The Galaxy S8 and the Galaxy S8+ handsets are available in the U.S. from April 21 onwards. Many people have already preordered the device and some have been lucky enough to get the handset before the promised release date.
However, cautious buyers are waiting for the early reviews and impressions before committing to the new flagships from the South Korean company. The Galaxy S8 and the Galaxy S8+ are expensive devices and consumers like to weigh the pros and cons before making the purchase.
Here are the top five reasons why consumers may want to refrain from picking up either of the handsets just yet.
Galaxy Note 7 Debacle
Samsung's reputation arguably took a huge hit after the release of the Galaxy Note 7. The smartphone was deemed to be highly dangerous because of the exploding battery. Samsung went on to recall the product twice before completely taking the phablet off the market.
The Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8+ are the first major smartphones from the company since it released the Galaxy Note 7. Even though Samsung assures that it has put the latest flagships through rigorous testing with its new eight-point battery safety check, people may be reluctant to accept the company's claims.
If any possible issues exist in the Galaxy S8+ and Galaxy S8's battery, it will likely come to light soon after the device's global release. Therefore, it may be best to wait a tad longer before making the purchase.
Curved Glass Display Prone To Breaking
The new handsets from Samsung possess a dual-curved edge Infinity display. While this aspect makes the design and look of the phones quite modern and fashionable, it also highlights an issue. The dual-curved edge glass screen may be prone to cracking. People who are in the habit of dropping their phones frequently, may want to reconsider buying the Galaxy S8 or the Galaxy S8+.
Drop tests performed on the handsets have revealed the susceptibility of the rear glass panel. Those who plan to purchase either of the smartphones would do well to invest in some protective cases for the handsets.
Fingerprint Sensor Next To Primary Camera
Samsung decided to ditch the home button in the Galaxy S8 smartphones so that it could make the device nearly bezel-less, as well as increase the display's size. This move necessitated the change in position of the fingerprint sensor from the front to the back of the handset.
However, Samsung decided to house the sensor just beside the rear-facing camera. Not only has this placement shift made the security feature difficult to reach, it also causes one to mistakenly tap on camera's lens instead of the fingerprint scanner.
Incomplete Bixby Functionalities
One of the USPs of the Galaxy S8 and the Galaxy S8+ was the integration of Samsung's own AI assistant Bixby. However, just around a week prior to its release, the company revealed that the smartphones will be not be shipped with all the features of assistant.
What this means is that the Bixby assistant will be shipped with the Home, Vision, and Reminders functionalities, but the voice feature would be introduced at a later juncture. Therefore, the smartphones may be much better once the update for Bixby is pushed out, which suggests that users should refrain from buying the handsets.
Modified Android OS
It is a fact that the Android devices which Samsung releases offer slightly modified operating systems. This change sometimes causes delays in receiving system updates on the phones. The delay may throw off some fans looking to make the purchase.
However, the Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8+ are tremendously powerful and top-notch features. Potential buyers who are not deterred by these drawbacks and do not wish to wait for early reviews, can go to Samsung's website and buy either the Galaxy S8 or Galaxy S8+.
