14 DAY TRIAL // Samsung announced its latest flagship smartphone, the Galaxy S8, the first premium phone announced by the South Korean company since the Galaxy Note 7 fiasco. The Galaxy S8 comes with a number of new features and apps, some of which have made their way online.
The Galaxy S8 system dump is now available online, over at the XDA-Developers forum. The package has a size of just over 1GB and includes proprietary Samsung applications, like Messaging, Clock, Video, My Files, Galaxy Apps, Samsung Account and Samsung Cloud.
The good news is that the applications can be installed without root, but the Camera, Always-on Display and Contacts are said to be a bit problematic and don’t work properly. It’s also worth mentioning that the Contacts app has a major issue that could prevent devices from receiving calls.
Bixby isn’t functional for now
In addition, the system dump offers users the option to install Bixby on their smartphones, but the virtual assistant isn’t functional for now. Samsung’s Bixby can be installed separately using the recently surfaced apk, but not before installing the Galaxy S8 launcher or the assistant won’t work. Bixby offers features for looking up information, setting reminders, finding surrounding restaurants and places with the simple touch of a button.
These applications could provide users with an idea of user experience on the Galaxy S8, but keep in mind that they might not function properly.
Still, they can be installed without root and presumably they should work better on recent high-end smartphones, like the Galaxy S7 or on devices running Android Marshmallow. Obviously, these apps should work better on rooted smartphones.
The Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8+ are already up for pre-order and they should arrive on shelves on April 21, while customers from Canada might get them sooner, on April 17. Unlocked versions of the two smartphones should arrive on May 9 at BestBuy.