All the places you can buy the Galaxy S8 and S8+
And who has the best special offers.
If you're looking to make sure you're among the first to own Samsung's swanky new Galaxy S8 but don't want to line up outside a store on April 21st, you're in luck. Major and minor carriers alike have announced that they're running pre-order campaigns (with some hefty incentives) starting as early as tomorrow. Here's what each has planned:
AT&T will begin taking orders both online and in stores tomorrow, March 30th. If you're on the AT&T Next program, the $750 S8 will cost $25 a month for 30 months and the $850 S8+ can be had for $28.34. For AT&T Next Every Year customers those prices increase to $31.25 and $35.42, respectively, over 24 months.
The carrier is offering a whole slew of incentives if you do opt to pre-order. First, you'll receive up to $750 in credits towards another Samsung Galaxy S8 or S8+. It also comes with a Gear VR headset, controller and some bundled content. You can also pick up a Gear S3 smartwatch for $50 (they normally retail for $300) with a two-year service agreement. And finally, AT&T will try to unload a Tab E or Gear S2 on your for $1 if you go in on a 2 year service agreement.
Verizon Wireless' offers are a bit more... nuanced. For a limited time with an eligible trade in device and enrollment in the Verizon Unlimited Plan, you can get the S8 or S8+ for as little as $15 a month. Otherwise you'll pay $30 for the S8 and $35 for the S8+. There are a bunch of restrictions on that offer so make sure you read the fine print before you pull out your wallet.
To sweeten the deal, Verizon will throw in one of two Samsung Gear VR bundles. You can get the Controller Bundle ($180 value) for free, which includes a Gear VR with controller and Oculus content. Or you can splurge on the Experience Box ($550 value) for $100, which includes the Controller Bundle plus a pair of Harman Kardon headphones and a 256GB micro SD card. These bonuses are only available before April 21st and must be redeemed at the Samsung promotions site before May 21st.
T-Mobile isn't one to be left out. In addition to opening its pre-order window at 9:01 PT tonight, the company will offer the S8 for $30 a month on its Equipment Installment Plan, though you'll need to pay $30 up front. The S8+ will cost you the same per month but you'll need to drop $130 when you order. Whichever size you go for, you will get a free Gear VR with controller and Oculus content. MetroPCS customers won't be able to pre-order but they can still score the Gear VR bundle when the phone launches on April 21st.
Sprint's offer is a cross between AT&T's and Verizon's. You can pre-order starting tomorrow. The S8 and S8+ will cost $31.25 and $35.42 per month, respectively, for 18 months (a half year less than AT&T's 24-month plan). Plus, if you pay the first 12 installments on the phone, you'll be able to upgrade to whatever the next Galaxy handset will be. Boost Mobile and Virgin Mobile USA customers, however, will have to wait until April 21st to purchase.
Sprint's bonus bundle is identical to Verizon's: the $180-value Gear VR with Controller with Oculus Bonus Content will be free and the $550-value Gear VR, headphone and memory card set will cost you $100.
US Cellular has a heck of an offer: Trade in an eligible phone (Galaxy S6 or later; iPhone 5s or later) between March 30th and April 20th and the carrier will give you an S8 or S8+ for free. If you don't have a phone to trade in, US Cellular will still give you a $100 promotional gift card. The company will also throw in the Gear VR with Controller bundle. You will need to be on the Total Plan or Shared Connect plan and subscribe to the company's Device Protection + program as well.
We also expect Cricket Wireless and Straight Talk Wireless to carry the handsets, however they have yet to release information on bundles and availability. As they do, we'll update this post.
Click here to catch all the latest news from Samsung's Galaxy S8 launch event!
