Over the weekend, Samsung has released a new software update for its Galxy S8 line of handsets, which brings a couple of new features and inclusions. The most noticeable feature is the ability to selectively hide the navigation bar, to give users even more screen real-estate to use when using apps that don’t ordinarily offer a full-screen experience.
The new feature allows users to toggle the navigation bar on and off by tapping the left side of the navigation bar. The navigation bar will then disappear, but not completely. If you want it back, simply swipe up from the bottom of the screen. The navigation bar will also be shown whenever the on-screen keyboard is visible, and also on the home screen for ease of navigation.
Besides the navigation bar feature, other new features include new background colours for the navigation bar to better suit your mood, and improved panorama quality in the camera app. Perhaps more interesting for us, at least, is the inclusion of the June 2017 Android security patches, meaning that your Galaxy S8 is and remains nice and secure.
We’ve seen the update on Optus and un-branded (XSA) units, though we’re not sure about Telstra or Vodafone just yet. As with any other software update, this has to go through your carrier’s approval process if you have a branded handset, so you might not see the update immediately.
In any event, the update is quite small (just 67MB for Optus handsets) so it’s quick and easy to apply. Keep an eye out for these new features on your Galaxy S8 soon!
