Leo picked up the Midnight Black model. It felt impossibly thin. The associate explained the perks of the , highlighting the "Entertainment Choice" where Leo could bundle HBO for free—perfect for his long commutes. Best Buy added its own sweetener: a $150 gift card for activating on a monthly installment plan right then and there.

By the time Leo walked back to his car, his new S8 was already synced. He spent the evening testing out Bixby, marveling at the iris scanner, and snapping crisp photos that made his old phone look like a relic. It wasn't just a purchase; it was the moment he finally caught up to the future.

Leo had been nursing a cracked, sluggish phone for months, waiting for the right moment to upgrade. When he finally walked into his local , the blue-shirted mobile expert pointed him straight toward the AT&T display.

"If you're looking for the S8, this is the way to go," the associate said, tapping the edge-to-edge glass. "With , you can walk out with this for $0 down today."

The year was 2017, and the tech world was buzzing. At the center of it all was the , a device that felt like it had been sent back from the future with its "Infinity Display" and sleek, buttonless face.