Samsung Galaxy A8 (2016) release date, specs: New edition is official South Korea; global launch not confirmed

The current Galaxy A8 iteration Samsung website

Some of Samsung's midrange lineups have been region-exclusive for a time now. However, with the new 2016 Galaxy A8 becoming official in South Korea, it is expected that the new follow-up iteration will have a global launch.

According to SamMobile, Samsung has already started pre-orders for the 2016 edition of the Galaxy A8 in South Korea. Supposedly, the new iteration will be available exclusively first for around $580 for SK Telecom subscribers.

Meanwhile, since the 2016 follow-up of the Galaxy A8 has been officially announced in South Korea, it is expected that the new iteration will also have a global launch. Most of the current iterations in the Galaxy A-series are available as unlocked, global variants.

The new 2016 Galaxy A8 is the latest in the mid-range lineup of the South Korea-based tech giant. Not much have changed in the design of the new iteration, and its screen dimensions, a 5.7-inch full HD display, remains similar to its 2015 predecessor. However, in its specs list, the new iteration has had minor updates for its features and specs. The 2016 Galaxy A8 is powered by an Exynos 7420 processor, which is surprising. The Exynos 7420 is the chipset that is featured in the previous-generation Galaxy S6 flagship. The processor is paired with 3 GB of RAM. It also features 32 GB of onboard storage and a fingerprint scanner.

The new iteration also now has NFC, which means the new Galaxy A8 is capable of Samsung Pay support. Other specs and features include a 16-MP main camera and an 8-MP selfie shooter.

Meanwhile, although a late 2016 release, the new Galaxy A8 still comes out with Android Marshmallow 6.0.1 right out of the box, and the platform also features the new Grace UX (previously only available for the Galaxy Note 7). However, as a recent iteration, it can be expected that the 2016 Galaxy A8 will receive Android Nougat down the line.

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