14 DAY TRIAL // Samsung officially unveiled the Galaxy S9 and S9+ smartphones today during a Samsung Unpacked event, a day ahead of the Mobile World Congress (MWC) 2018 that will take place between February 26 and March 1 in Barcelona, Spain.
Samsung accidentally leaked the official introduction 3-minute video of the Galaxy S9 series earlier today, so you already knew how the phones look like and what the main features are. Now, the company showcased the Android smartphone to the world and gave us a more in-depth look at its specifications, pricing, and worldwide availability.
The Samsung Galaxy S9 and S9+ sport 5.8-inch and 6.2-inch Quad HD+ Super AMOLED displays with 2960x1440 resolution, are powered by a 10nm 64-bit Octa-Core Qualcomm MSM8998 Snapdragon 845 or Exynos 9810 processor (depending on the carrier), and have 4GB and 6GB RAM with 64GB internal memory.
The internal memory can be expanded up to 400GB through the microSD slot, and both devices are powered by Google's Android 8.0 (Oreo) Linux-based mobile operating system featuring Picture-in-Picture support, smart text selection, Android Instant apps, notification dots, and background limits.
Dual aperture camera
Samsung has revamped the camera for its Galaxy S9 series, promising fans a camera that captures stunning photos in bright daylight and super low light. The rear camera features dual aperture functionality that adapts to the environment, F1.5 for low light scenes and F2.4 for bright ones.
The Galaxy S9 rear camera also supports Super Slow-mo, Panorama, Hyperlapse, Food, and Auto/Pro modes, has a 12MP 1/2.55" and 1.4µm AF sensor with 4:3 ratio. The camera offers OIS (Optical Image Stabilization), digital zoom up to 8x, and selective focus to allow you to take photos with a background blur effect, a.k.a. bokeh.
On the other hand, the Galaxy S9+ comes with a dual rear camera setup featuring both a wide-angle and a telephoto camera, the latter having a 12MP 1/3.4" and 1.0µm sensor with only F2.4 aperture. It features Dual OIS (Optical Image Stabilization), 2x optical zoom, digital zoom up to 10x, live focus with bokeh filter, and dual capture.
The cameras also come with VDIS (Video Digital Image Stabilization), AR Emoji, grid lines, HDR (High Dynamic Range), Motion photo support, location tags, full view mode, filters, timer, floating camera button, stamps, and quick launch functions. The selfie camera on the front has an 8MP AF 1/3.6" and 1.22µm sensor with F1.7 aperture.
As for video recording, the Galaxy S9 can record 4K video at 30 fps or 60fps, QHD video at 30 fps, and 1080p Full HD video at 30 fps or 60 fps. The Super Slow-mo mode records 720p video at 960 fps, and the classic Slow motion mode records 1080p video at 240 fps. The Hyperlapse mode records 1080p video.
Powerful batteries for longer use
Both phones feature powerful batteries for longer use. While the Galaxy S9 has a 3000mAh battery, the Galaxy S9+ comes with a bigger 3500mAh battery. The devices feature a headphone jack and stereo speakers tuned by AKG with Dolby Atmos surround sound, and are IP68-certified water and dust resistant.
Connectivity wise, the Samsung Galaxy S9 series come with Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac (2.4/5GHz), Bluetooth v5.0 LE (Low Energy) up to 2Mbps, NFC, ANT+, VHT80 MU-MIMO, 1024QAM, a USB type-C connector, and built-in GPS with Galileo, GLONASS, and BeiDou support. Facial recognition and fingerprint sensor (back mounted) are present as well.
The Samsung Galaxy S9 series is available in Midnight Black, Titanium Gray, Coral Blue, and Lilac Purple color options. Pre-orders start next Friday, March 2, and the devices should arrive in stores worldwide starting March 16, 2018. The Galaxy S9 will cost $719.99 USD and Galaxy S9+ will cost $839.99 USD in the United States. Check out the full specs here and photo gallery below for more details.
