Samsung's Note 8 will cost Indians Rs 67,999
Samsung has customised the Bixby voice assistant for India users.
Ahead of Apple’s widely hyped 10th anniversary iPhone launch tonight, Samsung has announced the launch of Galaxy Note 8 to the Indian market for Rs 67,999.
Samsung first unveiled the Note 8 at an event in New York City on August 23, revealing all features that define the handset. The phone succeeds the ill-fated Galaxy Note 7 launched last year.
To recall, Galaxy Note 8 has a 6.3-inch Quad HD + SAMOLED ‘Infinity display’. Side by side, its screen is a modest boost from the Galaxy S8+ model. The Note 8, like the S8 flagship, places the fingerprint sensor at the rear of the phone, up near the camera, further making room for a larger display.
Though Note 8 is built on Qualcomm Snapdragon 835/Exynoss 8895 processor, it will come housed with Exynoss SoC in India, coupled with 6GB RAM and 64GB (expandable) storage option. It sports a dual 12MP camera, just as the one found on iPhone 7s Plus — one lens is for wide angle and the other for 2X zoom. The front camera is 8MP. It packs a 3300mAh battery which also has support for wireless charging. At present, it runs on Android Nougat, though an Oreo update is expected soon. It also comes with an S-Pen and holds IP68 water- and dust-resistance rating.
The Bixby voice assistant that can be activated via a dedicated button and voice command has been customised for Indian customers.
Globally, Note 8 will arrive on Sept. 15 in stores, in India it is set to hit stores on Sept. 21. The phone will be available in two colour options — Midnight Black and Maple Blue, and can be purchased through Amazon and Samsung stores. Additionally, a cashback of Rs 4,000 is being offered to HDFC credit card users.
Noting the time of the Galaxy Note 8 launch in India, world's second biggest smartphone market, the phone is speculated to give a tough competition to Apple's yet-to-be-unveiled iPhone.