The Samsung Galaxy S8 and Note 8 continue to be popular compared to the Galaxy S9. A new update brings GIF support its Always-On display.
The upcoming feature is not exactly new since the latest flagship handset models have it preinstalled. Both handsets drew harsh criticism from users due to the delay of its Android Oreo firmware update. Factory unlocked S8 units should already have the update available, but the Note 8 remains neglected for now. It is surprising that the manufacturer opted to showcase a minor feature instead of the long-awaited OS upgrade.
Poor Reception
Just like the Apple iPhone X, Samsung's latest flagship handset reportedly failed to meet its sales number. Several reasons were speculated and are currently being investigated by industry analysts. One of the most obvious reasons most likely has to do with the minor hardware upgrades.
A side-by-side comparison of the latest device and its predecessor clearly shows that other than the relocation of its biometric sensor, both share the same design. Not to mention that the latest phablet model is also available and comes with versatile features like its signature stylus.
Surveys collected from its home country even shows that people preferred to keep their older smartphones and wait for the Note 9 instead.
How To Activate And Access The Feature?
Samsung Galaxy S8 and Note 8 owners who would like to personalize their smartphones with the new update can check it out from the Settings menu. The Always-On display software should already be in version 3.2.26.4 in order for the function to work.
The exact procedure starts from the Lock screen and security menu where the user needs to click on the Clocks and FaceWidgets option. Next is to tap on Clock style and scroll to look for the one that looks like a camera frame with a crosshair in the middle. From there, users can select from preloaded options or choose the GIF file from the gallery.
GIF support is available for preloaded files, downloaded ones, and those shot with the smartphone's camera app. However, there seem to be some limitations when it comes to the length of the animation. The application will issue an error prompt if the file is incompatible due to it being too long. Nonetheless, this could be fixed through the gallery via the edit option, wherein frames can be removed to come up with a compatible file.
Once set, the animations do not exactly loop but play once and then turn into a static image. To trigger the animation again, users can just double tap on the image.
