Galaxy S8 & S8+: Market Reception and Legacy Insights

Galaxy S8 / S8+ (SM-G950F / G955F)

The Samsung Galaxy S8 (SM-G950F) and Galaxy S8+ (SM-G955F) are flagship Android smartphones released by Samsung Electronics in April 2017. Positioned as the successors to the Galaxy S7/S7 Edge, they marked a major design overhaul for the Galaxy S series, introducing the Infinity Display (edge-to-edge curved OLED screen), a bezel-less form factor, and the elimination of the physical home button. The SM-G950F denotes the global GSM variant of the S8, while the SM-G955F is the corresponding global variant of the larger S8+. These models redefined Samsung’s flagship aesthetic and set industry trends for bezel-less displays, with over 30 million units shipped worldwide by the end of 2017.

1. Key Specifications (SM-G950F / SM-G955F Global Variants)

Category	Galaxy S8 (SM-G950F)	Galaxy S8+ (SM-G955F)
Display	5.8-inch Infinity Display Super AMOLED; 2960×1440 QHD+ resolution (572 ppi); 18.5:9 aspect ratio; Corning Gorilla Glass 5; HDR10 support; always-on display functionality	6.2-inch Infinity Display Super AMOLED; 2960×1440 QHD+ resolution (529 ppi); 18.5:9 aspect ratio; Corning Gorilla Glass 5; HDR10 support; always-on display functionality
Processor	Samsung Exynos 8895 octa-core chip (4×2.3 GHz Mongoose M2 + 4×1.7 GHz Cortex-A53); Mali-G71 MP20 GPU; 4 GB LPDDR4 RAM	Samsung Exynos 8895 octa-core chip (4×2.3 GHz Mongoose M2 + 4×1.7 GHz Cortex-A53); Mali-G71 MP20 GPU; 4 GB / 6 GB LPDDR4 RAM (6 GB variant limited to select markets)
Storage	64 GB UFS 2.1 internal storage; microSD card slot (expandable up to 256 GB)	64 GB UFS 2.1 internal storage; microSD card slot (expandable up to 256 GB)
Camera System	Rear: 12 MP Dual Pixel CMOS sensor (f/1.7 aperture, optical image stabilization (OIS), autofocus, LED flash); 4K video recording at 30 fps, 1080p at 60 fps; slow-motion video (1080p at 120 fps)Front: 8 MP sensor (f/1.7 aperture, autofocus); 1080p video recording at 30 fps	Rear: 12 MP Dual Pixel CMOS sensor (f/1.7 aperture, OIS, autofocus, LED flash); 4K video recording at 30 fps, 1080p at 60 fps; slow-motion video (1080p at 120 fps)Front: 8 MP sensor (f/1.7 aperture, autofocus); 1080p video recording at 30 fps
Battery	3,000 mAh non-removable lithium-ion battery; Adaptive Fast Charging (15 W); Qi wireless charging support	3,500 mAh non-removable lithium-ion battery; Adaptive Fast Charging (15 W); Qi wireless charging support
Operating System	Initially shipped with Android 7.0 Nougat + Samsung Experience UI 8.1; officially upgradable to Android 9.0 Pie + One UI 1.5; no further official updates	Initially shipped with Android 7.0 Nougat + Samsung Experience UI 8.1; officially upgradable to Android 9.0 Pie + One UI 1.5; no further official updates
Connectivity	GSM/GPRS/EDGE; 4G LTE Advanced (Cat.16, up to 1 Gbps download); Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac (MIMO); Bluetooth 5.0; NFC; GPS/GLONASS/Beidou; USB-C 2.0 port; 3.5 mm headphone jack	GSM/GPRS/EDGE; 4G LTE Advanced (Cat.16, up to 1 Gbps download); Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac (MIMO); Bluetooth 5.0; NFC; GPS/GLONASS/Beidou; USB-C 2.0 port; 3.5 mm headphone jack
Biometric Security	Iris Scanner; Fingerprint Sensor (rear-mounted, below camera); Face Recognition (software-based)	Iris Scanner; Fingerprint Sensor (rear-mounted, below camera); Face Recognition (software-based)
Design & Dimensions	Glass front/back (Gorilla Glass 5) + aluminum frame; curved edges; IP68 water/dust resistance; dimensions: 148.9 × 68.1 × 8.0 mm; weight: 155 g; color options: Midnight Black, Orchid Gray, Arctic Silver, Coral Blue, Maple Gold	Glass front/back (Gorilla Glass 5) + aluminum frame; curved edges; IP68 water/dust resistance; dimensions: 159.5 × 73.4 × 8.1 mm; weight: 173 g; color options: Midnight Black, Orchid Gray, Arctic Silver, Coral Blue, Maple Gold
Sensors	Accelerometer, gyroscope, proximity sensor, compass, barometer, iris scanner, fingerprint sensor, heart rate sensor	Accelerometer, gyroscope, proximity sensor, compass, barometer, iris scanner, fingerprint sensor, heart rate sensor
Unique Features	Bixby Voice Assistant (dedicated Bixby button); DeX Station compatibility (desktop mode); Samsung Pay (supports MST + NFC); Always-On Display	Bixby Voice Assistant (dedicated Bixby button); DeX Station compatibility (desktop mode); Samsung Pay (supports MST + NFC); Always-On Display

2. Core Features & Innovations

2.1 Infinity Display

The defining feature of the S8/S8+ was the Infinity Display—a near bezel-less curved Super AMOLED panel with an 18.5:9 aspect ratio. This design eliminated the physical home button (replaced by on-screen navigation keys) and maximized screen-to-body ratio (~83% for S8, ~84% for S8+). The display supported HDR10 content, delivering vibrant colors and high contrast for streaming services like Netflix, and the always-on display function showed time, date, and notifications without waking the full screen, conserving battery.

2.2 Biometric Security Suite

Samsung replaced the S7’s front-mounted fingerprint sensor with a rear-mounted sensor (initially criticized for being placed too close to the camera lens, leading to accidental smudges). The S8/S8+ also introduced a dual biometric system:

Iris Scanner: A more secure alternative to fingerprint recognition, using infrared light to scan the user’s irises for device unlocking and Samsung Pay authentication.
Software-Based Face Recognition: A convenient, fast (but less secure) option for quick access, using the front camera to detect facial features.

2.3 Bixby Voice Assistant

The S8/S8+ debuted Bixby, Samsung’s AI voice assistant designed to compete with Siri and Google Assistant. A dedicated Bixby button on the left edge launched the assistant, which supported voice commands, visual search (via Bixby Vision), and home automation integration. Early iterations of Bixby faced criticism for limited functionality, but it was later expanded with third-party app support.

2.4 DeX Station Compatibility

The S8/S8+ introduced Samsung DeX, a desktop mode that transformed the smartphone into a PC-like experience when connected to a monitor, keyboard, and mouse via the DeX Station dock. DeX allowed users to run Android apps in resizable windows, making it suitable for productivity tasks like document editing and video conferencing.

2.5 Camera Improvements

The 12 MP rear camera retained the S7’s Dual Pixel technology (for fast autofocus in low light) but upgraded the aperture to f/1.7 (wider than the S7’s f/1.7, optimized for better low-light performance). The front 8 MP camera also featured an f/1.7 aperture, a rarity for front cameras at the time, enabling brighter selfies in dim environments.

3. Market Position & Reception

Target Audience: Premium smartphone users seeking cutting-edge design, display quality, and biometric security. The S8 catered to users who preferred a compact flagship, while the S8+ targeted those wanting a larger screen for media consumption.
Critical Reception: Praised for the Infinity Display, build quality (IP68 water resistance), and camera performance; criticized for the poorly positioned rear fingerprint sensor, Bixby’s limited launch functionality, and the Exynos chip’s slightly lower performance compared to the Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 variant (used in North American and Chinese models).
Sales Performance: Rebounded from the Galaxy Note 7 battery recall controversy, with strong demand driven by the Infinity Display design. The S8/S8+ helped Samsung regain its position as the world’s top smartphone vendor in 2017.

4. Legacy & Discontinuation

The S8/S8+ were discontinued in 2018 with the launch of the Galaxy S9/S9+, but their legacy as a “comeback” flagship for Samsung (post-Note 7 recall) endures.

The Infinity Display design became a staple of Samsung’s flagship lineup, influencing subsequent models like the S9/S9+ and Note 8, and setting a trend for bezel-less screens across the smartphone industry.

Official software support ended with Android 9.0 Pie and One UI 1.5, but the devices remain popular among custom ROM enthusiasts, who have ported newer Android versions (e.g., Android 12) to the S8/S8+.