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Samsung Galaxy S8 video tease doesn't reveal much

But there wasn't much to glean about the marquee phone, which will launch in New York on March 29.

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Jessica Dolcourt is a passionate content strategist and veteran leader of CNET coverage. As Senior Director of Commerce & Content Operations, she leads a number of teams, including Commerce, How-To and Performance Optimization. Her CNET career began in 2006, testing desktop and mobile software for Download.com and CNET, including the first iPhone and Android apps and operating systems. She continued to review, report on and write a wide range of commentary and analysis on all things phones, with an emphasis on iPhone and Samsung. Jessica was one of the first people in the world to test, review and report on foldable phones and 5G wireless speeds. Jessica began leading CNET's How-To section for tips and FAQs in 2019, guiding coverage of topics ranging from personal finance to phones and home. She holds an MA with Distinction from the University of Warwick (UK).
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Watch this: Samsung teases Galaxy S8 reveal for late March

Well, we had heard that Samsung would tease its upcoming Galaxy S8, and it did.

But those looking for juicy hints about the phone's rumored " Bixby" AI assistant and dual-camera array will be sorely disappointed by the company's presser here at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona.

The video was brief, with a lot of quick cuts of generic phone outlines shown in the form of everything from schematics to, er, cake. "This is a phone" it says, before adding, "This was a phone." All of a sudden, the silhouette expanded at the top and bottom edges, suggesting a taller, more narrow phone. The March 29 launch date then appeared alongside the black and white image.

It's a ratio that suggests Samsung will follow LG in giving its phone a 2:1 screen ratio, along with narrow bezels. The end result would be a phone with a larger screen-to-body ratio than past phones. But that isn't much to drool over, especially since earlier in the evening, Samsung had also emailed members of the press invitations to the S8 launch in New York. And the dimensions fit into the most well-worn rumors.

MWC 2017: All the gadgets announced so far

See all photos

The Galaxy S8 teaser video and invitation are Samsung's ways of making a bigger mark at Mobile World Congress 2017 where -- before the botched Note 7 recall -- the company was widely expected to unveil the Galaxy S8, something of a yearly tradition. Although Samsung didn't announce its top-tier phone alongside competitor devices like the LG G6 and Huawei P10 and P10 Plus, it was still able to link its flagship phone with the show.

With strong competitors like this, Samsung will need to bring its A-game.