Galaxy S8 Versus iPhone 8: Fingerprint-Reading Powers Place Apple Smartphone Ahead Of Upcoming Samsung Flagship

The lack of fingerprint-reading capabilities weakens the Galaxy S8, the upcoming flagship of Samsung set to be unveiled by the end of March in comparison to Apple’s iPhone 8. Based on rumors, both flagships would sport large screens that would occupy almost the whole front side of the smartphone. But the iPhone 8 would have a fingerprint sensor in the front, while the Galaxy S8 would have the fingerprint sensor on the back beside the camera.

Time Runs Out For Samsung

The Investor points out that Samsung wanted to have the Galaxy S8 have fingerprint-reading capabilities, but the South Korean tech giant ran out of time to incorporate that feature. Samsung got Synaptics as a partner to have that power, but Synaptics failed to have the technology in time for the late March launch of the next flagship. The result has Samsung moved the feature to the back the last minute in contrast to the iPhone 8 which would have it on the device’s front.

Lack Of Compelling Features

In terms of volume, analyst Ming-Chi Kuo writes in a note that because of the lack of compelling features, the Galaxy S8 would likely sell between 40 million and 45 million units. It would be much lower than the 52 million units of Galaxy S7 phones that Samsung shipped in 2016, BGR reports. He adds that although a lot of the features that Apple would have on the iPhone 8 are not new to smartphones, it nevertheless represent the biggest leap in iPhone technology forward.

Samsung had confirmed that it would launch the Galaxy S8 on March 29. Among the features of the upcoming flagship are a new AI assistant, upgraded display, fingerprint scanner on the back, dual-lens camera and no physical home button, Tech Radar points out. The iPhone 8, in turn, would offer OLED screen, better battery life, improved Siri functionality, upgraded system performance and wireless charging capability.