Samsung’s highly awaited launched for its new flagship smartphones, the Galaxy S9 and S9+ series, at the annual Mobile World Congress in Barcelona has been struck with disaster, with a three-minute promotional video being leaked merely 24 hours before the official reveal. The gaffe, whether intended or inadvertent, exposes all the much-touted features of the Galaxy S9 models, with the leaked video being posted on YouTube by Slashleaks. Official press images (included in the article below) have also been revealed by legendary leaker Evan Blass aka @evleaks. You can watch the entire thing below:
In case you are unable to watch the video, here is a brief description of all the features. They are mostly a confirmation of all the leaks posted earlier in the month by WinFuture.
Design Similar to the Galaxy S8, With a Few Changes
- Though the design is based on the Samsung Galaxy S8, there are some noticeable differences. For instance, the top and bottom bezels of the Galaxy S9 are slightly thinner than the S8.
- Different rear panel for both Galaxy S9 and S9+
- One of the most awful design decisions Samsung took with Galaxy S8 was to position the fingerprint sensor beside the camera. Thankfully, common sense prevailed and it is now below the camera in the S9 series.
- IP68 dust and water resistance has been retained
- New colors available- Midnight Black, Titanium Gray, Lilac Purple, and Coral Blue
Display- Infinity Sizes, Super AMOLED Panels Retained
- Both Galaxy S9 (5.8 inch) and S9+ (6.2 inch) models have the same ‘Infinity’ sizes as their predecessors
- The Super AMOLED panels with 2960×1440 resolutions have also been retained
Dual Camera for S9+ To Make It Preferred Buyer Option?
- To get a leg up in low light photography, both phones have upgraded 12 MP primary rear cameras with class-leading F1.5 apertures.
- Front cameras remain the same at 8 MP with F1.7 aperture.
- However, following the Apple model of differing cameras for the same flagship, the Galaxy S9+ will also have a dual camera with F2.4 aperture for portrait photos and 2x zoom. This will surely make buyers go for the more expensive model.
- You will also be able to do super slow-mo video recording at up to 960 frames per second.
Processor and Performance- Snapdragon 845, Dual Sim Support, Headphone Jack
- Both the Galaxy phones will run on Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 845 chipset in the U.S., while models in the rest of the world will be powered by the Exynos 9810, which is way faster. If you are wondering why users in the U.S. will have a comparatively lower experience than others, it is because of an age-old licensing agreement between Samsung and Qualcomm, dating back to 1993, which forbids Samsung from selling its own Exynos chips in the U.S.
- Galaxy S9 will have 4 GB RAM, while the S9 Plus will have 6 GB RAM
- Internal storage will be of 64 GB by default, though nothing is known about the larger models
- The microSD memory slot and headphone jack will be on both models- GREAT decision.
- Both models will have AKG-tuned dual stereo speakers
- Dual SIM support expected in most regions
Facials Unlocks, 3D Emojis
- Facial unlock is faster, accurate and more secure in both phones through ‘Intelligent Scan’, which combines an Iris sensor with facial recognition.
- Similar to Apple’s Animoji, Samsung has 3D Emoji in the Galaxy S9 models, and the great thing is that you can even create 3D avatars of yourself.
Software
- The phones ship with Android 8.0 Oreo, which is a bit strange because Android 8.1 is the current version.
- The Korean giant has introduced the new user interface- ‘Samsung Experience’, which succeeds the TouchWiz, and offers several tweaks and improvements over the previous UI.
Battery- Same as for Galaxy S8
- The Galaxy S9 will have 3000 mAh battery, and the S9 Plus will have 3500 mAh, which is the same as last year. This is slightly disappointing as there are already many smartphones available in the market that have a great battery life. However, battery life is still likely to be good enough owing to improvements in software and hardware.
- Wireless charging will be fast, which was kinda expected.
Pre-orders and Pricing
Pre-orders will start on the official launch date i.e. February 25 and will arrive at retailers from March 8, 2018. Pricing will be on the higher side, with the Samsung Galaxy S9 costing around $1,044, and the Galaxy S9 Plus setting you back by $1,220.