Samsung Galaxy A8+ (2018) 'Coming Soon' to Amazon India

Weeks after its official announcement, Samsung Galaxy A8+ (2018) is now apparently set to enter India. The new Samsung Galaxy A series smartphone has been listed on Amazon.in with a "coming soon" tag. The online listing doesn't confirm the price and availability of the Galaxy A8+ (2018), but it confirms that the handset will go on sale in the country as an Amazon exclusive offering. Last month, Samsung officially divulged that the Galaxy A8+ (2018) will go on sale in Vietnam starting January 6 with a price tag of VND 13,490,000 (approximately Rs. 38,040). The South Korean company will also launch the Galaxy A8 (2018), which is the smaller variant of the Galaxy A8 (2018), in the Vietnamese market at VND 10,990,000 (roughly Rs. 30,980). Meanwhile, another report claims the launch date of the Galaxy A8+ (2018) smartphone in India.

Amazon India has developed a special microsite for the Samsung Galaxy A8+ (2018) that highlights some of its key features such as glass and metal design, 18.5:9 ratio-based Infinity Display, and dual front camera setup with live focus support. It is unclear whether the online marketplace will also sell the Galaxy A8 (2018) alongside the Galaxy A8+ (2018). Nevertheless, the latest development suggests that both the new Galaxy A series models would soon debut in India. Samsung originally announced that the handsets will roll out in global markets in early January. Separately, IANS cites industry sources to claim the smartphone will be launched on January 10. We can expect confirmation on this front as we approach that date. IANS also claims that the Galaxy A8 (2018) will not be launched in the country, but only the A8+ (2018) model.

As announced last month, the Samsung Galaxy A8 (2018) and Galaxy A8+ (2018) are the company's first models to sport dual selfie camera setups. Both have an IP68-certified build and come preloaded with Samsung Pay integration. Further, the smartphones support Samsung Gear VR headset.

The Android 7.1.1 Nougat-running Samsung Galaxy A8 (2018) and Galaxy A8+ (2018) appear as the successors to the company's last year launched Galaxy A5 (2017) and Galaxy A7 (2017). The Galaxy A8 (2018) features a 5.6-inch full-HD+ (2220x1080 pixels) Super AMOLED display with 18.5:9 aspect ratio (the same as the Samsung Galaxy S8), while the Galaxy A8+ (2018) has a 6-inch FHD+ Super AMOLED display. Under the hood, both the handsets have an octa-core chip with two cores clocked at 2.2GHz and six cores clocked at 1.6GHz. The Galaxy A8 (2018) has 4GB RAM, whereas the Galaxy A8+ (2018) comes in 4GB and 6GB RAM options.

The dual front camera setup includes a 16-megapixel fixed focus, f/1.9 image sensor and an 8-megapixel f/1.9 sensor. Both the sensors enable the Galaxy A8 (2018) and Galaxy A8+ (2018) to provide blurred background in images with a bokeh effect. Users can also switch the preloaded camera app to have a clear and crisp background as well as a focused foreground. The smartphones have a Live Focus feature to adjust the bokeh effect while capturing self-portraits. Additionally, the smartphones have a 16-megapixel camera sensor on the back with an f/1.7 lens.

The Samsung Galaxy A8 (2018) and Galaxy A8+ (2018) have 32GB and 64GB onboard storage options that are expandable via microSD card (up to 256GB). In terms of connectivity, there are options such as 4G LTE, Wi-Fi 802.11ac, Bluetooth v5.0, GPS/ A-GPS, NFC, and USB Type-C port. Moreover, the Galaxy A8 (2018) packs a 3000mAh battery, whereas the Galaxy A8+ (2018) has a 3500mAh battery.