The Galaxy S8 blew up Samsung's record for pre-orders

The Galaxy S8 was finally available for general purchase last week — but the flagship broke sales records before shipping a single unit.  

Pre-orders for the S8 and S8+ were up 30 percent from last year's number of reservations for the S7 and S7 Edge, according to a statement Samsung provided us via email. While concrete sales numbers weren't disclosed, the company said the S8 had the most successful pre-sale period for a smartphone in Samsung's history. 

The record number of pre-orders comes as a vote of confidence in Samsung as it continues to face scrutiny after the failure of the Galaxy Note 7 — a legacy that, while not mentioned explicitly, appears to have had a major influence on the company's messaging about the S8's successful launch. Read more...