Galaxy S8 pre-orders may ship as early as Apr 18

Galaxy S8 pre-orders may ship as early as Apr 18

Expect a big pre-order push in Samsung's home market.

As it looks to draw a line under last year's Note 7 unpleasantness, Samsung is reportedly betting big on Galaxy S8 pre-orders. South Korean outlet The Investor reports that subsidized deals for the new flagship will be unveiled from April 7, with pre-orders shipping out to customers as soon as April 18. It's worth noting that this likely refers to Korea, not necessarily other parts of the world, where an April 28 ship date has been rumored.

A "nationwide hands-on event" will also launch immediately after the March 29 launch event, the outlet reports. Again, this probably refers to Korea, though don't be surprised to see local Samsung offices adopting similar strategies in the run up to retail availability.

The Investor's sources predict that Korean Galaxy S8 pre-orders will exceed the 400,000 unit figure hit by the Note 7 in its 13-day pre-order period. That's a safe bet considering the Galaxy S series' more mainstream appeal, and the fact that it's been over a year since the (successful) Samsung flagship launch.

As we approach the March 29 launch event, we're getting a clear look at the GS8's hardware thanks to leaked renders, as Samsung officially unveils its "Bixby" assistant feature.

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