Grand launch for latest smartphone
South Korean star launches Samsung’s most advanced mobile device
KUALA LUMPUR: South Korean celebrity Song Ji-hyo launched the Samsung Galaxy Note 8 to great fanfare and a massive crowd at the Pavilion Kuala Lumpur.
Song, one of the stars of the popular long-running variety show Running Man, demonstrated Live Message, a feature unique to the Note 8.
Live Message allows users to draw or write animated messages using the Note 8’s S Pen with glittering or glowing effects before sending to friends.
The Note 8 also makes it easier to take lengthy notes – up to 100 pages – even without unlocking the phone.
“The Note 8 has a refined design, an enhanced S Pen, best-in-class dual cameras, and innovative entertainment and productivity capabilities to help people do bigger things,” said Samsung Malaysia Electronics head of IT and mobile business, Liew Kian Meng.
It’s the first Galaxy smartphone to feature dual 12-megapixel rear cameras – one wide angle and the other telephoto – so users can shoot photos with better zoom or the popular Bokeh effect.
It has a large 6.3in QHD+ Super Amoled screen – the biggest on a Note device – which Samsung calls the Infinity Display.
“Today, we are combining the Infinity Display from the Galaxy S8 and S8+ with the S Pen and bringing it to the Note users for the very first time,” said Samsung Malaysia Electronics head of product marketing Julien Thean.
The Note 8 is powered by Samsung’s Exynos 8895 octa core processor and has 6GB RAM, 64GB of internal storage (expandable to 256GB via microSD) and 3,300mAh battery.
It also has an iris scanner and fingerprint sensor for unlocking the device, and meets the IP68 standard for water and dust resistance.
The Note 8 retails for RM3,999 and comes in three colour options – Midnight Black, Maple Gold and Orchid Grey.
This is the second time a member of the popular South Korean variety show has graced Samsung’s launch. In March last year, Song’s co-star Lee Kwang-soo was at the launch of the Galaxy S7 Edge at Suria KLCC.