The Samsung Galaxy S9 is the first new flagship smartphone of 2018, older now but still amazing.
With LG and Huawei failing to announce new flagship smartphones at MWC 2018, all eyes are on Samsung. The word “focus” is appropriate given that the Galaxy S9 is mostly about new and enhanced camera technology.
In a few areas, the Samsung Galaxy S9 improved on its predecessor, the Galaxy S8, which was already one of the greatest smartphones at the time.
There is a slew of features that prospective Galaxy S9 buyers would find attractive. Yes, the design is similar to the Galaxy S8. In truth, if Samsung ever tried to copy Apple’s naming policy, this should have been an Apple-esque ‘S’ edition of that model.
But there’s a more powerful camera on the back, with true innovation in the dual-aperture shutter, a more sturdy frame, and so much more power beneath the hood.
The screen is bright, and the dual speakers make this even more of a media marvel. The Galaxy S9 fixes one weak point with the S8 by making it easy to unlock the device with your face or finger, which 2017’s model failed to do – and that’s why it is one of the best smartphones around when it first came out, though it has since fallen down the rankings.
The Samsung Galaxy S9 was released on March 16, 2018. The Galaxy S9 launched for £739, $318.49, or AU$1,199 SIM-free from Samsung, but it’s now much, much cheaper. In reality, you can get it for around a third of that amount, and that doesn’t even include bargain pricing.
In the United Kingdom, the initial pricing was a significant increase over the previous year’s phone, which began at £689. However, the price has since decreased, and if you shop about, you can purchase the Galaxy S9 for roughly £475 in the UK and for as little as $399 in the US depending on where you shop, making it a much more affordable option.
However, there are no storage options for this phone accessible in the UK or the US, with only the 64GB option available, although the Galaxy S9 is available in 128GB and 256GB editions in various areas.
The Samsung Galaxy S9 is clearly a redesigned version of the Galaxy S8, rather than a whole new device. If you think of it as a point update in software terms, this is effectively the ‘Galaxy S8.1’ or ‘Galaxy S8s’.
With a very identical look to its predecessor, it’s difficult to tell which is the Galaxy S9. Only minimal changes have been made to the front: the bezels above and below the screen are a little slimmer. It’s not immediately visible, but keep in mind that the S8 already had incredibly thin bezels.
The Samsung Galaxy S9 is a touch shorter than the S8. It’s a little thicker and heavier at 8.5mm and 163g, although neither figure is significant.
The fingerprint scanner has been moved below the camera, making the change more visible at the rear. Samsung certainly listened to customer criticism on this, so it not only looks prettier, but it’s also a lot simpler to reach and operate. You might still smear the camera now and again, but it’s far less likely.
It’s comfortable to hold, however, the glass back cover makes it slick. The curved edges of the front glass, in particular, make it more prone to fractures than a more standard form.
It may come as excellent news to you that Samsung has not followed Apple’s lead and included a notch at the top of the screen. The display, in fact, is one area that hasn’t moved since the Galaxy S8, remaining at 5.8in on the ordinary model and increasing to 6.2in on the Galaxy S9+.
As previously said, both phones have the curved Infinity Display. So you really only need to select which size you want – the S9+ does, however, offer different camera technology and a handful of additional advantages.
Samsung’s 18.5:9 aspect ratio, Quad HD+ resolution, and Super AMOLED technology remain unchanged. It’s still one of the greatest displays on the market. It appears a touch brighter when compared to our Galaxy S8.
You can use features like Edge screen, where you can swipe in from the side and flick between several panels of things like favorite contacts, applications, and more, as previously mentioned. There’s also an always-on function that shows vital information on the lock screen even when the phone is turned off.
The enhanced speaker arrangement is another significant feature of the Samsung Galaxy S9. If you’re bored of having sound fly out the bottom of your phone, you’ll love the fact that the top earpiece can now fire sound directly towards your face.
These speakers have also been adjusted to enable Dolby Atmos sound. It gives you a feeling of space from your phone’s audio.
Considering how tiny this phone is, the total volume and clarity of sound it produces is remarkable.
The sound quality isn’t the best on the market. The iPhone X has a little more punch and clarity, but the Galaxy S9 is a little blurrier – but the goal here isn’t to replace a Bluetooth speaker, but rather to deliver a pleasant experience when listening to music or podcasts without earbuds.
The fingerprint sensor has been moved to a more accessible place beneath the camera. According to Samsung, it is also easier to identify each new finger with only 3 swipes rather than the many more touches required earlier.
The fingerprint scanner is quick and accurate, and it can now be used to pull down the notification panel – simply enable it in the settings.
The fingerprint scanner on the Galaxy S9 is built into the screen.
Samsung hasn’t directly stated that the iris scanner is better than before, which is a problem, but it is quick to point out that it is built in the front of the phone, unlike the iPhone X, without a notch. A new Intelligent Scan option that combines iris and face scanning is also available.
One thing is certain: there is a significant improvement over earlier editions. In general, it works well, however it is not as constant as competing phones that just use face unlock. Even when only using face scanning, it falls short of phones like the iPhone X and the OnePlus 5T.
Furthermore, the Samsung Galaxy S9 can now compete with Sony’s premium Xperia phones by shooting super slow-motion video at 960fps. This translates to 0.2 seconds in real time becoming six seconds of video. Samsung has developed some innovative technology to make it simpler to create stunning slow-motion recordings.
The Samsung Galaxy S9 features an auto-detect mode that allows you to tell the phone wherein the photo to look for movement. As soon as it happens, it goes into super slow motion. It is used as a gif, reverse, and even use as a moving lock screen background.
You may also shoot in manual mode, choosing when to use slow motion, which is more convenient in some situations. You can film 20 distinct slow-motion sequences inside one movie in any mode.
Sony’s new Xperia XZ2 phones can now achieve 960fps in 1080p, but rather have the capabilities of the S9 to create better footage in 720p.
It’s unfortunate that the battery remains at 3,000mAh, and Samsung has made no claims about it. However, the Samsung Galaxy S9 smartphone will support rapid charging through the USB-C connection as well as wireless charging.
You are able to charge the S9 from 0 to 36 percent in 30 minutes using the provided charger. That’s fairly impressive, though the HTC U11+ comes in slightly ahead at 38%.
With no improvement in battery capacity, it’s no surprise that the phone won’t last you any longer than it did before. The S9 will last a day with typical usage and perhaps a little longer with light users. Fast wired and wireless charging will assist you in keeping it charged.
The Samsung Galaxy S9 is the only smartphone camera capable of transforming you into an avatar. To construct a 3D model of oneself, Samsung employs a data-driven machine learning system that analyses a 2D photograph of the user and maps out more than 100 face traits.
With the high level of design, quality, features, and performance that expect from Samsung, the Galaxy S9 remains a fantastic smartphone for practically everyone.
However, the Galaxy S10 is now out, bringing with it a slew of new features such as an inbuilt fingerprint reader, triple back cameras, and reverse wireless charging. That will be appealing, but the S9, being the older version, now represents a superior value purchase at its lower price.
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