Samsung has launched the mid-range Galaxy S8 doppelganger phones, the Galaxy A8 and the Galaxy A8+ 2018. Successors to the Galaxy A5 and A7 2017 phones, the Galaxy A8 and the Galaxy A8+ 2018 aim to offer flagship kind of experience at relatively mainstream prices. Featuring an all-glass and metal design, both these phones come with a bezel-less Infinity screen and a dual front camera system. Both these phones are also IP68 certified and support Samsung Pay.

"With the release of the Galaxy A8(2018) and A8+(2018), we're bringing our customers' favorite features from our flagship smartphones, such as the Infinity Display and our first Dual Front Camera with Live Focus, to our Galaxy A series, which is already known for its premium design", Junho Park, vice president of Global Product Planning, Mobile Communications Business at Samsung Electronics said. "The Galaxy A8(2018) and A8+(2018) exemplify our continued dedication to meeting the needs of our consumers by providing them with greater choice and convenience."

Here's a point-by-point breakdown of the Samsung Galaxy A8 and the Galaxy A8+ 2018:

Specifications:

Processor: Both the Galaxy A8 and the Galaxy A8+ 2018 are powered by a 2.2GHz octa-core (unspecified) processor.

RAM: While the Galaxy A8 2018 will come with 4GB RAM, the Galaxy A8+ 2018 will be available in 4GB and 6GB RAM versions.

Internal storage: The Galaxy A8 2018 and the Galaxy A8+ 2018 will be available in 32GB and 64GB internal storage options with both the options supporting expandable storage by up to 256GB via a micro-SD card slot.

Screen: The Galaxy A8+ 2018 is a 6-inch phone while the Galaxy A8 2018 maxes out at 5.6-inch. Both the phones have a 1080p+ Super AMOLED screen with an unusual aspect ratio of 18.5:9.

Rear camera: Both the phones have a 16-megapixel rear sensor with f/1.7 aperture, phase detection autofocus, LED flash and 1080p video recording.

Front camera: On the front, both the phones come with a dual camera system, consisting of one 16-megapixel sensor (f/1.9) and another 8-megapixel sensor to aid in portrait selfies.

Software: Both the phones run Android 7.1 Nougat-based Experience user interface.

Battery: While the A8 2018 is backed by a 3,000mAh battery, the A8+ 2018 has a larger 3,500mAh battery inside. Both the phones support fast charging.

Special features:

-- Successors to the A5 and A7 2017, the A8 and A8+ 2018 have been designed from grounds up to offer a flagship Galaxy S8-kind of experience at a not so flagship Galaxy S8-kind of pricing. Both the phones have an all-glass and metal body.

-- The A8 and A8+ 2018 borrow one of the biggest highlights of the S8. Both the phones come equipped with an Infinity screen, which means, that much like Samsung's Galaxy S8/Galaxy S8+, the Galaxy A8 and Galaxy A8+ 2018 also come with an edge-to-edge bezel-less display. The front, in the case of the Galaxy A8 and Galaxy A8+ 2018, is clean and without any physical buttons. The fingerprint scanner, much like it is in the case of the Galaxy S8/Galaxy S8+, lies on the rear only this time Samsung has moved it below the camera module.

-- The A8 and A8+ 2018 are IP68 certified, which makes them dust and water-resistant and also they comes with Samsung's characteristic Always-on display.

-- While the Galaxy Note 8 was Samsung's first phone to ship with dual rear cameras, the Galaxy A8 and Galaxy A8+ 2018 become the first Samsung phones to ship with dual front cameras. The dual camera system on-board the Galaxy A8 and Galaxy A8+ 2018 enable Live Focus that allows for fancy portrait shots. "The dual front camera is made up of two separate cameras so you can switch between the two to take the type of selfie you want - from close-ups with the background to portrait shots with a clear and crisp background," according to Samsung. The dual front camera system, in addition, also brings facial recognition to the Galaxy A8 and Galaxy A8+ 2018.

-- The rear camera is, meanwhile, assisted with video digital image stabilisation (VDis) technology, and includes a hyperlapse feature for enhanced time-lapse videos.

-- Connectivity options include: dual-SIM, 4G LTE, Bluetooth 5.0, NFC and USB Type-C port for charging and data syncing.

-- The A8 and A8 2018 are also MST-enabled which makes them Samsung Pay-ready out-of-the-box.

Price and availability: Although Samsung is yet to formally announce pricing for the Galaxy A8 and Galaxy A8+ 2018, it is being speculated that while the A8 will be priced at 499 Euros (roughly Rs 37,755), the larger A8+ will be available for 599 Euros (roughly Rs 45,323). Samsung will likely announce the Galaxy A8 and Galaxy A8+ 2018 for global markets (including India) at CES 2018 in January.

Also Read: Samsung Galaxy A8, A8+ (2018) with Infinity display launched, may come to India in January