The Samsung Galaxy S8 and the larger S8+ are hitting the UK next month, and with them comes the next stage of wireless audio technology: Bluetooth 5.0
Bluetooth 5.0 is claimed to be an improvement on the 4.2 version of Bluetooth most current smartphones use. According to the specifications, Bluetooth 5.0 is twice as fast and has four times the range (approximately 800ft or 240m) than current Bluetooth technology, as well as being able to transmit eight times the amount of data.
This means that if you connect your phone to wireless speakers or headphones, you will be able to take the phone further away without fear of dropout. And, since Bluetooth 5.0 is backwards-compatible, existing devices will still work with your upgraded smartphone.
MORE: Samsung Galaxy S8 and S8+ are official
Bluetooth 5.0 also has benefits for those interested in building a smarthome or having the latest wearable technology - and the greater range and reduced interference between products means the Galaxy S8 can provide a more sophisticated control panel.
Although audio quality won't necessarily improve, you can connect more pairs of headphones to the Galaxy S8. Samsung's "Bluetooth Dual Audio" feature means the S8 can be paired with two Bluetooth headphones simultaneously, and the volume of each pair controlled independently.
This means that sharing earbuds, or using the 3.5mm-jack AKG headphones that come with the phone following Samsung's $8bn purchase of Harman last year, could both be a thing of a past.
