It’s Samsung’s Winter Olympics phone

Samsung have released a striking, wintry new version of the Galaxy Note 8.

So, how can you get your eager hands on it?

Become an Olympic athlete, or someone who supports one.

Sorry to be such a buzzkill. The Korean company has handed out these limited-edition versions of the supersized phone as an exclusive gift to athletes (and their coaches) competing in the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics and Paralympics.

We can’t say they haven’t earned it; we’re just a little bit jealous.

What makes it so special? It’s fitted with white back glass – of course, being the Winter Olympics – and is decorated with golden accents, similar to those found on the Olympic Torch itself, and the Olympics emblem.

Is anything different with the phone’s actual functions? In short, no.

It’s the same machine on the inside, bar the pre-uploaded Pyeongchang themed wallpapers, but we can’t deny it’s a crying shame they won’t be up for grabs for us ‘normals’ anyway. Samsung did decide to distribute the 2016 Galaxy S7 Edge a couple of years ago, of course, though it only sold a couple of thousand units globally. Perhaps the exclusivity of the phone actually put people off when they acknowledged the reasons why they were created in the first place – that they had reached the pinnacle of their sporting careers!

Nearly 5,000 devices in total were distributed, including the Paralympic Winter Games participants and their coaches. There’s also a bonus in store there: they’ll receive a Paralympic Games-themed case for their new phones.

There was come confrontation with Iran and North Korea after they weren’t included in the presentation due to “concerns over sanctions” – this isn’t the place to comment on the geopolitical scene, though we can imagine why there may have been concerns and frustrations, arguably from both sides. Eventually, the International Olympic Committee (IOC), who initially declined to comment, said athletes from both nations would receive their phones but North Korea could not return home with them.

Samsung have been an Olympic Games partner for decades and, so, a special edition of some device was to be expected, not to mention it is, of course, an event being held in the company’s home country!

Fancy a Samsung Note 8 yourself?  Well we don’t have the White version available, but you can get it in Black or Gold here.