Samsung Galaxy A8 (2018) Preview

What's the Galaxy A8

The Galaxy S9 might be the star of Samsung's show, but it's not the only new smartphone the tech giant is parading around Mobile World Congress. Meet the Galaxy A8 (2018) and Galaxy A8+ (2018), a pair of devices that are ostensibly a more affordable Galaxy S9 (although given the name, you might say they're a cheaper S8). 

Samsung technically announced these at the end of last year, but they're not yet available in Australia (although we're expecting them to be). 

In terms of design, the big difference between the A-series devices and their pricier S-series brethren is the screen. It's still an extra-tall 18:9 panel, but the A-series displays are flat rather than curved on the edges. 

The front and back are still both glass, there's an aluminium frame, and you get a couple of bells and whistles: IP68 water-resistance and facial recognition. 

In terms of trade offs, the A8 camera won't be quite as good as the S9's, there's no wireless charging, and the processor is a step down in performance (although the A8 still seemed super zippy in our brief hands on). 

One feature found in the Galaxy A8 that's not available in the Galaxy S9 is dual front-facing cameras. The A8 uses these to simulate shallow depth of field, and blur the background in your selfies. 

Depending on the price, the Galaxy A8 family could be an attractive proposition for anyone who doesn’t want to spend top dollar on a S8 or S9 but still wants to stick with Samsung. 

Below are the key specifications for the Galaxy A8 and Galaxy A8+.

Galaxy A8 pricing and availability

The Galaxy A8 and Galaxy A8+ are expected to be available locally later this year, but Samsung has yet to confirm pricing or a specific time-frame.

Their predecessors - the Galaxy A5 (2017) and Galaxy A7 (2017) launched at $649 and $899, respectively. Both were available outright through the usual channels - JB Hi-Fi, Harvey Norman, etc - and on plans through most major carriers. 

While the pricing could go up to account for the A8s' larger displays, we'd be surprised if you weren't able to get the phones on a contract. 

Alex Choros

Managing Editor + Group Telco Editor | X | Instagram | Threads | LinkedIn

Alex Choros is the Managing Editor of WhistleOut Australia and an award-winning journalist. He's been writing about consumer technology for over a decade and is an expert on the Australian telco sector, to the point where he knows far too many phone and internet plans by heart. In addition to leading the WhistleOut editorial team, Alex is responsible for ruining the office Sonos with his troubled taste in music.

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