Samsung to launch Galaxy A8 this week

Samsung Electronics Co. plans to start sales of the mid-end Galaxy A8 smartphone this week, with the country's No. 2 mobile carrier KT Corp. beginning preorders Tuesday.

The mobile carrier said the factory price of the Galaxy A8 smartphone stands at 599,500 won ($561), although discounts will be provided depending on subscription plans. The colors available are black, blue and gold.

A model poses with Samsung Electronics Co.`s Galaxy A8 smartphone in this photo released by South Korea`s No. 1 mobile carrier KT Corp. on Jan. 2, 2018. (Yonhap)

The official release is slated for Friday.

The Galaxy A8 smartphone supports various features of Samsung's high-end models, including the mobile payment system, Samsung Pay. It also connects to the Gear VR, Samsung's virtual-reality headset.

The South Korean tech giant said the Galaxy A8 smartphone is the first Galaxy device to adopt a dual-lens camera on the front. The products will come with 16-megapixel and 8-megapixel cameras for selfies, along with a 16-megapixel camera on the back. (Yonhap)