The Galaxy S8 is one of the most highly anticipated smartphones of the year not only because it’s the next flagship Android device from Samsung but also because the Seoul-based tech giant is reportedly sparing no expense on launching an amazing phone that will make people forget about the Galaxy Note 7 fiasco. While the device will almost certainly boast premium hardware and a unique design, Samsung is also allegedly looking to ennoble the Galaxy S8 with some incredibly unique features. One of them is a highly advanced AI called Bixby, and another is called Samsung DeX, which is short for Samsung Desktop Experience. While the latter feature isn’t based on a completely novel idea, it has the potential to turn the Galaxy S8 into a revolutionary device as no consumer electronics manufacturer has yet managed to successfully commercialize the futuristic phone-to-PC concept.
Recent reports suggest that Samsung DeX is a solution for turning the Galaxy S8 into a fully-fledged personal computer. The South Korean tech giant apparently designed a special docking station for the Galaxy S8 which allows consumers to easily connect their phone to a larger monitor and use it as a traditional desktop PC. If it’s implemented successfully, this technology could revolutionize the way in which the average consumer goes about fulfilling their everyday computing needs. Seeing how many people own relatively low-end laptops and desktop PCs which they only use for basic tasks like Internet browsing, media consumption, and word processing, a flagship Android device like the Galaxy S8 certainly has more than enough raw power to serve their needs. In fact, some consumers may even find a docked Galaxy S8 more useful than a laptop seeing how they’d likely still be able to make and receive phone calls and text messages while using the phone in desktop mode. Sure, there are already ways to have that kind of experience using a traditional PC, but Samsung DeX would presumably work seamlessly – you just place the Galaxy S8 in a dock and you’re ready to go.
It remains to be seen whether hybrid 2-in-1 computers will ever appeal to a massive audience, but it’s possible that the ultimate portable computer isn’t a tablet with a keyboard, but a phone. Samsung already toyed with this concept when it introduced the Galaxy Note II with a complimentary Smart Dock, but the technology for emulating a true desktop PC experience with a phone just wasn’t there yet back in 2012. However, it seemingly is now, as evidenced by the fact that Microsoft Continuum is already a perfectly usable technology. Unfortunately, Continuum is only supported by a small number of Windows 10 Mobile devices which severely inhibits its potential. However, if Samsung manages to come up with a similar solution and implement it into the Galaxy S8, the South Korean tech giant has a great chance of becoming the first consumer electronics manufacturer to successfully commercialize this concept.
On the other side of the spectrum, there’s the upcoming Nintendo Switch that will also utilize the 2-in-1 concept by offering a device that’s both a home console and a portable gaming machine. When docked, the Switch will be able to use its hardware to full potential a render a 1080p image and Samsung may adopt a similar approach with the Galaxy S8 and Samsung DeX. The company’s upcoming Android flagship will likely charge when docked, so battery life won’t be an issue and the device will be able to dedicate all available resources to emulating a true desktop PC experience.
Given how Samsung already has experience with developing phone-to-PC solutions and smartphone hardware is finally able to rival that found in many contemporary laptops, Samsung Dex and the Galaxy S8 could end up being a revolutionary combination that will change the way in which many people fulfill their computing needs. Of course, provided that the Seoul-based conglomerate manages to deliver a polished product at a reasonable price and not ship another Smart Dock for the Galaxy Note II. More information on the Galaxy S8 and Samsung DeX is bound to follow in the coming weeks as Samsung’s next Android flagship is expected to launch by mid-April.