beneath the iPhone 8’s display.

Consumer Reports picks Galaxy S8 over iPhone 7, everything else

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Galaxy S8 in hand
Galaxy S8 is the smartphone to buy, says Consumer Reports.
Photo: Samsung

Samsung’s new Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8+ have been rated the best smartphones available by Consumer Reports.

Both devices outranked their rivals — including the iPhone 7 — in design, battery life, and camera performance. However, they aren’t considered perfect, with testers noting that they are difficult to operate with one hand, and their fingerprint scanners are awkwardly-placed.

The next great Android phone will have a 360-degree camera

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Essential is looking to disrupt the Android market.
Essential is looking to disrupt the Android market.
Photo: Andy Rubin

Essential inc, the new tech company founded by the godfather of Android, Andy Rubin, is set to unveil its first product at the end of this month.

A new Twitter account created by the company teased the announcement today with its first ever tweet to hype what many anticipate to be a new Android smartphone. Rubin shot followers a teaser in March, but now Essential is busting out its own glimpses of the smartphone that may include a 360-degree camera.

America’s favorite iPhone will surprise you

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iPhone SE
Two new iPhone SE models for 2020?
Photo: Sam Mills/Cult of Mac

Despite the demand for larger, sharper smartphone displays, iPhone SE has beaten out all other smartphones to top the latest American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI).

Just two of Apple’s devices placed in the top five, and with a score of 87 out of 100, iPhone SE took the number one spot ahead of iPhone 7 Plus and the Galaxy S7 series.

Samsung confirms another iPhone 8 rival is coming this year

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Galaxy Note 7
The new Galaxy Note will go on sale early again this year.
Photo: Killian Bell/Cult of Mac

Samsung already made life difficult for Apple’s next-generation iPhone with its stellar Galaxy S8 series, but it won’t stop there.

The South Korean company confirms it plans to release another flagship smartphone in the second half of 2017 that will give iPhone 8 an even tougher challenge.

Should iPhone 8’s Touch ID be on its back? [Friday Night Fights]

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A sacrifice worth making?
A sacrifice worth making?
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

Recently “leaked” schematics for Apple’s next-generation iPhone reveal the company could be returning to a sharper, squarer form factor similar to that of the iPhone 5. They also hinted at a big change for Touch ID.

Friday Night Fights bugWith Apple expected to eliminate the Home button from this year’s iPhone, its fingerprint scanner could be relocated to its back — like on many Androids. This would free up space on the front of the phone for a larger display, while maintaining the secure and super-fast biometric sensor we all love.

But is a rear-facing fingerprint scanner a smart move, or should it remain on the front of the iPhone? Join us in this week’s Friday Night Fight as we battle it out over the iPhone 8’s Touch ID button.