Samsung today introduced the highly anticipated Galaxy Note8 smartphone, which comes with a bigger Infinity Display that fits in one hand, S Pen to help you communicate in more personal ways, and Samsung's best-ever smartphone camera.

The Galaxy Note8 has the biggest screen ever on a Note device, yet its narrow body makes it comfortable to hold in one hand. Without bezels or physical buttons, the display blends into the device's body. The 6.3-inch Quad HD+ Super AMOLED Infinity Display lets you see more and scroll less. Its expansive screen space offers a 14 percent wider viewing area than the Galaxy Note5 in landscape mode and has an aspect ratio of 18.5:9.

Note users have long been able to do more with Multi Window. With the Galaxy Note8, the new App Pair feature lets you create a custom pair of apps on the Edge Panel and simultaneously launch two apps with ease. This means that you can watch a video while messaging your friends or dial into a conference call with the number and agenda in front of you.

Since its introduction, the S Pen has been one of the Note's defining features. With the Galaxy Note8, the enhanced S Pen unlocks new ways to write, draw, and interact with the phone and communicate with friends. It has a finer tip, improved pressure sensitivity, and features that enable users to express themselves in new ways.

When communicating with text just isn't enough, Live Message allows you to reveal your personality and tell stories. With the Galaxy Note8, you can now share animated texts or drawings across platforms that support animated GIFs. It's a new way to communicate with the S Pen-adding lively and emotional connections that bring your messages to life.

The Always On Display allows Galaxy users to stay on top of their notifications without unlocking their phone. And with the Galaxy Note8, it's even more powerful. Screen off memo allows you to take up to one-hundred pages of notes as soon as you remove the S Pen, pin notes to the Always On Display and make edits directly from the Always On Display.

For overseas travels or when you come across a website in a foreign language, the improved S Pen Translate feature lets you hover over text to translate not only individual words, but entire sentences in up to 71 languages, and instantly convert units and foreign currencies.

The S Pen is 108 millimeters in length and weighs 2.8 grams. With a 0.7-millimeter rubber tip, a pressure sensitivity level of 4,096 and the ability to change brush strokes, the enhanced S Pen provides precision and power to replicate the ease and accuracy of a real pen.

The Galaxy Note8 is the first smartphone with two 12MP rear cameras with Optical Image Stabilization (OIS) on both the wide-angle and telephoto lenses.

For more advanced photo-taking, the Note8's Live Focus feature lets you control the depth of field by allowing you to adjust the bokeh effect in preview mode and after you take the photo.

Like its name suggests, a dual camera is made up of two separate cameras and their respective image sensors that work in a complimentary way to each other.

Generally, one camera functions more or less like a normal camera, capturing color images in the same way most typical smartphone cameras do. The second camera, meanwhile, aims to add elements that can't be captured with the primary sensor. When a user takes a photo, the camera captures two separate images. It is the combination of both of these images that produces a clear, high-quality photograph with a greater depth of field.

In Dual Capture mode, both rear cameras take two pictures simultaneously and allow you to save both images; one close-up shot from the telephoto lens and one wide-angle shot that shows the entire background.

The wide-angle lens has a Dual Pixel sensor with rapid Auto Focus, so you can capture clearer shots even in low-light environments. The Galaxy Note8 is also equipped with a 8MP Smart Auto Focus front-facing camera.

The Galaxy Note8 is built on the Galaxy legacy - a collection of features and capabilities, including:

• Water and Dust Resistance: You can take your Note almost anywhere you want with water and dust resistance (IP685) on the device and the S Pen. You can write even when the display is wet.
• Fast Wireless Charging: The Galaxy Note8 supports the most advanced wireless charging capabilities yet, so you can get a quick charge without having to mess around with ports or wires.
• Security: The Galaxy Note8 offers a choice of biometric authentication options-including iris and fingerprint scanning. Samsung Knox7 provides defense-grade security at the hardware and software layers and with Secure Folder, keeps your personal and professional data separate.
• Performance: With 6GB RAM, a 10nm processor, and expandable memory (up to 256GB), you have the power you need to browse, stream, play games, and multitask.
• Mobile Experiences: Samsung DeX enables a desktop experience, powered by your phone. You can keep your files on your device, conduct work on the go, and use Samsung DeX when you need an even bigger screen. The Galaxy Note8 includes Bixby, a smarter way to use your phone; it learns from you, improves over time, and helps you get more done.

Features that improve performance, productivity and security include:

• Enhanced S Pen for Business: The S Pen lets professionals discreetly take notes in Screen off memo or quickly annotate documents and photos.
• Non-Contact Authentication: The Galaxy Note8 offers iris scanning for professionals-for example, professionals in the health care, construction, or public safety sectors who may find themselves in a position where they need to unlock their phones without having to swipe or scan a fingerprint.
• Enhanced DeX Capabilities: The Galaxy Note8 powers Samsung DeX for those who need to extend their simple mobile experience to the desktop.

Samsung says that the Galaxy Note8's battery has undergone Samsung's 8-Point Battery Safety Check.

"We have been closely working with Samsung to make meaningful advancements in the science of smartphone quality and safety evaluation. As a result, the Galaxy Note8 has successfully completed a rigorous series of device and battery safety compatibility test protocols. We look forward to maintaining our strategic relationship with Samsung and helping ensure device safety for all consumers." said Sajeev Jesudas, President, UL International.

The Galaxy Note8 will be available starting in mid-September and will be offered in Midnight Black, Orchid Gray, Maple Gold and Deepsea Blue.

Carrier-branded devices will be available from AT&T, C Spire, Cricket Wireless, Sprint, Straight Talk, T-Mobile, US Cellular, Verizon, and Xfinity Mobile. They, along with Unlocked by Samsung devices, will be on sale from September 15, with pre-orders opening August 24. Anyone buying before September 24 will be able to choose a free extra: either a Gear 360 camera or a 128GB memory card and fast wireless charger.

The phone's retail price is $960.

Accessories

The accessories of the Galaxy Note8 are designed to both protect the phone and offer a contemporary look and feel. Many of the phone's accessories have been designed to focus on the standing function of the Galaxy Note8.

The Protective Standing Cover, for example, is a military-grade protective cover that provides protection of the Galaxy Note8 all the while offering a full view of its Infinity Display. A kickstand in the back props the phone up for better viewing, and pops off if too much pressure is applied so it doesn't break. The Clear View Standing Cover also protects and holds the Galaxy Note8 at an optimal angle for viewing media, while its dedicated UX makes it easy to check alerts, take calls and more, without having to open it up.

The Alcantara Cover, 2Piece Cover and Clear Cover, which were also launched with the Galaxy S8 and S8+, will be available with the Galaxy Note8.

For more convenient charging, the Wireless Charger Convertible can be adjusted to be a horizontal pad or vertical stand so users can continue using their device while powering up. Or, should they need to keep powered while on-the-go, the slim Battery Pack easily slips into a bag or pocket.

Samsung Galaxy Note8 specification

• Display: 6.3-inch Quad HD+ Super AMOLED, 2960x1440 (521ppi)
• Default resolution is Full HD+ and can be changed to Quad HD+ (WQHD+) in Settings

• Camera Rear:
  • Dual Camera with Dual OIS (Optical Image Stabilization)
  • Wide-angle: 12MP Dual Pixel AF, F1.7, OIS
  • Telephoto: 12MP AF, F2.4, OIS
  • 2X optical zoom, up to 10X digital zoom
• Camera Front: 8MP AF, F1.7
• Body: 162.5 x 74.8 x 8.6mm, 195g, IP68 (S Pen: 5.8 x 4.2 x 108.3mm, 2.8g, IP68)
  
• AP:
  • Octa core (2.3GHz Quad + 1.7GHz Quad), 64bit, 10nm processor
  • Octa core (2.35GHz Quad + 1.9GHz Quad), 64bit, 10nm processor
    (May differ by market and mobile operator)
• Memory: 6GB RAM (LPDDR4), 64GB/128GB/256GB
  
• SIM Card:
  • Single: one Nano SIM and one MicroSD slot (up to 256GB)
  • Hybrid: one Nano SIM and one Nano SIM or one MicroSD slot (up to 256GB)
• Battery: 3,300mAh
• Wireless Charging compatible with WPC and PMA
• Fast Charging compatible with QC 2.0
• OS: Android 7.1.1
• Network: LTE Cat. 16
• Connectivity: Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac (2.4/5GHz), VHT80 MU-MIMO, 1024QAM, Bluetooth v 5.0 (LE up to 2Mbps), ANT+, USB Type-C, NFC, Location (GPS, Galileo, Glonass, BeiDou)
• Payment: NFC, MST
• Sensors: Accelerometer, Barometer, Fingerprint Sensor, Gyro Sensor, Geomagnetic Sensor, Hall Sensor, Heart Rate Sensor, Proximity Sensor, RGB Light Sensor, Iris Sensor, Pressure Sensor
• Authentication Lock Type: Pattern, Pin, Password
• Biometric Lock Types: Iris Scanner, Fingerprint Scanner, Facial Recognition
• Audio: MP3, M4A, 3GA, AAC, OGG, OGA, WAV, WMA, AMR, AWB, FLAC, MID, MIDI, XMF, MXMF, IMY, RTTTL, RTX, OTA, DSF, DFF, APE
• Video: MP4, M4V, 3GP, 3G2, WMV, ASF, AVI, FLV, MKV, WEBM