5 features that make Galaxy S8 the next iPhone killer

Samsung's new flagship will go on sale on April 21

Samsung on Wednesday unveiled its new Galaxy S8 smartphone as the market leader seeks to rebound after it suffered an embarrassing recall of the fire-prone Note 7s.

The newest smartphone from the South Korean manufacturer features some of the most innovative developments which were unheard of in the smartphone market before and marks "a new era of smartphone design."

The S8 and S8+ are on the right path for becoming the next iPhone 7 killer. Here are 5 of the best features that we think makes Samsung’s latest device far better than Apple’s flagship smartphone:

1) Infinity Display

PHOTO: SAMSUNG

Perhaps the most striking feature of the new Galaxy S8 is the smartphone's screen called the "infinity display". The expanded glass screen covers the entire front of the device and appears to curve seamlessly around its edges. The home button has been replaced with a pressure-sensitive section embedded under the screen.

This new design enables the smartphone to completely eliminate bezels on the sides and minimise those on the top and bottom. New form factor also helps to accommodate the larger 5.8 and 6.2 inches screens on the S8 and S8+ without increasing the overall size of the device.

2) Bixby Digital Assistant

PHOTO: SAMSUNG

The Galaxy S8 now features Samsung’s very own digital assistant called Bixby which the company unveiled earlier this month. The voice-command assistant system similar to Apple's Siri, allows users to shop, search for images and get details about nearby places with image recognition technology and geo-location.

The digital assistant dramatically enhances the phone's capabilities allowing for better navigation of applications and also makes it function as a remote control for connected home devices.

Bixby marks a further step into services for the world's biggest smartphone vendor and adds more functionality to the new device while making the experience seamless with the use of artificial intelligence.

3) Facial Recognition and Iris Scanner

PHOTO: SAMSUNG

Samsung has also brought back some of the best features from its ill-fated Note 7 phablet which include the iris scanner. In addition to this the new smartphone also includes a new facial recognition application that lets users unlock their phones just by looking at them.

The two new features bring in the next generation of security options to the Galaxy S8 which are currently not available on any other smartphone. The inclusion of facial recognition also works in line with Samsung’s move to get rid of the physical home key which was previously used to unlock the device.

4) Dex Station

PHOTO: REUTERS

Samsung also introduced a new adapter called the Dex Station which would allow the smartphone to seamlessly transform into a desktop computer giving users the full-fledge experience of a PC. The South Korean manufacturer is also working with tech giant Microsoft to optimise popular software such as Excel and PowerPoint for the new desktop interface.

5) Non Combustible Batteries

PHOTO: REUTERS

Samsung suffered a $5 billion loss last year after issuing a global recall for the Galaxy Note 7. The ill-fated phablet suffered from faulty batteries that led them overheat causing the device to catch fire. The smartphone giant carried a rigorous investigation into the matter and concluding that the fires were caused by a design flaw in the higher capacity lithium-ion batteries.

Samsung has now adapted an 8-point battery safety check which involves putting the batteries through extreme testing, followed by careful inspection by X-ray and the human eye to ensure highest quality. This new safety check goes well beyond the current market standard and are bound to ensure that the new Galaxy S8 doesn't suffer the same fate as the Note 7.