The Samsung Galaxy S8 arrives with several new features, making it the flagship launch of the Galaxy family. Among these new features are numerous redesigns and improvements to the physical buttons . One notable addition is the ability to access the phone's camera via a dedicated physical button.
A physical button to access the camera
The Samsung Galaxy S8, for the first time, does away with its physical Home button , which has even moved the fingerprint reader to the back. This highlights the presence of a dedicated physical button for Bixby . In the first phone where Samsung has done away with the Home button, there is a button for the intelligent assistant, reminding us how important it will be on the smartphone.
But the news isn't about Bixby, but rather about the smartphone's camera , or more precisely, how to access it. It will be accessible via a physical button . And no, there won't be a dedicated camera button; instead, the phone's power button will be used to access the camera: a double press will launch the app and allow you to take a photo. This eliminates the need for a dedicated camera button.
However, if we don't want the Samsung Galaxy S8 to have this option, we can activate and deactivate it from the Settings > Advanced features > Camera quick launch menu , so we can have the option of very quick access to the camera or, on the contrary, deactivate this possibility so that the power button is only used to turn the screen on or off.
Gestures and shortcuts that speed up your photos
- Open the cameraFrom the home screen, tap the Camera icon; you can also press twice the Power button or, from the lock screen, slide the icon camera looking upwards.
- disparar: tap the shutter button; if you prefer, use the volume buttons as a physical trigger.
- Switch between camerasUse the shift icon or slide in any direction to switch between the rear and front cameras.
- Zoom and focus: makes pinch to zoom in/out and tap on the desired area to focus with precision.
More useful shortcuts and tricks for the Galaxy S8
The on-screen navigation bar lets you show or hide buttons to make the most of the screen. From Settings > Display > you can configure the Home area pressure to unlock and adjust the behavior of the virtual buttons.
The edge screen is especially useful if you configure it carefully: in Display > Edge , activate the panels for quick access to apps and edge lighting per app, so you can identify notifications even with the phone face down.
Always On Display mode lets you pin reminders and notes to your lock screen. Copy the text to the Reminders app and select "Keep on Always On Display" to see it without unlocking your phone.
You also have sensor gestures : swipe up on the fingerprint reader to open Samsung Pay and down to pull down notifications. Additionally, in Settings > Display > Edge display > Edge lighting > More options, you can enable Quick reply to answer calls with messages when you can't answer.
For screenshots, combine Power + Volume Down or activate the palm swipe gesture to enable “Smart Capture”, with options for continuous scrolling and cropping the area.
Multitasking shines with split - screen from the recent apps menu, and the pop-up view lets you clip a portion of the app (like a player) to keep it floating while you browse.
With these settings and shortcuts, the Galaxy S8 takes advantage of its hardware and software to offer instant access to the camera and controls that reduce steps, helping you not to miss any shots.
