Samsung Galaxy Note 8 with dual rear cameras, 6.3-inch screen launched

Unveiled five months after brisk-selling S8; predecessor Note 7 recalled after battery fires

Samsung Electronics Co Ltd set out to wipe the slate clean in New York on Wednesday with a new Galaxy Note 8 phablet, hoping features such as dual rear cameras and its biggest-ever screen will extinguish memories of its fire-prone predecessor.

The world's largest smartphone maker by market share has put safety at the centre of a phone-cum-tablet that is likely to compete for pre-holiday season sales with a widely expected 10th anniversary iPhone from U.S. rival Apple Inc.

The unveiling comes five months after the release of the Galaxy S8 smartphone. Analysts said brisk sales of that device indicate