Samsung future lies behind the ‘8’ phone

Samsung unveiled a new smartphone in the Big Apple on Wednesday — and this time it’s playing it safe with the battery.

The Galaxy S8 has a sleek, curved screen that’s larger than that of its predecessor, the Galaxy S7. It also has a new voice assistant called “Bixby” that will remind you to call your mother.

What the S8 and a larger new model, the S8 Plus, don’t have is an increase in battery life. That’s probably because last year’s Note 7, which pushed the envelope when it came to battery capacity, had a habit of exploding.

The Note 7 recall cost Samsung at least $5.3 billion. Though many customers remain loyal, industry insiders believe any further misstep could prove fatal for the brand.

“We’re in the process of earning back that trust,” Samsung marketing exec Drew Blackard said at the S8’s splashy launch in Lincoln Center.

The new models have larger displays — 5.8 inches for the S8 and 6.2 inches for the S8 Plus, compared with S7 Edge’s 5.5 inches and the Note 7’s 5.7 inches.

That means more drain on the battery. Samsung says that software and processor efficiencies will let the new phones offer all-day battery life under normal use.

The South Korean gadget maker has blamed the Note 7 fires on multiple design and manufacturing defects in its batteries. Inspectors concluded that the initial batteries were too small for their capacity, and that their external pouch put pressure on the internal structure, leading to damage and overheating.

Samsung recalled the phones and shipped replacements, but the newer batteries had welding defects and a lack of protective tape in some battery cells. The company recalled the replacements, too, and scrapped the phone.

In the US, Samsung will start taking S8 orders Thursday, with shipments scheduled for April 21.