Hundreds of new smartphones will debut all around the world in 2017. From low-end smartphones for developing markets that cost less than $100 a piece to ultra high-end flagship phones from all your favorite big-name smartphone companies, all the bases will be covered this year. No matter how many phones wash over the global market in 2017 however, there will still only be a handful of devices that tech fans truly get excited about en masse. Google’s second-generation Pixel phones are certainly on that list, as is whatever Lenovo might be cooking up for this year’s Moto Z successor. But at the very top of this short list, there are always two smartphone lines that rise above the rest: Samsung’s Galaxy S handsets and Apple’s iPhone lineup.
In 2017, Samsung will release two different Galaxy S8 phones during the first half of the year. Then, come September, Apple will unveil and release its new iPhone 8 alongside what are rumored to be refreshed iPhone 7s and iPhone 7s Plus handsets. None of these devices are official yet, but we already know plenty of key details thanks to leaks and reports from solid sources. In this post, we’ll take a look at five exciting features coming to Samsung’s Galaxy S8 that will be missing from the iPhone 8 when it launches this fall.
Iris scanner
More security is always a good thing, and Samsung’s ill-fated Galaxy Note 7 introduced a very nifty new security feature. Using a special iris scanner, the Note 7 allowed users to unlock their phones and access a special secure folder with an eye scan. The iris scanner could soon be integrated with even more functions on Samsung phones, such as mobile payment authentication. And if recent reports are accurate, Samsung’s upcoming new Galaxy S8 and “Galaxy S8 Plus” will both feature iris scanners placed on the face of the phones above the displays.
Desktop mode
This new feature is a potential game-changer for Samsung’s upcoming new Galaxy S8 phones. Word on the street is that the handsets will feature an exciting new desktop mode that will allow a user to connect his or her Galaxy S8 to a monitor and peripherals in order to power a full desktop computing experience. The solution is akin to what we saw in the HP Elite x3, but with one key difference: no one wants Windows on a smartphone. As people move more and more toward mobile for their primary computing experiences, however, Android can most certainly do the trick on a desktop or laptop for many users.
Beast mode
Another new feature reportedly headed to Samsung’s next-generation flagship smartphones is “Beast Mode,” which is something you definitely won’t find on Apple’s upcoming new iPhones. If rumors are correct, this special new feature will basically kick the Galaxy S8 into high gear and provide users with the maximum amount of computing power possible. This feature will definitely be useful for gaming and other resource-heavy functions, and it’ll also thankfully come alongside new fast charging tech that will fill up the Galaxy S8 battery more quickly than ever before.
microSD card support
Apple makes so much money forcing people to buy higher-end iPhones to get more storage, there’s no way the company will ever offer expandable memory on its iPhones. Last year’s new iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus saw the available storage on each model doubled, and that’s the best Apple fans will be able to do for the foreseeable future. Meanwhile, Samsung’s upcoming Galaxy S8 lineup will reportedly include a microSD card slot that will provide microSDXC support up to 2TB (256GB is the limit for now, but only because larger cards don’t yet exist).
Want to use a microSD card with your iPhone 8? A special microSD to Lightning adapter for iPhones will still be your only option.
3.5mm audio jack
Yup.
