The presentation of the Samsung Galaxy S8 has made many eyes, apart from looking at its impressive new terminal, turn to Apple. The Cupertino brand has just found itself with a more worthy adversary than ever .
There are still many months left for the presentation of the next iPhone. However, we can make a comparison of the latest from Samsung with the latest from Apple , the iPhone 7. A “Barí§a-Madrid” of telephony that will make it clear to us what situation the two companies are in right now.
The Samsung Galaxy S8, in various colors.
Design and display
Without detracting from Xiaomi's attempts with the Mi MIX or LG with the G6, it has been the Samsung Galaxy S8 that has established the display without bezels or button as the new standard .
The Samsung device offers an aluminum and glass terminal with a 5.8-inch curved screen that occupies 85% of the front . However, we are not talking about a "brick" at all. At 8 millimeters thick, 148 millimeters high, and 155 grams in weight, the Galaxy S8 is truly restrained in its dimensions.
Regarding the quality of the screen, the Samsung Galaxy S8 offers a super AMOLED panel with Quad HD + resolution, that is, 1440 x 2960 pixels, with an image density of 570 pixels per inch. In addition, it includes 3D Touch technology.
Finally, the Samsung Galaxy S8 does not have a front button. Consequently, you have moved the fingerprint reader to the back. Finally, it has an IP68 certificate for water resistance .
The recent iPhone 7 in limited edition in red.
For its part, Apple's iPhone 7 has an aluminum and glass design with a 4.7-inch screen. The terminal occupies 138 millimeters in height, 7 millimeters in thickness and 138 grams of weight. Its screen ratio is 65%.
As for the quality of the screen, talking about a panel IPS LCD with u na resolution just over HD: 750 x 1334 pixels . It includes 3D Touch technology and a fingerprint reader on its front Home button. It does not have an audio jack, and instead offers a second speaker to play music in stereo. It is also waterproof, with an IP67 certificate.
The Samsung Galaxy S8, in front and behind.
performance
A vital section. The new Samsung Galaxy S8 has released a 10-nanometer processor, seeking to accelerate the overall performance of the phone. The terminal works (at least in Europe) with an Exynos 8895 eight-core chip at a maximum speed of 2.3 GHz . The RAM memory is 4 GB, and the storage capacity, 65 GB, expandable via microSD card. Finally, it works with Android 7 Nougat.
On the other side of the ring, iPhone 7 proudly displays its 2.3GHz quad-core A10 Fusion processor . Optimized for your iOS 10 system, it takes full advantage of 2GB of RAM. Storage is variable, it depends on the model to choose. The lowest is 32 GB, then it goes to 128 GB, and the highest is 256 GB. Such a large internal storage may seem excessive, but let's not forget that with iPhone we cannot expand using an external memory card.
Comparative sheet
| Apple iPhone 7 | Samsung Galaxy S8 | |
| screen | 4.7 ″ IPS LCD, resolution 750 x 1334 pixels, 326 dpi | 5.8 ″ Super AMOLED resolution 1440 x 2960 pixels, 570 dpi |
| Main chamber | 12 megapixels, f / 1.8 aperture LED flash | 12 megapixels, aperture f / 1.7, LED flash |
| Camera for selfies | 7 megapixels, aperture f / 2.2, HDR | 8 megapixels, aperture f / 1.7, LED flash |
| Internal memory | 32/128/256 GB | 64 GB |
| Extension | no | microSD up to 256 GB |
| Processor and RAM | Apple A10 Fusion, (quad cores at 2.3 Ghz), 2 GB of RAM | Exynos 8895 (eight cores 4 at 2.3 GHz and 4 at 1.7 GHz), 4 GB of RAM |
| Battery | 1,960 mAh, no fast charging | 3,000 mAh, fast charging, wireless charging |
| Operating system | iOS 10 | Android 7 Nougat |
| Connections | Bluetooth 4.2, GPS, Lightning, NFC, Wi-Fi 4G, 802.11 a / b / g / n / ac | Bluetooth 5.0, GPS, USB Type-C, NFC, 4G, Wi-Fi 802.11 a / b / g / n / ac |
| SIM | nanoSIM | nanoSIM |
| Design | Metal and glass, 65% screen ratio. Colors: matte black, gloss black, silver, gold and rose gold | Metal and glass, 58% screen ratio. Colors: black, silver and purple |
| Dimensions | 138.3 x 67.1 x 7.1 mm (138 grams) | 148.9 x 68.1 x 8 mm (155 grams) |
| Featured Features | 3D Touch, AirPlay, Siri, water resistance (IP67) | Fingerprint reader, iris scanner, facial recognition, Bixby, waterproof (IP68) |
| Release date | Available | April 28, 2017 |
| Price | 650-990 euros | 810 euros |
Camera
The rear camera of the Samsung Galaxy S8 is not a substantial change to that of the Galaxy S7 . A 12 megapixel Dual Pixel sensor, with f / 1.7 aperture and LED flash. It doesn't seem like a problem either, considering that the Galaxy S7's camera is probably the best on the market.
The rear camera of the Samsung Galaxy S8, along with the fingerprint reader.
Where they have wanted to improve the camera has been on the front. The Samsung Galaxy S8 includes an 8 megapixel sensor with f / 1.7 aperture and LED flash , a luxury for taking selfies.
Apple and its iPhone 7 are not far behind either, with a 12 megapixel rear camera, f / 1.8 aperture and LED flash . Its camera has phase detection autofocus and records video in 4K. On the front we find a 7 megapixel sensor with f / 2.2 aperture that can record in slow motion in HD quality. A good team, but Samsung's is better.
Identification systems
The latest iPhone so far includes a fingerprint reader on its Home button, and it is fully integrated into its operating system, being able to use it to make app purchases, use Apple Pay or unlock access to bank apps . On the iPhone 7, the button is virtual, which makes the sensor work faster than on previous iPhones.
The fingerprint reader of the iPhone 7.
In the case of the Samsung Galaxy S8, we have seen how a range of options has been offered for the user to encrypt their access to the phone. Apart from the fingerprint reader, which is now located on the back, it also has an iris scanner and facial recognition technology .
Both are located on the front of the phone, and seek to increase the security level to the maximum. The iris scanner maps the user's eye, creating a personalized unlock without touching the phone. But if we are looking for a quick way to open the phone, facial recognition is the way. By simply looking at the camera , the phone matches the features with which it is registered, and the unlocking occurs instantly.
An image of the Samsung Galaxy S8 in operation.
Virtual assistant
Samsung officially unveiled its Bixby a week before the Galaxy S8. However, in the presentation of the terminal we were able to know a few more things about this artificial intelligence. In addition to being able to communicate by voice and in writing with it, the user can do so through images. Bixby recognizes the photo and may offer us purchase or contracting options , depending on the product. Of course, it still does not support Spanish.
Siri is a classic. With six years of existence on iOS, it offers software fully integrated into the system . With a female or male voice, Siri is agile and effective. It can also be integrated with third-party applications, such as Telegram or WhatsApp. In addition, she has a keen sense of humor.
Autonomy and connections
The Samsung Galaxy S8's battery is 3,000 milliamps . Its real autonomy is a mystery, since it has not yet been possible to carry out tests long enough to know it. The truth is that 3,000 milliamps may seem little, considering that the Galaxy S7 Edge, with 5.5 inches of screen, used 3,500. In this case we are talking about 5.8 inches, so some doubts arise. Apart from that, the Samsung terminal offers both fast charging and wireless charging.
A close look at the iPhone 7's Lightning charging port.
If before we were concerned about autonomy with 3,000 milliamps, the iPhone 7 comes equipped with a 1,960 milliamp battery . It is true that the screen is ten inches smaller, and the resolution much lower. In addition, Apple has in its favor a fully optimized operating system for that terminal, which will undoubtedly scratch the odd hour of autonomy. Still, we are still talking about a fairly limited battery. Lastly, it doesn't have fast charging or wireless charging.
Promotional image of the Samsung Galaxy S8.
Price
One of Apple's hallmarks has always been high prices. In the case of the iPhone 7, we can find it from 650 euros in its 32 GB version to close to 1,000 euros in the 256 GB version. They are available in glossy black, matte black, silver, gold, and rose gold, all at the same price. A special edition in red was recently added to the catalog.
Samsung, for its part, has been raising prices over the years. His latest device will be on sale from April 28 for 810 euros . It's the highest price yet for a Samsung entry-level model.
The iPhone 7 in a promotional image.
conclusion
After seeing, there is no doubt that Apple is going to have to put a lot of batteries to overcome its eternal competitor. The Samsung Galaxy S8 surpasses the iPhone 7 in quality and use of screen, power and camera. Samsung's terminal security software is now more complete, including iris scanner and facial recognition.
Regarding autonomy, a check is still needed, but it seems that those 3,000 mAh will surely yield more than the 1,960 of the iPhone 7 . In price, however, we are facing very similar terminals. Therefore, the difference between these two devices right now is undoubted, in favor of the Galaxy S8.
There is no doubt that we still have to wait for the new iPhone to make a proper comparison . Of course, it must be clarified that Apple needs to improve, and much, its next terminal compared to the iPhone 7 if it wants to be up to par. The iPhone 7, as of April 28, will be old.