Everything You Need to Know About the New Samsung Galaxy S9
We waited and waited and waited. Now the countdown is over – the Samsung Galaxy 9 has finally arrived. Launched at the Mobile World Congress 2018 the latest addition to Samsung’s line-up has been met with critical acclaim as well as some criticism. Here we dive into the details – the price the specs the features and the news.
The Quick-Fire Overview
Available from March 16th 2018 the Samsung Galaxy S9 is just as sleek as its S8 predecessor and features one incredibly impressive camera (packing in 12 mega pixels and beating the Google Pixel 2 XL hands down).
Unsurprisingly this model is being marketed with the tagline “The camera. Reimagined”.
It’s slick good looks are lifted from the Galaxy S8 and while the flagship AR (Augmented Reality) Emoji feature isn’t as sophisticated as it could be this handset is going to please consumers en masse not just the die-hard Galaxy fans.
The Techie Details
Display resolution: QHD+ (1440 x 2960)
Display size: 5.8-inch 18.5:9 ratio
Display tech: Super AMOLED
Chipset: Exynos 9810/Snapdragon 845
RAM: 4GB
Storage: 64GB
Rear camera: 12MP
Front camera: 8MP
Battery: 3000mAh
Software: Android 8 Oreo
The Price
£739 - right now that’s the price you’ll be looking at if you’re planning on purchasing the handset outright. This is a pretty significant leap as compared to the S8 which hit the shelves at £689 when it launched in April 2017.
As with all new smartphone models in the modern day it seems to make sense to buy it via contract – at least for now - with the cheapest packages starting from £39 a month with a free S9 or £49 a month with a £49 monthly fee.
For and Against – The Main Pros and Cons of the Samsung Galaxy S9
The Pros
THAT Camera
The 12MP rear sensor showcases optical image stabilisation as well as new dual-aperture technology powering the camera in automatically adjusting to the best settings to adapt to the light of the scene. This results in the ability to shoot pictures with more colour and detail and less noise in low level light. Handily enough these images will have the hardware to make them look even better as the Super AMOLED panel and the taller 18.5:9 aspect ratio improves on the S9 offering while the curved screen completes the piece with a futuristic flourish (ideal for playing games and watching the latest Netflix release).
A New Addition to the Colour Line Up
The S9 will come in the usual Midnight Black or Coral Blue and also joining the line-up will be a completely new colour scheme - Lilac Purple. Just like the S8 its build will be crafted from metal and glass.
Sharper (and Louder) Sounds
The S9 features two speakers tuned by the respected audio pros at AKG Acoustics who have created a handset that is 1.5 times louder than the S8. But it’s not just about the volume level as Dolby support provides for immersive 360-degree sound.
Impressive Improvements in Super Slow-Mo
The Slow-Mo feature that can be shot with the rear camera has come on leaps and bounds allowing you to shoot at 960 frames per second – which is four times slower than the S8. It has also been enriched with motion-detection allowing for easier recording.
A More Finger-Friendly Sensor
Let’s just say that the placement of the digit reader on the S8 S8 Plus and Note 8 was less than admired by consumers. The good news with the S9 is that the location of the sensor has been moved from beside the camera to below it – making it more ergonomically-sound.
What’s more the actual process for setting up your fingerprint is more streamlined with an average of three swipes to register as compared to an average of 16 on the S8.
Improvements to Samsung’s Smart Assistant
You’d be forgiven for thinking that Bixby (Samsung’s virtual assistant) fades into the background compared to Google Home Alexa and Siri but it seems that Samsung are taking steps to change that. Most notably the S9 brings a few brand-new features for Bixby – including phone tracking; food identification (on which it feeds back nutritional data such as calorie estimation); a beautify mode for your pics and menu/text language translation (perfect for translating restaurant menus whilst holidaying).
The Cons
Limited differences aesthetically to the S8
So the S8 was pretty breath-taking when it arrived having undergone a significant facelift since the S7. By comparison the S9 doesn’t differ from its predecessor in terms of looks and showcases the same Infinity Display screen size (5.8 inches) resolution (QHD+) and aspect ratio (18.5:9). Hardware wise there are further similarities to be found including the same size battery (3000mAh); RAM and internal storage (4GB and 64GB); as well as featuring an identical headphone jack and IP68 dust-and-water-resistant rating.
That all said what is new about this incarceration has been worth waiting for – not just the camera and sensor but also the new Exynos 9810 chipset the fresh Android 8 Oreo software and the slight differences in looks such as the slimmer bezels on the top and bottom of the phone.
Limitations to the AR Emoji Feature
The S9 welcomes in AR Emoji – Samsung’s answer to Apple’s Animoji feature. In many ways this feature works similarly to creating a character in The Sims using high-tech facial recognition to create a smooth pixelated you.
However the criticism of this feature is two-fold – first the characters remain somewhat limited at least for the time being (there 12 outfits and seven types of glasses). Second the suggested emojis that are automatically ‘matched’ to your features have reportedly had hit and miss results. Numerous reviewers out there are noting that the likeness is sometimes far from similar to the user. Nevertheless it is in its first version so we could see significant changes with future software updates.
With so much to offer the S9 is more than a worthwhile update to the S8. With a vastly improved camera and the same stunning looks it’s a worthy investment so you may want to wrap up this cherished piece of tech in an equally as worthy Samsung Galaxy S9 Case.