Galaxy Note8 Cuts Into iPhone X Hype with Global Launch

“The Note8’s launch comes immediately after Apple’s announcement of the iPhone X, which uses facial recognition as the sole biometric modality for user authentication.”

Samsung’s Galaxy Note8 has officially launched around the world.

The smartphone is the latest Samsung device to prominently feature iris recognition technology, following in the footsteps of Samsung’s Galaxy S8 devices and last year’s Note7, which was ultimately recalled due to a battery-related safety hazard. It also features a fingerprint sensor positioned on the rear of the device.

The Note8’s launch comes immediately after Apple’s announcement of the iPhone X, which uses facial recognition as the sole biometric modality for user authentication. Like the Note8, the iPhone X features a full-size display and allows the user to unlock it by looking at it; as such, the devices could find themselves in close competition for consumers’ holiday shopping.

Other features of the Note8 include IP68 dust and water resistance, dual 12MP rear cameras, Optical Image Stabilization, and the S Pen stylus that is central to Samsung’s Note brand.