Let’s face it, in this day and age, you cannot have a premium smartphone with a mediocre camera. Consumers demand the best of the best from manufacturers who have to go that extra mile to ensure they have the best cameras on their new devices. This is exactly what Samsung had in mind when it decided to unveil its latest flagship smartphones, the Galaxy S9 and the Galaxy S9+.
The two devices were unveiled yesterday at Mobile Wold Congress (MWC) 2018 in Barcelona. There had been a ton of leaks about these two devices so we were not entirely surprised when we saw them. We sort of knew almost everything about these smartphones and the launch event was to act as a confirmation of what we already knew.
The two devices are not that different from their predecessors, the Samsung Galaxy S8 and the S8+. The company has maintained the design and that is not a bad thing. The S8 and S8+ have a unique design that is still fresh and Samsung not changing that is not a big deal. After all, if it ain’t broken, don’t fix it right? I am a big fan of this design as it gives the phones a premium look and feel that is different from anything we have on the market.
The company should continue using this design until it comes up with something better in my opinion. It is still different and we are not fed up with it just yet.
The Camera Reimagined
The biggest change with the Galaxy S9 and S9+ is in the camera department. The company even used the tagline ‘Camera reimagined’ as it unveiled these two new phones. “Redesigned with a new Dual Aperture lens that powers an innovative low-light camera, super slow-mo video capabilities, and personalised AR Emoji, the Galaxy S9 and S9+ ensure users do not miss a moment,” said Samsung.
The Samsung Galaxy S9+ has a dual camera setup at the back made up of two units of 12MP each. Just like in the Galaxy Note 8, both cameras have Dual OIS, something we rarely see on most smartphones with dual cameras. The standard Galaxy S9 has a 12MP camera at the back and not a dual setup. Both devices have 8MP front facing cameras with Auto Focus.
Samsung says that the cameras on the S9 and S9+ have a Super Speed Dual Pixel sensor feature with a dedicated processing power and memory. With this, users can enjoy:
Super slow-mo shots – dynamic, slow-motion video that captures 960 frames per second.
Motion detection – an intelligent feature that detects movement in the frame and automatically begins to record.
Low-light shots – similar to the way the iris of a human eye expands and contracts, Samsung’s Dual Aperture (F1.5/F2.4) automatically lets in more light when it’s dark and less light when it’s too bright.
AR Emoji – create an emoji that looks, sounds, and acts like you.
Besides the cameras, the new phones are not that different from the Galaxy S8 and S8+ as you will see below. The company went with subtle improvements that hopefully consumers appreciate.
Some of the other specifications of the Samsung Galaxy S9 and S9+ are listed below.
Samsung Galaxy S9 and S9+ Specifications
| Samsung Galaxy S9 and S9+ | ||
|---|---|---|
| Specifications | Galaxy S9 | Galaxy S9+ |
| Dimensions | 147.7 x 68.7 x 8.5 mm (163g) | 158.1 x 73.8 x 8.5 mm (189g) |
| OS | Android 8 | Android 8 |
| Display | 5.8-inch Quad HD + Curved Super AMOLED | 6.2-inch Quad HD + Curved Super AMOLED |
| CPU | 10nm, 64-bit, Octa-core processor (2.7 GHz Quad + 1.7 GHz Quad) / 10nm, 64-bit, Octa-core processor (2.8 GHz Quad + 1.7 GHz Quad) | 10nm, 64-bit, Octa-core processor (2.7 GHz Quad + 1.7 GHz Quad) / 10nm, 64-bit, Octa-core processor (2.8 GHz Quad + 1.7 GHz Quad) |
| RAM | 4GB | 6GB |
| Storage | 64GB/128GB/256GB + MicroSD 400GB | 64GB/128GB/256GB + MicroSD 400GB |
| Main Camera | Super Speed Dual Pixel 12MP AF sensor with OIS (F1.5/F2.4) | Dual Camera with Dual OIS. Wide-angle: Super Speed Dual Pixel 12MP AF sensor (F1.5/F2.4) / Telephoto: 12MP AF sensor (F2.4) |
| Front Camera | 8MP AF (F1.7) | 8MP AF (F1.7) |
| IP Rating | IP68 | IP68 |
| Battery | 3,000mAh | 3,500mAh |
| Connectivity | Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 5.0, NFC | Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 5.0, NFC |
| Network | Enhanced 4X4 MIMO/CA, LAA, LTE Cat.18 | Enhanced 4X4 MIMO/CA, LAA, LTE Cat.18 |
| SIM | Single SIM: Nano SIM/Dual SIM (Hybrid SIM): Nano SIM + Nano SIM or MicroSD | Single SIM: Nano SIM/Dual SIM (Hybrid SIM): Nano SIM + Nano SIM or MicroSD |
Also Read: Top 5 Things I Love About The Samsung Galaxy Note 8