Samsung Galaxy S8 can double up as a desktop computer, says report

The highly anticipated new phone will reportedly launch in late March before hitting shelves in April

The Galaxy S7 came in both curved and flat-screen options, but rumours suggest the S8 will not (REUTERS/Albert Gea)

The Samsung Galaxy S8 will launch in late March before becoming available for purchase in April, according to a new report.

The company recently confirmed that its next flagship handset would not make an appearance at Mobile World Congress next month, and the Guardian, citing “well placed sources”, now claims that it will go on sale “on or around” 21 April.

The report also claims that users will be able to turn the S8 into an Android-running desktop computer by hooking it up to a dock, monitor and keyboard, with a new feature called desktop extension (DeX).

Expected to work in a similar manner to Microsoft’s Continuum, Samsung will likely use DeX to push the S8 as a bona fide business device, potentially adding a few extra pounds to its price tag in the process.

The Galaxy S8 will reportedly come in two different size options from 5-6-inches, and feature a larger screen than its predecessors, dubbed an “infinity” display.

It is said to cover the vast majority of the smartphone’s front face, leaving no room for a home button or even Samsung’s logo. As such, the fingerprint scanner has been moved to the handset’s rear side.

Both models will have a dual-edge curved display, like the Galaxy S7 Edge, and Samsung has decided to keep the 3.5mm headphone jack around, unlike Apple.

The iris-scanning biometric technology used by the Note 7 will be included too, allowing users to unlock the S8 and authenticate purchases with their eyes.

The phone will also feature an AI assistant, identified as Bixby in previous reports, which will be capable of recognising real-world objects through the S8’s camera.