Samsung boosted by impressive S8 pre-orders

Pre-orders for Samsung’s flagship Galaxy S8 smartphone have exceeded those of its predecessor, the firm’s mobile chief said yesterday, suggesting many consumers are unfazed by last year’s Galaxy Note 7 fires.

Strong initial demand for the S8 will be encouraging for a firm recovering from one of the worst product safety failures in tech history, which ended in the Note 7’s swift withdrawal.

The new smartphone has received favourable reviews ahead of the start of sales in South Korea, the US and Canada at the end of next week. Some investors and analysts have even predicted a first-year sales record for the South Korean company.