Samsung Galaxy Note 8 – UK price, release date, design and specs finally REVEALED

Almost a year after Samsung’s disastrous exploding Galaxy Note 7 was pulled from sale this popular phablet is making a spectacular return.

Samsung has just lifted the lid on the all-new Galaxy Note 8 and it appears they have put their past issues firmly behind them.

The Galaxy Note 8 has just been unveiled at a major Unpacked event in New York and this latest flagship takes many of it design details from the stunning Galaxy S8.

In fact, from the from the front, the new Note 8 looks almost identical to its stunning sibling with its Infinity display curving gracefully around the edges of the device.

Like the S8, this Quad HD+ Super AMOLED screen covers almost the entire front of the phone with its tiny bezels hardly noticeable at the top and bottom of the device.

This clever design allows the mammoth screen to fit in a device that’s physically smaller to hold your hand.

In fact, the Note 8 measures 162mm in length which is only slightly bigger than Apple’s 5.5-inch iPhone 7 Plus.

To make full use of this monster monitor, Samsung has included a new feature called App Pair which instantly loads two of your favourites applications side by side on the display.

This means you can surf the web and check your emails at the same time or watch YouTube and tweet without closing apps.

App Pair is fully customisable with users able to choose which applications they want to be paired.

The Galaxy Note 8 is also equipped with an industry-leading 8-megapixel Smart Auto Focus front-facing camera for sharp selfies and video chats.

Although the Note 8 looks similar from the front, things do change when you spin this smartphone around.

On the rear case you’ll find an all-new 12-megapixel dual-lens rear camera which has a number of neat tricks up its sleeve.

With a wide-angle and telephoto lens both included, the Note 8 now offers the ability to zoom without losing image quality and add DSLR-style depth of field to your family snaps.

Samsung is also allowing users to tweak this clever bokeh effect after the image is taken and even remove it altogether.

This is because the Note 8 always keeps a copy of the original image tucked in its memory banks.

Although the dual camera is a nice addition, the inclusion of a rear-mounted fingerprint scanner may not prove quite so popular.

Like the S8, Samsung has once again placed this vital sensor right next to the camera lens which could lead to the same frustrations found on its predecessor.

Users will, however, be able to unlock the device via iris/facial recognition although this feature has been a little hit and miss on previous devices.

Of course this is a Note smartphone and tucked inside this phablet is an all-new S Pen.

This stylus is now more accurate with a 0.7mm nib offering a precise experience when scribbling on the screen.

Samsung has also upgraded its ability to write when the display is switched off and this feature now allows up to 100 pages of notes to be written and saved without ever hitting the on button.

Users can also scribble Live Messages which instantly turn handwriting into fun animated gifs and a new translate feature means the S Pen can help decipher foreign text with one easy command.

Under the hood things are also improved with the Note 8 featuring a huge 3,300mAh battery that can be charged wirelessly, a very quick octa-core 10nm processor and 64GB of expandable memory.

The Note 8 is also water resistant and includes a pair of ear-pleasing AKG headphones in the box.

Samsung is also boasting the the new Note 8 is Gigabit LTE ready which will allow it to download files at ultra-fast speeds.

The Galaxy Note 8 includes Bixby which is Samsung’s answer to Apple’s Siri and Google Assistant.

Fans can pre-order from today with the device landing in the UK in two colours including Midnight Black and Maple Gold.

Other parts of the world will be able to pick up the Note 8 in Deepsea Blue and Orchid Grey but Samsung are staying tight-lipped about if these colours will ever be available in Britain.

You can check out all the best Note 8 deals and offers here.

Sadly, if you fancy one it doesn’t come cheap with prices starting from a hefty £869.

Speaking about the launch of the Note 8 DJ Koh, president of Mobile Communications Business, Samsung Electronics, said: “We appreciate the relentless passion of the Note community.

“They’ve been a constant inspiration to us and we designed the new Note for them,

“From the Infinity Display to the enhanced S Pen and powerful Dual Camera, the Galaxy Note8 lets people do things they never thought were possible.”