The Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8+ offer countless new features to help you get the most out of your smartphone. We all use our handsets differently, and the features that appeal to me may not be as appealing to you. That's just the way these things work. That being said, I thought I would share with you the five Galaxy S8 features that have made my life easier.
This is by no means a comprehensive list; it doesn't discount any other useful features on the Galaxy S8, and some of these features are also included on other devices. I am simply highlighting the five features that I am relying on every single day to get the most out of my new device.
Blue Light Filter
Overexposure of blue light, the kind that electronic displays emit, is not that great for the human eye. Most of us don't protect ourselves from overexposure as we have a habit of using our smartphones, tablets, and notebook in the dark at night. That's where blue light filters come in.
There are countless apps on the Google Play Store that apply a filter on the display to control the exposure. I like that the Galaxy S8 has a blue light filter built into the software, and I use it every single day. Granted, this is more of a Nougat feature, as the blue light filter is standard on Samsung's Nougat update for all compatible devices, but it's still utterly useful to have as an in-built feature on a phone.
Samsung allows you to tinker with the filter's settings. You can set its opacity and configure it to turn on as scheduled. It needs access to location information in order to turn the filter on and off from sunset to sunrise. You can also set a custom schedule so that it's only enabled at your preferred time.
Edge Panels
The Edge panel feature has been around since the Galaxy S6 edge and Samsung has improved it considerably for the Galaxy S8. It's another feature that I use on a daily basis. Edge panels can be accessed by swiping left on the tab that's displayed on the right edge of the screen.
The Galaxy S8's Edge panel picks up the Smart Select feature from Samsung's Galaxy Note devices. It enables users to capture random sections of content on the screen in rectangular or oval form. It can also be used to create GIFs from specific parts of the screen. The feature can be used to pin an image at the top of the screen so that the image is placed on top of every app.
I like this feature as it allows me to configure the panels to my liking. I can keep an eye on the market with just a few swipes and not have to jump through apps. I can also find countless Edge panel options that further expand the usability of this great feature.
Secure Folder
Samsung introduced Secure Folder with the Galaxy Note 7 last year. It has since been released for the Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 edge. It comes pre-installed on the Galaxy S8. Secure Folder creates a separate and private space on the device where apps, files, images, and documents can be securely stored. The contents of Secure Folder are not visible during normal use.
Secure Folder actually creates a separate entity for apps that are used inside it which means you can have two WhatsApp accounts running on the same device. I like this feature as it enables me to use two accounts in apps that might not otherwise have support for more than one account on a single device.
It really helps keep my mind at ease even when my device is unlocked and is being used by other people. All apps that have sensitive information and personal documents are locked in Secure Folder so even if someone snoops around, they can't get in unless I open Secure Folder using my fingerprint. I can even hide the Secure Folder's icon if I want to.
Multi Window
The Multi Window feature has long been a fixture on Samsung devices. We highlighted this fact when Android N was revealed as it was the first iteration of Android from Google to come with Multi Window as an integral part of the feature set.
This feature proves to be very useful if you have the Galaxy S8+ as I do. The added screen real estate is great for having two apps open simultaneously. I like how easy it is to get two apps up and running side by side without having to jump through different settings. It's very intuitive.
Small refinements like the ability to swap app positions, pop one app out in a separate window and manage Multi Window from the notifications shade really go a long way in making this a feature that you can rely upon daily.
Finger Sensor Gestures
Last but not the least, I find the Finger Sensor Gestures feature to be quite useful. It's something that we've seen on a lot of other Android handsets. You swipe down on the fingerprint sensor to open the notifications shade.
Now, there has been a lot of talk about the placement of the Galaxy S8's fingerprint sensor, but many have realized now that it's not something that they can't get used to easily. Samsung has tried to make the most of what's being perceived as a bad move by enabling this feature. The only caveat I have with it is that Samsung could have made it more useful by allowing the notification shade to expand when the user swipes down on the sensor for the second time. It doesn't do that currently, but Samsung will hopefully address this in a future update.
That's it. These are the five Galaxy S8 features that I use every single day to get the most out of my handset. Yes, there are many other features that make for a great user experience on the Galaxy S8 and S8+ , but the ones listed above are my top five.
What do you think about these features? Do you use them too? Share your point of view with us in the comments section below, and also let us know which Galaxy S8 features have made your life easier.
