With the launch of its sleek and powerful flagship devices — Galaxy S8 and S8 Plus earlier last month, Samsung has already been made sales records across the globe. Those were carrier-locked versions of the device, but the Korean giant has today opened pre-orders for the unlocked variants in the United States.
You can presently place an order for your choice of smartphone, the 5.8-inch Galaxy S8 or the 6.2-inch S8 Plus, from either Best Buy or Samsung.com. The precedent of an unlocked device is that you have complete control over what network and plan you would like to opt for. It provides you with a sense of freedom — no added bloatware and works even in foreign lands, where you can just swap SIM cards.
Speaking on the release, Tim Baxter, president and COO of Samsung Electronics America, said:
With the Galaxy S8 and S8+, we reinvented what a mobile phone looks like, how you interact with it, and what kinds of experiences it can deliver. By combining the freedom that Unlocked by Samsung provides, with the innovative and groundbreaking features of our latest flagship phones, we are giving consumers even more choice and convenience for their mobile needs.
But, there are drawbacks to the said device option as well. You will have to shell out at least $724.99 for the 64GB unlocked Galaxy S8 and $824.99 for the 64GB unlocked S8 Plus. The devices will only be available in one color variant — Midnight Black. You will have to pay the complete, hefty cost of the smartphone upfront, while carrier bundled versions cost only half of that. You also do not receive the free services which come bundled with the device. You can also choose a financing option from underneath:
Qualified consumers can purchase their unlocked Galaxy S8 or Galaxy S8+ for $30.21/month (Galaxy S8) or $34.38/month (Galaxy S8+) at www.samsung.com (0% APR with 24 equal monthly payments).
The unlocked versions of the Galaxy S8 lineup have currently only be made available in the United States. There is no word on when they will make their way to other geographical regions. Once the pre-order duration is complete, the Samsung Galaxy S8 and S8 Plus will become available widely at online channels and offline retail stores on May 31, 2017. As for India, the device is already available for purchase exclusively via Flipkart, starting at ₹57,900.
