Samsung has just finished off the launch of the flagship Galaxy S23 lineup and the Galaxy Book 5 series. The brand is now probably preparing for the launch of a Samsung 77-inch OLED TV and a 49-inch OLED Monitor. Anyway, going back to the main headline, the Galaxy S9 and Galaxy Note 9 has now got the support of Android 13. Well, you should not get too much happy as it is not an official ROM. The Noble ROM 3.0 brings OneUI 5.0 based on Android 13 to the Galaxy S9 and Note 9 devices.

Noble ROM, developed by XDA Recognized Developer AlexisXDA, is a project aimed at giving the latest edition of Samsung’s custom skin to the Galaxy S9/S9+ and Note 9. It has now reached the 3.0 milestone, which means that the fifth major version of One UI is now available for anyone who is willing to flash the modified firmware on their devices. The build was moved over by the developer using a modified Galaxy Note 10 Lite and the Galaxy S20’s Android 13 version, which has been adjusted to make use of the 2018 flagships. In this way, they have enabled the support of the latest ROM to these galaxy devices.

The developer was able to adapt One UI 5.0 with Android 13 to the Galaxy S9 and Note 9 in the form of Noble ROM, an aftermarket firmware. Noble ROM can provide some comfort for long-term owners, especially those who don’t want to migrate to a conventional AOSP-derived Android 13 custom ROM because Samsung ended the monthly security patch release for the Galaxy Note 9 and S9 family a long time ago. Of course, it isn’t flawless, with a few flaws here and there. But what’s better than getting the latest operating system for outdated devices?

This port is only available for the Exynos 9810-powered Galaxy S9 and Note 9 global and Korean models. This indicates that consumers in the United States and Canada who own Qualcomm models will be unable to use One UI 5 on their Galaxy S9/S9+ or Note 9. That was all for the unofficial Android 13 ROM for the Galaxy S9 and Note 9 devices. What are your thoughts on the post? Please let us know by leaving a remark in your own words down below. Thank you for sticking with me until the end.

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Samsung is one of the few Android OEMs known for offering longer software support. The South Korean tech giant is also notable for faster and timely update delivery. The company started rolling out the Android 12-based One UI 4.0 stable update for the eligible Galaxy S, Galaxy Note, and Galaxy Z series of handsets before New Year’s Day. On top of that, developers have now ported Android 12 for out-of-support old-gen Samsung flagship smartphones.

The Samsung Galaxy S series has been the best-selling premium Android smartphone family for years. They have always been the best Samsung phone of their released year, in addition to Galaxy Note.

Hence, these handsets are also popular in the developer community. In fact, they have such a fan following that a developer has managed to port Android 12  for the almost 11-year-old Galaxy S2. 

At the same time, yet another developer ported Android 12 for the nearly 10-year-old Galaxy S3. That’s not all, the latest version of Android is also available for Galaxy S9, Galaxy S9+, and Galaxy Note9, courtesy of one more developer.

Therefore, if you have any of the aforementioned devices lying around, then you can try installing the Android 12 custom ROM on them. However, do note that these software builds have multiple bugs. So don’t expect fully functional software.

Android 12 for Samsung Galaxy S2

Android 12 for Samsung Galaxy S3

Android 12 for Samsung Galaxy S9, Galaxy S9+

Android 12 for Samsung Galaxy Note9

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(Source 1, 2, 3)

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Samsung brought the incremental One UI 2.5 with the Galaxy Note 20 series and Tab S7 series. Later, the company extended it to a list of devices including the Galaxy S9 series as it promised on the official post. Now, the company has started rolling out the update to the 2018’s flagship Galaxy S9, S9+ in China.

As reported by ITHome, Samsung Galaxy S9, S9+ have reportedly started receiving the One UI 2.5 update in China. Accordingly, the firmware version is  G9600ZCU7FTJ8/G9600CHC7FTJ8 and has a size of 754.03MB. As per the official changelog, the update has started rolling out from November 25, 2020. And Along with the One UI 2.5 update, it comes with the latest November 1, 2020 Security patch.

That said, we already know that One UI 2.5 update based on Android 10 brings features like navigation gestures for third-party launchers, Pro Video mode, changes in Single Take, Samsung DeX, Samsung Keyboard, Bitmoji stickers on AOD, and more. You can take a look at the official changelog(Google Translated) below:

Changelog for Galaxy S9/S9+ One UI 2.5 update

• Samsung DeX– Support wireless DeX connection. Connect wirelessly with TV via Wlan direct connection (Miracast compatible). *Quick Panel One DeX – It is advisable to use Samsung Smart TVs released after 2019. Supports screen scaling and font size options, allowing users to customize various display sizes.
• WLAN– While testing nearby WLAN signal strength, it will display as very fast, fast, normal, or slow. * You can turn this on or off in the “Network Quality Information Display” setting.
• On-Screen Reminder– Support Bitmoji stickers on the screen reminder. (Clock style).
• Samsung Keyboard– Support split screen keyboard in landscape mode. On the “Manage Input Languages” screen of the keyboard settings page, the search function has been updated to facilitate users. They can find keyboard input languages ​​that they want to add or delete.
• Camera– Enhanced professional video function.
• Latest Security Patch – November 1, 2020.

That said, the device, being 2018 flagship devices, are unlikely to get the next major upgrade. This is because Samsung recently made the commitment of providing three-year upgrades to the flagships and the S9 series unfortunately didn’t make the cut. Anyway, if you are someone who is living in China, you can navigate to Settings->Software Updates->Download and Install to try out the new One UI 2.5 update.

UP NEXT: Samsung halts One UI 3.0 Beta update for Galaxy Z Fold2 after encountering a major bug

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LineageOS, the most-popular aftermarket Android distribution was recently updated to version 17.1 based on Android 10. When it happened, a number of devices soon garnered official support and we even made an entire list of official devices back then. Now, the Exynos Galaxy S9 / Galaxy S9 Plus and Galaxy Note 9 has been added to the list, in addition to Realme 2 Pro, however, it only supports LineageOS 16 for now. 

The Exynos-powered Galaxy S9, Galaxy S9 Plus, and Galaxy Note 9 have been lately receiving unofficial builds of LineageOS 17.1 by a number of developers on the XDA Developers forum. But now, these devices are now finally receiving official builds for the first time. For comparison, the LineageOS project still does not support the Snapdragon variant of these smartphones yet.

The officially supported LineageOS 17.1 Galaxy S9, Galaxy S9 Plus, and Galaxy Note 9 models are as listed below.

•  Galaxy S9
  • SM-G960F
  • SM-G960F/DS
  • SM-G960N

• Galaxy S9 Plus
  • SM-G965F
  • SM-G965F/DS
  • SM-G965N

• Galaxy Note 9
  • SM-N960F
  • SM-N960F/DS
  • SM-N960N

As mentioned earlier, the Realme 2 Pro (RMX1801) is also now officially supported by LineageOS project. But unlike the above-mentioned Samsung devices, the builds are limited to LineageOS 16 based on Android Pie. Hopefully, it will gain support for LineageOS 17.1 once the company rolls out the stable Realme UI update to it.

Sadly, the legendary Redmi Note 4, well-known in the custom ROM community has been dropped support for LineageOS as the maintainer no longer has the device with him.

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(Source)

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These days Artificial Intelligence has become an essential part of smartphones. The AI is being used in camera apps, battery optimization, keyboards, and various other utility apps to improve the overall user experience. The presence of virtual assistants such as Google Assistant, Alexa, or Siri has improved the automation of smartphones. Samsung’s Bixby is another virtual assistant that is limited to its smartphones and a few other devices. However, some of the features are only limited to the latest Samsung flagships.

Must See: How to add/edit reminders and tasks on WhatsApp using Any.do

We have created a detailed guide that allows users to enable Bixby Routines on Galaxy S9 and Galaxy Note 9. The users can sideload the Bixby Routines app to enable the service on old flagship devices. However, there might be some bugs as the official support is not yet available.

Our folks over at the Android Police have tested the Bixby Routines apk to be working fine on Galaxy S9 and Note 9 devices. Even it is reportedly working on the Galaxy S8 units running Android 9 Pie.

Bixby has a short journey as a virtual assistant. It has evolved a lot since its first rollout on the Galaxy S8 series.  It receives timely updates with improved features such as Bixby Voice, Bixby routines, etc. Samsung has even offered Bixby service for Mid-range smartphones such as Galaxy A, J, and some other devices.

Enable Bixby Routines on Galaxy S9 and Note 9

It is quite easy to get Bixby Routines to work on Galaxy S9 and Note 9. The users have to follow the below steps carefully.

Prerequisites:

• Download the latest Bixby Routines APK.
• Galaxy Note 9 or S9 device unit.

Steps to install Bixby Routines on Galaxy S9 and Note 9

1. Enable App Installation from unknown sources by heading to device settings.
2. Installing Bixby Routines app after downloading from the above link.
3. Now, head over to the Settings > Advanced features > Enable Bixby routines from the top.
4. Tap on the Bixby Routines to get a list of configurable settings.
5. Select or enable the desired routines and enjoy automation!
6. That’s it

We hope you have successfully installed Bixby Routines on Galaxy S9 and Note 9. Before leaving the page, confirm whether it worked for you or not? Even it will help other fellow readers.

Related: How to use Substratum custom themes on Samsung One UI 2.0

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Samsung is rolling out the new One UI 2.0 Beta update based on Android 10 to all its flagship and mid-range devices. Recently the same beta update is rolling out for the Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9+. The beta update is limited to the testers in some countries including the US, UK, India, South Korea and more. However, non-beta testers can also install the One UI 2.0 beta on their respective Galaxy S9 units by following the guide below.

Must See: Download Samsung Galaxy S20 Wallpapers in HD Quality

The stable Android 10 based One UI 2.0 update has started gradually rolling in some areas around the globe. The Korean giant has fared well this year while rolling out Android 10 updates in comparison with the Android 9.0 Pie rollout. The stable update for Galaxy Note 10 and S10 series is already rolling out.

Features of Android 10 based One UI 2.0

• New Gestures – A set of new gestures from Samsung are part of the latest upgrade.
• Refined App Permissions – Android 10 brings the option to switch on permission when using the app.
• Smoothness and other UI Tweaks – The One UI 2.0 improves on various UI elements including navigation bar, status bar, and others.
• Better Notifications – Enhanced Notifications, including automatic reply options in the notification itself is purely a new concept.
• New Animations and Better front camera – Samsung has optimized the front camera software to capture more detailed pictures.
• Digital Well Being, Focus Mode, Night Mode – The new version of Samsung’s popular One UI brings improved Digital Wellbeing. The new update also brings focus mode and new parental controls to track your kid’s smartphone usage. Night Mode or Dark Mode is another well-received feature after continuous demand from the users over the past few years.

Enroll One UI 2.0 Beta Program

The One UI 2.0 based beta update is now rolling out for Galaxy S9/S9+. The interested users can enroll in the Beta Program to get the latest update first.

 Steps to Enroll:

1. Open Samsung Members App on the Galaxy S9 device. If the app is not present, then install it from the Play Store.
2. Log in with the respective Samsung account.
3. Tap bell icon to open the “Notices” section.
4. Now, select “Registrations for One UI Beta Program (S9/S9+).”
5. Tap the image to open the registration page.
6. Select ‘Enroll’ after scrolling down to the bottom of the page.
7. You have successfully enrolled in the beta program.
8. The user can head over to the device Settings>Software Update>Check for OTA update.
9. You may now download and install the One UI 2.0 beta update.

However, if you didn’t receive the update due to unavailability in your region, then download it manually from the link below.

Install One UI 2.0 Beta OTA zip on Galaxy S9/S9+

If you didn’t receive the One UI 2.0 update automatically after enrolling in the Beta program. Then, follow the steps below to manually install Ine UI 2.0 OTA Zip.

Note: One UI 2.0 beta is currently in beta testing phase for Galaxy S9 and S9+. It might contain bugs and can be unstable for daily use. 

The stable update will automatically come to the enrolled beta devices. However, others have to install the beta-to-stable OTA just like we are installing Beta OTA zip.

Prerequisites:

• In order to update, the user should have the latest stable firmware or Android Pie CSK1 firmware. If you don’t have it, then make sure to either install it by downloading from the OTA depositories or wait for the stable update.
• The process is compatible only with Galaxy S9/S9+ multi-CSC OXM. You can check by entering the *#1234# in the dialer and confirm “OXM” is shown in the CSC version.
• Backup your important data and reset the Galaxy S9/S9+ before proceeding to install the firmware.
• Make sure Galaxy S9 is charged up to a sufficient battery level.

Downloads:

You can carefully download the OTA zip by matching the exact Firmware number and model number of the device.

Important: These update files are available in “.bin” format. The user needs to rename it to “update.zip”.

Samsung Galaxy S9 (SM-G960F)

• CSK1 (Android Pie) → ZSKD (Beta 1): Download link
• ZSKD (Beta 1) → ZSL2 (Beta 2): Download link
• ZSL2 (Beta 2) → ZSL9 (Beta 3): Download link

Samsung Galaxy S9+ (SM-G965F)

• CSK1 (Android Pie) → ZSKD (Beta 1): Download link
• ZSKD (Beta 1) → ZSL2 (Beta 2): Download link
• ZSL2 (Beta 2) → ZSL9 (Beta 3): Download link
• ZSL9 (Beta 3) → ZSLC (Beta 4): Download link
• ZSLC (Beta 4) → ZSLG (Beta 4 Hotfix): Download link
• ZSLC (Beta 4) → ZTA2 (Beta 5): Download link
• ZTA2 (Beta 5) → ZTA9 (Beta 6): Download link

Install One UI 2.0 Beta Update using SD Card

1. Download the respective One UI 2.0 Beta for your Galaxy S9/S9+ variant.
2. Now, rename the “example.bin” file to “update.zip”.
3. Use USB cable to connect your smartphone with PC.
4. Move the downloaded update.zip file to the root directory of your phone.
5. Shutdown your smartphone and hold Volume Up + Bixby + Power buttons together to boot into the Stock Recovery Mode.
6. Now select “Apply update from SD card” by using the volume and Power button.
7. Browse for the file in the SD card by using volume keys.
8. Finally, select the file by pressing the Power button on Galaxy S9/S9+.
9. That’s it! Enjoy One UI 2.0 Beta on Galaxy S9.

There’s another method to install the update on Galaxy S9.

Install One UI 2.0 Beta update using ADB Sideload

This method needs a computer and some external files as mentioned below.

Prerequisites:

• Download and install the Android SDK platform-tools package from here and install it on your PC.(Note: Extract the ADB and Fastboot drivers in a folder.)
• Download the latest Samsung USB drivers for Galaxy S9 and install them on PC.

Steps to Install:

1. Download One UI 2.0 Beta OTA package for Galaxy S9/S9+ from the Download section above.
2. Now, move the downloaded file to the extracted ADB and Fastboot tools.
3. Open CMD or Power Shell Window by pressing Shift + Right Click. Then, click the “Open PowerShell window here.”
   
4. Power-off your device.
5. Now, Hold Volume Up + Bixby + Power buttons together to boot Galaxy S9 into the Stock Recovery Mode.
6. Connect Galaxy S9/S9+ to PC via a USB cable after booting into the Stock recovery.
7. Select “Apply update from ADB” by using volume buttons.
8. After connecting with PC, execute the following command to sideload the OTA package:

   adb sideload update.zip

9. The update will start installing and users can see the progress at the bottom of the phone’s screen.
10. Now, Enjoy the One UI 2.0 on your Samsung phone.

We hope you’ve successfully installed the OneUI 2.0 Beta for Galaxy S9/S9+. If any error or any problem arises, then do let us know below via the comments.

Related: How to use Substratum custom themes on Samsung One UI 2.0

(Source)

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Samsung has just released the Android 10 OS updates for its 2018 flagship series, the Galaxy S9. The major systems update is being rolled out to both the Galaxy S9 and S9+ and is currently available in Germany and in the US.

As of right now, the update is available only for users running Android 9 Pie. Unfortunately, the final build for Android 10 OS based One UI 2.0 has not been rolled out for beta testers, yet, but is expected to be released soon. For countries outside of Germany and the US, Samsung had initially unveiled the roadmap which pointed to early February 2020. So it should be rolled out in the next couple of weeks.

Editor’s Pick: Samsung is making a Reusable Packaging Box to reduce pollution during product distribution

Notably, Samsung had previously mentioned that the update for the German region would arrive by March 2020, but it has been released now. So, we can expect the update to arrive a bit earlier in other regions as well since the South Korean tech giant is ahead of the curve. The Android 10 update for the Galaxy S9 series is between 1.8 to 1.9GB in size and users can check for the update by going to Settings>Software update menu.

The new update brings the latest Android version alongside the January 2020 security patch. The One UI 2.0 is Samsung’s custom skin running over the OS and brings tons of new features that the company claimed arrives from feedback collected from Samsung and Google as well.

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(Via)

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According to a new report, Samsung is starting the Open Beta testing for the Galaxy S9 series which will receive it’s One UI 2. It was previously revealed that Samsung’s Galaxy S9, Galaxy S9+, and Galaxy Note 9 series would receive the open beta but the exact date was not specified. Now, it is confirmed to arrive next Monday on 16th December 2019.

For those interested in participating in the open beta, users must download the Samsung Members app. Through this you must register for the Open Beta program and once eligible will receive the Beta build. To install, go to Settings>Software updates>Download updates manually.
Note: Make sure to back up your devices, as it is Beta build and might lead to loss of user data. Also, update any app to the latest builds to avoid compatibility issues.

Recently, the South Korean tech giant had also announced the list of system upgrade plans for Samsung Galaxy S10, Galaxy S10+, and Galaxy S10e; these devices will receive the stable live build for Android 10 OS in January 2020. Galaxy Note 10 and Galaxy Note 10+, on the other hand, will receive the software update in February 2020.

Editor’s Pick: Samsung Galaxy A71 launched with 6.7-inch Infinity-O display, 64MP quad cameras and 4,500mAh battery

Similarly, Samsung’s Galaxy Note 9 will also receive the update in February while the live build for Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9+ will launch in March 2020. The last smartphone to get the latest Android 10 OS update is Samsung Galaxy Fold, with a release date in May 2020. For owners of the aforementioned devices, this is great news as the new update brings tons of new features and security updates.

Furthermore, while users are waiting for the major update, they can check any pending updates that might have by going to Settings and looking for the system update. Samsung has historically been a bit slow with updates and inclusion of smartphones due to its vast lineup but it generally always bring the older devices up to speed.

UP NEXT: Samsung Galaxy A51 launched with 6.5-inch Infinity-O display, 48MP quad cameras and 4,000mAh battery

(Via)

The post Samsung Galaxy S9 series to finally start Open Beta for One UI 2 from Monday appeared first on Gizmochina.

Various smartphone manufacturers are now working to bring the latest Android 10 update to their devices. Realme has recently confirmed that it will be releasing Android 10 update for its phones from the beginning of 2020. Sony will be rolling out Android 10 for its phones starting from next month. OnePlus has already released the latest Android 10 update for its eligible phones. Xiaomi too has started releasing the new version of Android for its phones. Now Samsung Israel has confirmed the Android 10 roadmap for its smartphones through the Samsung Members app.

Samsung will be releasing One UI 2.0 based Android 10 OS update for its devices. The rollout will start from early 2020. The Galaxy S10e, Galaxy S10, Galaxy S10+, Galaxy Note 10, Galaxy Note 10+, Galaxy Note 9 and Galaxy A30 are scheduled to get the Android 10 update in January. The Galaxy A80 will get the update in March. The Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9+ is slated to receive the latest edition of Android in April.

Some of the other devices that will be treated with Android 10 update in April include Galaxy A50, Galaxy A70, Galaxy A9 (2018), Galaxy A7 (2018) and Galaxy Tab S6 tablet. In May, the Android 10 update will be released for Galaxy A10, Galaxy A10s, Galaxy A20 and Galaxy A30s. The Galaxy J6 and Galaxy A20s will be getting the upgrade in June. The Galaxy J6+, Galaxy J8 and Galaxy Tab S5e users in Israel will be provided with the update in July.  In August, the Galaxy Tab A 8 (2019) will be updated to Android 10.  The users of the Galaxy Tab S4 and Galaxy Tab A 10.5 will have to wait until September to get the next Android update.

Since the information has been released by Samsung Israel, its Android 10 roadmap may not align with markets such as the U.S. and the U.K. In October, Google released a list of manufacturers that included brands like ASUS, LG, Motorola, OPPO, Realme, Samsung, Sharp, Sony, Transsion and Vivo that have committed towards releasing Android 10 upgrade for their devices by the end of 2020. Hence, it is possible official information on Samsung Galaxy Android 10 roadmap for other markets will appear in the coming weeks.

UP NEXT: Renders reveal Samsung Galaxy S11 Plus will have five rear cameras

(via)

The post Samsung Galaxy Android 10 roadmap revealed for Galaxy S10, Note 10, Galaxy A series and more appeared first on Gizmochina.

A new Samsung phone with SM-G889F model number has been benchmarked on Geekbench. The smartphone is powered by the Exynos 9810 chipset. It is the very same SoC that fueled the Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9+ flagship phones last year. While the exact identity of the phone is not known yet, based on some past information it can be speculated that it could be the upcoming Galaxy S9 Active smartphone.

On Geekbench, the SM-G889F smartphone can be seen with Exynos 9810 chipset and 4 GB of RAM. It is preloaded with Android 9 Pie OS. In the single-core test, the handset has recorded a score of 3,130. It has scored 9,050 in the multi-core test. A variant of the same phone with model number SM-G889A was certified by Wi-Fi Alliance in January this year.

In February, popular tipster Roland Quandt had shared a video clip of Samsung SM-G889. He had described the phone as the rugged Galaxy S9. It was speculated that it could be the Galaxy S9 Active smartphone. Contradictory information shared by tipster Ishan Agarwal suggests that it could be a new premium mid-range phone from the company that will arrive as a successor of the Galaxy A8s smartphone. He had also claimed that the phone could be priced between $500 and $600.

Here's the Samsung SM-G889 ultra-rugged high-end phone – the rugged Galaxy S9 you can't have #MWC19 : https://t.co/E0dTFbi8Er

— Roland Quandt (@rquandt) February 27, 2019

Editor’s Pick: Samsung’s deepfake AI can Create your Video from a Single Photo

There is no fresh information available on the other specs of the alleged Samsung Galaxy S9 Active smartphone. Details that were leaked last year had revealed that it would be arriving with a 5.8-inch display that will offer quad HD+ resolution of 2960 x 1440 pixels and an aspect ratio of 18.5:9. Unlike the S9 that featured a dual-edge curved display, the S9 Active may come with a flat display surrounded with thick bezels.

The handset may come with an inbuilt storage of 64 GB. It may feature a 12-megapixel + 8-megapixel dual camera setup. The primary sensor may come with f/1.5 – f/2.4 variable aperture. It may come equipped with a 4,000mAh battery.

It would have been ideal if the Galaxy S9 Active had arrived last year since the Galaxy S9 was made official in 2018. Hence, there is possibility that S9 Active may debut with a different moniker.

(via)

UP NEXT: Samsung Galaxy A80 to debut with Rs. 39,990 (~$575) on June 15 in India, claims report

The post Alleged Samsung Galaxy S9 Active Geekbench listing appears; Launch could near? appeared first on Gizmochina.

Samsung has just started rolling out the Android 9 Pie update for Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9+ flagship smartphones. Through the Samsung Members app, the South Korean company has released the Android Pie update roadmap to reveal when it will be treating 11 of its devices with the latest version of Android.

The Samsung Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9+ are scheduled to receive Android 9 Pie update in January 2019. As mentioned above, Samsung has already begun rolling out the Pie update for Galaxy S9 duo. By January, the carrier variants of the S9 and S9+ may receive the latest Android software. In February, the Galaxy Note 9 will be provided with Android 9 Pie update.

The Galaxy S8, Galaxy S8+ and Galaxy Note 8 will be provided with Android 9 Pie update in March. Multiple device such as Galaxy A8 (2018), Galaxy A8+ (2018), Galaxy A7 (2018), Galaxy A9 (2018) and Galaxy Tab S4 10.5 are all planned to receive Android 9 Pie update in April.

In May 2019, Galaxy J series of smartphones such as Galaxy J4, Galaxy J4+, Galaxy J6, Galaxy J6+ as well as Galaxy A8 Star are scheduled to receive Pie update. In July, the older Galaxy J7 (2017) will be provided with Android 9 Pie. The Galaxy J7 Duo will be blessed with the latest Android version in August.

• Read More: Samsung Galaxy A10 with in-display fingerprint scanner and Snapdragon 845 tipped

The Samsung Galaxy J3 (2017) and Galaxy Tab S3 9.7 will be updated to Android 9 Pie in September. In October, three tablets such as Galaxy Tab A (2017), Galaxy Tab Active 2 and Galaxy Tab A 10.4 are going to receive the update.

Samsung devices that have already received two major Android upgrades like the Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 Edge are not included in the list. Users of the Samsung smartphones and tablets should be aware of the fact that even though the company has released the Android 9 pie update roadmap, the dates may change if the update are not completely ready for release.

(via)

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Samsung had launched the Ice Blue color variant for the Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9 Plus in China and South Korea and now the color option is making its way to other regions as the ‘Polaris Blue’ color.

The Polaris Blue Galaxy S9 and S9 Plus will be available for purchase in Germany from early December for a price of €849 (approximately $960) and €949 (approximately $1,079) for the S9 and S9 Plus respectively.

The new Polaris Blue color is the sixth color for the Galaxy S9 series, joining the list of Coral Blue, Lilac Purple, Midnight Black, Sunrise Gold, and Titanium Gray. The Polaris Blue color has a dual-tone finish with blue color in the upper-half and silver-white shade in the lower half, creating a gradient pattern.

Both the smartphones were released back in March. The Galaxy S9 and S9+ feature 5.8-inch and 6.2-inch Super AMOLED display, respectively, which supports QHD+ resolution of 2960 x 1440 pixels.

Both phones are powered by Samsung’s Exynos 9810 octa-core processor with Mali G72MP18 GPU and Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 845 SoC, depending on the region. Along with a fingerprint scanner, both phones are also equipped with security features like improved KNOX and Intelligent Scan that combines Iris Scanner and face recognition.

The Galaxy S9 packs 4GB RAM while the S9+ packs 6GB RAM. One of the highlights of the Galaxy S9-series is that it comes with improved camera experience to take on the likes of Apple’s iPhone X and Google Pixel 2. The Galaxy S9 features a 12-megapixel dual pixel rear camera with LED Flash, f/2.4-f/1.5 variable aperture, and 960fps super slo-mo support.

The Galaxy S9+ comes with a 12-megapixel primary rear camera and 12-megapixel secondary camera along with f/2.4-f/1.5 variable aperture, LED Flash, and 960fps super slo-mo support. On the front, the devices feature 8-megapixel auto-focus camera with wide-angle lens and f/1.7 aperture.

Read More: Samsung Galaxy S9 and S9 Plus gets Android Pie-based Samsung One UI Beta update

The devices are running Android Oreo operating system out-of-the-box with TouchWiz custom interface on top. While the Galaxy S9 is powered by a 3,000mAh battery, the Galaxy S9+ is powered by a 3,500mAh battery.

(Via)

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During its Samsung Developers Conference earlier this month, Samsung unveiled its new user interface — Samsung One UI and said that it’ll soon be available in beta phase for select devices.

Now, Samsung has started One UI Beta program for the users of Galaxy S9 and S9 Plus in South Korean and the United States. It is also expected to be soon available in Germany, Europe, and Asia. The stable release of the Android Pie-based Samsung One UI will be available in January next year.

To receive the One UI beta update, you’ll need to enroll into the One UI beta program through Samsung Members/Samsung+ app by tapping the “Notices” button. You can then download the newest Android Pie build by going into Settings > Software updates and tapping on “Download updates manually.”

The update, which is about 1896MB in size, brings official Android Pie to Samsung’s flagship lineup together with all of One UI’s newest improvements, both in the looks department as well as all in terms of features. It also comes with the latest November security patch for Android.

One UI brings a lot of new features such as a redesigned interface, redesigned notifications with the ability to reply directly from the notification panel, new Unicode 11.0 emojis, adaptive themes, Device Care and power saving features, new clock styles for the Always On display, improved Bixby search, redesigned Phone app, and more.

Samsung has also introduced a system-wide Night Mode that enables a dark, AMOLED-friendly theme throughout the UI and Samsung’s apps. The new Samsung One UI will also theme itself to match the color of the phone, similar to what Samsung offered on Galaxy Note 9 with its new S-Pen. You will be able to use Samsung DeX with supported HDMI adapters, without the need for a DeX station.

Comparing to the Samsung Experience UX which requires two hands to operate, the new One UI is claimed to have been built for a “more natural and comfortable” one-handed use cases. Samsung said that it has been working on the new experience for the past year, and the prime target is to make the interface less cluttered.

Read More: Samsung Galaxy S10 patent reveals a notch-killing smartphone design

The focus of Samsung One UI is on keeping the most relevant content in the most useful place — bottom of the screen. All of Samsung’s apps have adopted a bottom bar layout for smaller navigation elements alongside larger header elements. Menus also pop-up at the bottom of the screen instead of the center.

(Via)

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The Samsung Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9+ come in six color variants each and the availability of these color variants vary from region to region. It appears Samsung is not done yet as they have announced another color variant bringing the number to seven. The new color is called Ice Blue and it has a gradient finish.

The Ice Blue Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9+ were unveiled in China this week and are already available for pre-order. The Ice Blue Galaxy S9 is priced at ¥5199 (~$747) while the Ice Blue Galaxy S9+ has a ¥6199 (~$890) price tag. Both will ship with a free wireless charger and data cable.

The Galaxy S9 and S9+ were released back in March and come in Lilac Purple, Sunrise Gold, Titanium Gray, Coral Blue, Burgundy Red, and Midnight Black. The S9 has a 5.8-inch screen while the S9+ packs a 6.2-inch display. Both displays have a 1440 x 2960 resolution and are covered with Gorilla Glass 5.

Depending on the market, the Galaxy S9/S9+ has an Exynos 9810 or Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 processor. The S9 has 4GB of RAM while the S9+ has 6GB of RAM. Storage for both variants starts at 64GB and maxes out at 256GB. There is also support for storage expansion.

The S9+ has a single 12MP camera with a variable aperture while the plus variant adds a second 12MP telephoto sensor with optical zoom. The front camera on both phones is 8MP. There is a rear-mounted fingerprint scanner and Iris Scanner for keeping your phone secure.

[envira-gallery id=”222455″]

READ MORE: Samsung to release new Galaxy M series, storage variants revealed for upcoming models

Both phones have support for wireless charging, an IP68 rating, Bixby smart assistant, and have an audio jack. The S9 packs a 3,000mAh battery while the S9+ packs a larger 3,500mAh battery.

Samsung has not revealed if the new color variant will be released outside China.

(Sources: 1, 2)

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At its developer conference, along with showcasing its foldable display device, Samsung also unveiled ‘One UI’ — it’s new design language for the custom user interface skip for Samsung’s devices.

During the announcement of One UI, the company also revealed that it will begin beta testing of Android Pie-based One UI for select devices later this month in US, Korea, and Germany. It should roll out to other European and Asian countries at some later point.

The devices that will receive the update includes Galaxy S9, S9, and Note 9. While open beta will be available from this month, the public release of the One UI for the mentioned device will take place in January 2019.

Comparing to the Samsung Experience UX which requires two hands to operate, the new One UI is claimed to have been built for a “more natural and comfortable” one-handed use cases. Samsung said that it has been working on the new experience for the past year, and the prime target is to make the interface less cluttered.

The focus of Samsung One UI is on keeping the most relevant content in the most useful place — bottom of the screen. All of Samsung’s apps have adopted a bottom bar layout for smaller navigation elements alongside larger header elements. Menus also pop-up at the bottom of the screen instead of the center.

During the SDC 2018 Keynote, Jee Won Lee, Senior Designer of UX Design at Samsung, said:

With One UI, now you see only the essential features related to the task you are carrying out. It’s a continuous and fluid experience where the necessary buttons appear when you need them and gently disappear when you don’t.

The South Korean company has also introduced a system-wide Night Mode that enables a dark, AMOLED-friendly theme throughout the UI and Samsung’s apps. The new Samsung One UI will also theme itself to match the color of the phone, similar to what Samsung offered on Galaxy Note 9 with its new S-Pen.

Read More: Samsung to launch phones with notched display; showcases U, V, and O shaped notch designs

Along with that, some Android Pie-based features, including gesture-supported navigation are likely to be a part of the One UI for the devices that’ll receive Android Pie update in January next year. It seems that we’ll have to wait for the Android Pie-based Samsung One UI to make debut in January to see what it actually brings to the table and how it performs.

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A fresh GFXBench listing of the Samsung Galaxy S9+ has surfaced today. What’s interesting about the listing is that the handset has been spotted with Android 9 Pie OS.

Google had released the retail edition of the Android 9.0 Pie update on Aug. 6. Some of the non-Google devices that were enrolled beta testing program of the Android 9 Pie OS such as Nokia 7 Plus, Xiaomi Mi MIX 2S and Essential Phone have already received the new update. The upcoming Google Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL phones that are expected to go official on Oct. 9 will be the first phones to arrive with Android 9 Pie OS preinstalled. Now that the GFXBench listing of the Galaxy S9+ with Android Pie has surfaced today, it appears that Samsung could be testing the latest version of Android for it.

Samsung is known for heavily customized Android OS with its Samsung Experience UI. Since the benchmarking platform is unable to detect Samsung’s custom ROM, it is mentioned as “INVALID Android Samsung-ss Edition.” The South Korean has been always slow at rolling out OS updates.

Read More: Samsung Galaxy J2 Core is the company’s first Android Go smartphone

The Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9+ are the first Samsung phones with Project Treble support that promises faster Android software updates. Hence, the Galaxy S9 duo could soon receive Android 9 Pie OS upgrade. Once the OS update arrives to these phones, the Note 9 could be next in line to get treated with the new OS update.

(source|via)

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Is your phone on the list of YouTube Signature Devices? You should read on to find out.

YouTube has released a list of devices that are best for watching videos on its platform. The list is pretty short but includes the popular flagships from this year and the last.

Below is the list of YouTube’s signature devices:

1. Samsung Galaxy Note9
2. Samsung Galaxy S9
3. Samsung Galaxy S9+
4. Samsung Galaxy Note8
5. Samsung Galaxy S8
6. Samsung Galaxy S8+
7. OnePlus 6
8. Xiaomi Mi 8
9. Xiaomi Mi Mix 2S
10. Sony Xperia XZ2
11. Sony Xperia XZ2 Premium
12. Sony Xperia XZ2 Compact
13. Huawei Mate 10 Pro
14. Google Pixel 2
15. Google Pixel 2 XL
16. Nokia 8 Sirocco
17. LG V30
18. HTC U12+

The above devices are said to support the following technologies – HDR, 360° video, 4K decoding, high frame rate, digital rights management performance and next-gen codecs like VP9.

READ MORE: Reports about Google’s return to China not true says China Securities Daily

So if your flagship phone isn’t on the list, it probably doesn’t have support for one or more of the above. This explains why there is no iOS device on the list. There also isn’t a tablet on the list.

(Source, Via)

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AnTuTu has released its list of top 10 best performance smartphones for the month of July. The new list reveals that the phones that have made it to the top 10 list have managed to record more than 250K+ average benchmarking score. Xiaomi’s Black Shark gaming is leading the pack by scoring nearly 300,000 average benchmarking score.

The above list contains the top 10 best performing smartphones between July 1 and July 30. The Black Shark has recorded an impressive score of 292,977. The second place goes to OPPO Find X with a score of 286,589. The Vivo NEX is sitting on the third potion with a score of 283,877.

OnePlus 6 is at the fourth spot with a score of 282,644. The Smartisan R1 ranks on the fifth with a score of 274,279. The Xiaomi Mi 8 and Mi MIX 2S have respectively score 272,555 and 262,751 to slot themselves on sixth and seventh positions. The Galaxy S9+, Galaxy S9 and Sony Xperia XZ2.

Read More: Xiaomi Mi 8X images leaked; Could be next SD710 Xiaomi phone

Earlier this year, the Kirin 970 SoC powered Huawei phones were seen leading the list of AnTuTu’s best performing smartphones. However, all the 10 phones that have appeared in the top 10 list for July are powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 845. This theoretically shows that SD845 phones can offer better performance than Kirin 970 powered Huawei and Honor phones.

Huawei will be launching 7nm Kirin 980 SoC at IFA 2018. In October, it is expected to debut Kirin 980 driven phones such as Mate 20 and Mate 20 Pro. By November, these phones could be available in wider markets. Hence, the Chinese manufacturer may lead the list of AnTuTu’s best performing smartphones by November. Rumors have it that Honor may also debut Honor V11 or V20 as a successor phone for Honor V10 phone from 2017.

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The smartphone market today isn’t like what it used to be in years before now. Lots of brands are trooping in with amazing devices giving the older brands a good run for their money. Samsung just released its financial report detailing the firm’s earnings for the second quarter of 2018. The report shows the company made a gross earning of KRW58.48 trillion (around $52.2 billion) in sales. On the other hand, the company’s operating profit is reported to be KRW 14.87 trillion. This is slightly lower than the profits recorded in the first quarter of 2018 but almost on par with Samsung’s earnings in Q2 2017.

Samsung attributed the slight drop in its profits in Q2 to the low demand and sales of “smartphones and display panels”. Samsung’s major smartphone released in the first quarter was the Galaxy S9 models. According to Samsung, the device is not performing well in the market as its sales margin is low.

The low sale of the Galaxy S9 is as a result of competition from lower-priced handsets. Xiaomi and Huawei, has been doing well in this aspect, forming very formidable rivals to Samsung in China, India, etc. The IT & Mobile Communications division which handles  Galaxy smartphones experienced a 20% fall in sales from KRW30 trillion to KRW24 trillion on a yearly basis. However, with the expected launch of the Galaxy Note 9 as well as its Galaxy Tab model which should be on sale before the end of Q3, Samsung believes that demand for its tablet and smartphones would increase in the second half of the year.

Read More: Samsung’s upcoming Galaxy A (2019) series to reportedly feature triple-camera setup

On the other hand, Samsung experienced an amazing strong profit in its Semiconductor Business (NAND and DRAM memory chips) reaching the highest sales and revenue ever with over 37% of the overall sales and nearly 80% of the total profit for the quarter. With the growing demand for flexible OLED panels, the sale of the chipset is expected to be maintained in the remaining months of the year.

(source)

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Apple’s A11 Bionic is currently the most powerful processor in a mobile device. So far, none of the Android SoCs have been able to crush it in terms of performance. However, the gap just narrowed thanks to Samsung’s Exynos 9810 processor.

For the first time, an Android chipset has crossed the 4000 mark on Geekbench’s single-core test. The device used for the test is the Samsung Galaxy S9+.

The Galaxy S9+ scored 4004 points in the single core test. That’s super impressive for an android phone but it pales to that of the iPhone X. A search for benchmark results for Apple’s flagship device on Geekbench will present you with several results of the device crossing 4000 points.

It appears the Galaxy S9+ above is overclocked as the base frequency is 2.0GHz as against 1.79GHz of those with lower results. There is still 6GB of RAM on board though. The multi-core test score is also pretty high at 10012.

READ MORE: Samsung Exynos 9820 tipped to adopt a tri-cluster CPU like MediaTek deca-cores

The Exynos 9810 will make another appearance in the Galaxy Note 9 scheduled to arrive next month. It already appeared on Geekbench but the scores aren’t as impressive.

(Source, Via)

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Samsung may still be the number one smartphone maker globally but the company is gradually feeling the heat being generated by the growing profile of its competitors. Several analysts who are familiar with the company’s operations have hinted that the Galaxy S9 is not selling so well globally compared to the performance of the Samsung Galaxy S8. This is particularly a cause for concern considering that last year’s Galaxy S8 was said to have performed poorly in comparison with the Galaxy S7.

It is not actually easy to know the exact number of units that have been sold so far. Basically, data of smartphone sales are heavily reliant on research by firms like IDC which usually release quarterly/yearly reports based on individual brand and other indices. The figures they come out with are at best estimates as we can’t know exactly how many units of a particular model were sold. In this case, unless Samsung will share its sales figure which is not likely to happen.

Related: Samsung W2019 will come with dual rear cameras

The point being made is that Samsung phones are not selling well like before. We could recall the tech giant sold up to 80 million Galaxy S4 units. That was then, anyway. With mounting pressure from Chinese manufacturers who offer phones with the same build quality and specs at lower prices, things won’t remain the same for Sammy for long. Chinese manufacturers like Huawei, Xiaomi, OPPO and Vivo have even brought innovative features like triple camera setup, full-screen design, pop-up cameras to the scene on their flagship offerings. Samsung shares are said to have dropped by 9% and already, the company has been edged out of the top spot in India. The same thing would likely have happened in the U.S if not for the difficulty Chinese companies face when attempts are made to enter the lucrative U.S market. So, if Samsung plans to keep its leadership position, it has got to sit up and bring in more innovations to the table. We have seen enough of phones like the Galaxy S8, S9 and perhaps the Note 8 and Note 9 coming with similar designs. The mid-range segment is worst off as it is usually difficult to tell the difference between some of the Galaxy series based on their designs.

(source)

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AnTuTu is considered one of the reliable benchmarks for testing the performance of a smartphone. Each month it releases its list of top 10 smartphones that offers best performance. Until the arrival of Snapdragon 845 chipset driven phones, AnTuTu’s list of best performing phones were led by Huawei Mate 10 Pro and Mate 10 that are fueled by Kirin 970 SoC. Today, the benchmarking platform has released the list of top 10 best performance smartphones between May 1 and May 31.

As it can be seen in the image below, the list is mainly populated by Snapdragon 845 powered phones. One should be aware of the fact that the list is not showing the highest score of each smartphone, but their average benchmarking score.

The list is led by Snapdragon 845 powered OnePlus 6 that has managed to salvage an impressive average benchmarking score of 274,910. The China-exclusive Smartisan R1 that is also powered by the same chipset is sitting on the second position. It has scored 272,520 points. The Black Shark gaming phone by Xiaomi that includes the same SoC has scored 270,235.

The Samsung Galaxy S9 and Galax S9+ that are also fueled by SD845 have respectively scored 263,218 and 262,571 points on AnTuTu. Currently, they are placed on fourth and fifth positions on the listing of best performing phones on AnTuTu in May. The Xiaomi Mi MIX 2S is now holding to sixth position with a score of 261,719. On seventh is Nubia’s Red Magic gaming phone with a score of 214,904.

The Huawei Mate 10 Pro with a score of 212,001 and Mate 10 with a score of 211,566 are respectively placed at eighth and ninth positions. The Honor V10 that recorded 210,616 points sits on the last position on the list. These three phones are powered by the Kirin 970 chipset. There is no confirmation on why the list does not include the Kirin 970 powered Huawei P20 and P20 Pro smartphones that were launched in March this year.

Read More: Nubia Z18 Scores High On AnTuTu Thanks To Snapdragon 845 and 8GB of RAM

The Xiaomi Mi 8 was also launched in the previous month. Since it has been made available for buying starting from this month, it is not present in the above list. During the launch of Mi 8, Xiaomi had claimed that it is the first smartphone ever to breach the 300,000 mark on AnTuTu. Hence, it seems that the top 10 list of best performing phones for June 2018 will surely have the Mi 8 ranking among the top 3 phones.

(source)

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Samsung has announced the update to its camera app which brings 18 new stickers to the AR Emoji feature available on the Samsung Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9+. The tech giant made this disclosure via a post on its official website. The announcement detailed that update to the camera app, which contains the new stickers will be available in the Galaxy Apps Store under the “My apps” section.

The additional 18 new stickers, AR Emoji users now have brings the total number of available AR Emojis to 36. Samsung even disclosed that an additional 18 new stickers will be added in the coming months. That means by the end of this year, a total of 54 AR Emojis will be available later this year.

The AR Emoji stickers are programmed to automatically appear when an AR Emoji is created. This can be activated by selecting “AR Emoji mode” in the camera app, then tapping on “Create My Emoji.” The phone does all other work including the creation of the AR Emoji (which can be tweaked by you), and the creation of the stickers. The stickers can be added to a message directly from the handset’s QWERTY keyboard, or by using ‘copy and paste’ to place them into a message.

Read More: This Samsung Galaxy Note 9 Concept Video Envisions A New Design Style

In addition, the feature also allows users to create AR Emoji of certain Disney characters such as Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, and Donald Duck. Last week, Samsung added The Incredibles to the list of Disney characters that can be created.

(source)

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Counterpoint Research, the global technology industry analysis firm, has released its monthly market pulse for the month of March.

Taking the top spot is none other than Apple’s iPhone X. The notch king (not pioneer) grabbed 3.5% of the market share in March. Following in a not-so-close second is the iPhone 8 Plus with 2.3% market share.

In what can be termed a surprise is Xiaomi’s Redmi 5A grabbing the third spot with 1.8%. It was not only the third best-selling smartphone in the world in March but the best selling Android smartphone.

The Redmi 5A was released in November 2017 as a successor to the popular Redmi 4A. However, the 5A launched with practically the same specs as the 4A and some slight changes in design.

OPPO’s A83 mid-ranger also makes the top 5 list with a 1.8% market share leaving Samsung’s Galaxy S9 to claim the fifth spot. The Galaxy S9+ is 6th and is followed by the iPhone 7 and iPhone 8.

Samsung shows up again, this time at the 9th position with its Galaxy J7 Pro while Apple ends the top 10 list with the iPhone 6.

READ MORE: Sino Market Research Releases Q1 2018 Sales Report For China: OPPO On top!

Counterpoint Research adds in its report that the Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9+ have helped Samsung double its share of the high-end market. But the Korean giant is having it rough in the mid-range and low-end category with stiff competition from China’s Xiaomi, OPPO, and Vivo.

(Via)

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Earlier this year, Samsung launched its flagship smartphones — Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9 Plus during the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona. Now, the company has introduced two new variants of the phone, which comes in Sunrise Gold and Burgundy Red color.

These new color variants come in addition to the Midnight Black, Titanium Gray, Coral Blue, and Lilac Purple color options which are already available in the market. Thus, the number of color options offered by the South Korean giant currently stands at six.

While the Burgundy Red edition will be available in Korea and China starting this month, the Sunrise Gold model will start shipping in June in select markets like Australia, Chile, Germany, Hong Kong, Korea, Mexico, Russia, Spain, Taiwan, United Arab Emirates, and Vietnam. However, Samsung has said that the that these new models will be “coming soon” to additional markets.

The company says that the Sunrise Gold edition for Galaxy S9 and S9+ is Samsung’s first device to feature a satin gloss finish which wraps the smartphone in a tranquil glow and glimmer. Further, detailing the Burgundy Red edition, the company said that it is one of the deepest red colors available featuring restrained gloss for added density and a look that is contemporary and traditional.

The Galaxy S9 and S9+ feature 5.8-inch and 6.2-inch Super AMOLED display, respectively, which supports QHD+ resolution of 2960 x 1440 pixels. Both phones are powered by Samsung’s Exynos 9810 octa-core processor with Mali G72MP18 GPU and Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 845 SoC, depending on the region.

The Galaxy S9 packs 4GB RAM while the S9+ packs 6GB RAM. One of the highlights of the Galaxy S9-series is that it comes with improved camera experience to take on the likes of Apple’s iPhone X and Google Pixel 2. The Galaxy S9 features a 12-megapixel dual pixel rear camera with LED Flash, f/2.4-f/1.5 variable aperture, and 960fps super slo-mo support.

The Galaxy S9+ comes with a 12-megapixel primary rear camera and 12-megapixel secondary camera along with f/2.4-f/1.5 variable aperture, LED Flash, and 960fps super slo-mo support. On the front, the devices feature 8-megapixel auto-focus camera with wide-angle lens and f/1.7 aperture.

Read More: Samsung Is In Talks With ZTE And Other Manufacturers To Supply Mobile Processors

The devices are running Android Oreo operating system out-of-the-box with TouchWiz custom interface on top. While the Galaxy S9 is powered by a 3,000mAh battery, the Galaxy S9+ is powered by a 3,500mAh battery. Apart from the fingerprint reader, both phones are also equipped with security features like improved KNOX and Intelligent Scan that combines Iris Scanner and face recognition.

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Samsung launched the Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9+ in Midnight Black, Coral Blue, Titanium Gray, and Lilac Purple. Availablity of these color variants are market dependent.

In China, both phones are available in black, purple, and blue. However, the Korean giant has unveiled three new brand ambassadors along with a new color variant for China.

The Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9+ are now available in red in China. The new color is similar to the Burgundy Red Galaxy S8.

[envira-gallery id=”189471″]

Samsung is not new to releasing new color variants for its phones but this is unusual because it is still very early. The phone went on sale in March, though was announced in February.

Usually, Samsung doesn’t announce a new color variant until much later in the year. That is not to say we are not pleased. The more colors to choose from, the better.

READ MORE: Samsung’s Vice Chairman Meets Huawei, Xiaomi Executives In China To Strengthen Partnership

The new color variant is not yet on sale although it is listed on the Samsung China website for the Galaxy S9+ already. Pricing should still remain the same. We also expect the new color variant to launch in other markets later.

(Source)

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Xiaomi has recently dethroned Samsung to become the number smartphone brand in India. The Chinese manufacturer was able to grab the number one spot because of the highly popular mid-range Redmi Note and Redmi smartphones. However, Xiaomi is not doing well in the market for premium tier smartphones. Xiaomi CEO Lei Jun had recently claimed that the Mi MIX 2 was not received well by the Indian customers. Fresh information reveals that the premium market was mainly dominated by phones like Samsung Galaxy S9+, Galaxy S9 and OnePlus 5T in the first quarter of this year. This has allowed Samsung to once again lead the premium tier market in India.

According to the latest market survey conducted by Counterpoint Research, the premium tier constitutes only 4 percent of the entire smartphone market in India. It has also stated that Samsung, OnePlus and Apple are the three main phone manufacturers that together account for 95 percent of the premium tier market.

In Q4 2018, Apple had reigned over the premium phones market in India because of phones like iPhone X and iPhone 8 series that were launched in the same quarter. The research firm claims Apple is now pushed to third position in Q1 2018 because of poor demand and increased import taxes that has led to overall volume decline of 55 percent. However, the company has been enjoying consistent sales for older iPhones on Amazon India and Flipkart.

The Samsung Galaxy S9, Galaxy S9+ and Galaxy A8+ smartphones that were unveiled in the first quarter of this year have received good reception in India. Samsung’s popularity in the premium segment buoyed by the arrival of Galaxy S9 duo that has allowed it capture half of the premium market along with a year-on-year growth 16 percent.

Read More: OnePlus 6 Pricing for India Leaked; Rs. 36,999 (~$557) Could be Starting Price

OnePlus is in the second position in the premium market in India. The Chinese brand has shown the most stability as it has been holding to the same position since three consecutive quarters. The OnePlus 5T that was launched in Q4 2017 went on to become the most popular premium phone in Q1 2018. Its limited-edition variants like Lava Red and Star Wars themed model that was exclusively launched in India along with brick-and-mortar sales allowed to remain popular for Galaxy S9, iPhone X, iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus.

The upcoming OnePlus 6 is expected to increase the market share of the company in the premium segment since it has opened new stores and achieved wider brand awareness. Huawei has recently launched the P20 Pro in India and HMD Global has just released Nokia 8 Sirocco in the country. Both the companies are expected to compete with Samsung, OnePlus and Apple in the second quarter of the year.

(source)

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When the Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9+ were first announced they only came in 64GB variants. If you wanted more storage, you had to order from China where they have the 128GB version of the S9 or the 128GB/256GB Galaxy S9+. Starting today, that won’t be the case anymore.

Samsung has now announced the Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9+ in new 128GB and 256GB models for both phones in the US. However, more storage means you will have to fork out more money.

The new 128GB Galaxy S9 will sell for $770 while the 256GB model will sell for $820. The Galaxy S9+, on the other hand, will set you back $890 for the 128GB model and $940 for the 256GB model. These prices are actually much cheaper than the official prices for China.

The question is do you really need the extra storage since the Galaxy S9/S9+ have microSD card support? If you want more storage and already have the 64GB model, you are better off picking up a 200GB SanDisk Ultra MicroSD card for under $70 on Amazon.

For those who have not purchased the phone yet, the choice is yours to make. You may want to shell out the extra cash or save and get a MicroSD card.

The advantage you get if you buy the new storage models is that the built-in memory is faster than a microSD card since it is UFS 2.1. So apps and files on the phone’s built-in storage will launch faster or can be accessed faster than on a memory card.

READ MORE: Samsung’s First Android Go Phone May Launch As The Galaxy J2 Core

The phones will be exclusive to Samsung.com and pre-orders will begin May 1 and run through May 17. Those who pre-order will get a free 2018 Gear IconX or be able to purchase the Gear S3 Frontier for $99. The new models will also be available in all color variants.

(Source, Via)

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Samsung Displays is one of the lucrative arms of the conglomerate. The company is good at manufacturing some of the world’s best AMOLED panels. As a matter of fact, the AMOLED screens from Samsung are one of the reasons why many users buy their products. The Infinity Display on the recently released Galaxy S9 and S9+ is rated as the best mobile display in the market.

Unfortunately, Samsung’s mobile displays still have their fair share of controversies. The Galaxy S9 which was announced in March also is being reported to have colour banding issues when rendering dark/black images.  The issue is termed as Black crush and it refers to a phenomenon where the screen has issues displaying shades of dark accurately, resulting in a grainy or a pixelated picture with blocks of black.

Read Also: Samsung Galaxy S9 mini Spotted with Snapdragon 660, 4 GB RAM

The black crush effect would be noticeable when watching dark images or videos as details are lost similar to a heavily compressed file. It is not an entirely new issue as many users have complained about this on the previous generation devices as well. Samsung is yet to comment on the issue but we believe it is a minor issue affecting only a few Samsung models.

(source)

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In the last two years, none of the Samsung phones have made it to the list of top 10 bestselling phones in China. According to a recent market study carried out by Strategy Analytics, the South Korean held on to 12^th spot in China in the fourth quarter of 2017. Currently, the only foreign company that has managed to get listed in the top 10 smartphone brands in China is Apple that is now holding on to 5^th position after Huawei, OPPO, Vivo and Xiaomi. The research also reveals that Samsung’s market share has declined to 0.8 percent in the said quarter.

Between 2011 and 2013, Samsung was the number smartphone brand in China. However, local brands have managed to surpass Samsung’s popularity in the recent years. Analysts are of the view that some of the reasons that has led to declining of Samsung’s market share in China are its inability to meet the demands of consumers in China while local brands proactively launch cheaper smartphones, recalling of Galaxy Note 7 and the recent political tension between Seoul and Beijing.

On March 6, Samsung had introduced the Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9+ smartphones in China. It has even signed up popular young actors from China, Zhu Yawen and Jing Boran to endorse the Galaxy S9 duo. The South Korean company is hoping to gain some market share through the arrival of S9 and S9+ in China.

The 64 GB and 128 GB Samsung Galaxy S9 models are respectively priced at 5,799 Yuan (~$922) and 6,099 Yuan (~$970). On the other side, the 64 GB, 128 GB and 256 GB Galaxy S9+ variants respectively cost 6,699 Yuan (~$1,065), 6,999 Yuan (~$1,113) and 7,599 Yuan (~$1,209). In order to attract Chinese customers, it comes with enhanced video, audio apps and personalized emojis to attract social media users in China.

Read More: Samsung Completes 7nm Process Development 6 Months Early, May Be Used on Snapdragon 855

A recent report had revealed that Samsung is working on improving its market share in China. In 2017, it had replaced local heads and operations were streamlined. The company also plans to concentrate more on targeting users who purchase high-end smartphones. However, it won’t be easy for Samsung to regain its popularity in China as Huawei, OPPO, Vivo, Xiaomi and OnePlus are all selling flagship phones with cheaper pricing.

What do you think should Samsung do to rank among the top 5 brands in China? Share us your views by posting your comments below.

(via)

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Samsung had released the Galaxy S5 mini in 2014 as a smaller edition of the Galaxy S5 phone. However, the South Korean company did not launch Galaxy S6 mini, Galaxy S7 mini or Galaxy S8 Mini in the recent years. On Friday, a well-known tipster from China had claimed that Samsung is testing the Galaxy S9 mini phone in China. He had also revealed that the model number of the S9 mini is SM-G8750. Now the same model number has been spotted on Geekbench, it seems that the S9 Mini truly exists. The Geekbench listing has revealed some of the key specs of the phone.3

The Geekbench listing of SM-G8750 reveals that it is preinstalled with Android 8.0 Oreo. The Galaxy S9 mini could be the first smartphone from the South Korean company to feature the Snapdragon 660 mobile platform. The SoC is coupled by 4 GB of RAM. In single-core and multi-core tests of Geekbench, the Galaxy S9 mini has respectively scored 1619 and 5955 points.

Read More: Samsung Galaxy S8 And Galaxy S8 Plus Gets Price Cut In India

There is no information available on the other specifications of the Galaxy S9 mini. However, it is speculated to arrive with Infinity Display design like the Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9+.Its display could be sized between 5-inch and 5.5-inch and it may carry support for 18.5:9 aspect ratio like the Galaxy S9 duo. Also, it is unlikely to feature dual camera setup like the S9+.

Currently, there is no information available on the launch date of the Galaxy S9 mini. Since the South Korean company is testing the S9 mini in China, it may arrive with a cheaper price tag to take on the leading smartphones in the mid-range bracket.

(source|via)

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Earlier this month, Samsung started selling its flagship smartphones — Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9+ in India. Both the devices were available in two storage models — 64GB and 256GB. Now, the South Korean giant has silently launched another variant which comes with 128GB internal storage.

The 128GB storage variant of Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9+ has been launched in India for offline partners, with retail availability expected later this week. However, it is not yet clear if and when this new model will be available online. At this time, the 128GB variant models are not listed on Flipkart or Amazon.

According to the reports, the Galaxy S9 128GB variant is priced at Rs. 61,900 (approximately $955), while the Galaxy S9+ is priced at Rs. 68,900, which roughly converts to $1,062. To recap, the Galaxy S9 64GB and 256GB variants are priced at Rs. 57,900 and Rs. 65,900, respectively while the Galaxy S9+ starts at Rs. 64,900 for the 64GB model and goes up to Rs. 72,900 for the 256GB option.

Samsung newest flagship smartphones — S9 and S9+ features 5.8-inch and 6.2-inch Super AMOLED display, respectively which supports QHD+ resolution of 2960 x 1440 pixels. The company says that both phones come with a new kind of coating on the screen that delivers deeper blacks.

Both phones are powered by Samsung’s Exynos 9810 octa-core processor with Mali G72MP18 GPU. The Galaxy S9 packs 4GB RAM while the S9+ packs 6GB RAM. One of the highlights for the Galaxy S9-series is that it comes with improved camera experience to take on the likes of Apple’s iPhone X and Google Pixel 2. DxOMark, which tests and rates smartphone cameras, has placed Samsung Galaxy S9+ as the best camera ahead of both its rivals.

The Galaxy S9 features a 12-megapixel dual pixel rear camera with LED Flash, f/2.4-f/1.5 variable aperture, and 960fps super slo-mo support. On the other hand, the Galaxy S9+ comes with a 12-megapixel primary rear camera and 12-megapixel secondary camera along with f/2.4-f/1.5 variable aperture, LED Flash, and 960fps super slo-mo support. On the front, the devices feature 8-megapixel auto-focus camera with wide-angle lens and f/1.7 aperture.

The devices are running Android Oreo operating system out-of-the-box with TouchWiz custom interface on top. While the Galaxy S9 is powered by a 3,000mAh battery, the Galaxy S9+ is powered by a 3,500mAh battery. Apart from the fingerprint reader, both phones are also equipped with security features like improved KNOX and Intelligent Scan that combines Iris Scanner and face recognition.

Read More: Samsung’s Foldable Smartphone Galaxy X Won’t Launch Anytime Soon – Report

Connectivity options on the device include 4G VoLTE, Wi-Fi 802.11ac (2.4GHz/5GHz), VHT80 MU-MIMO, Bluetooth v5 (LE up to 2Mbps), GPS with GLONASS, USB 3.1, NFC and MST. The Galaxy S9 is powered by the 3,000mAh battery while the Galaxy S9+ is fuelled by a 3,500mAh battery and both devices come with wireless charging.

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We have already told you that Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus has been the most expensive smartphone ever released by the Korean hi-tech giant. It is almost as expensive as the iPhone X, even though its listing price remains way lower than the latest Apple flagship. According to a teardown by IHS Markit, the components used to make the handset had a total cost of almost $376. The teardown considers the version of the device identified by the model number SM-G965U1 with 64 GB of internal storage. The total cost of $375.80 is $43 higher than costs incurred by the company to make its predecessor Galaxy S8+.

Note that $379 is the manufacturing cost only. To obtain the total cost of a device like this you must add R&D, taxes, distribution, and marketing. So, the fact that it costs almost $376 to produce a Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus and its listing price is $839 does not mean that the company makes a profit of more than $450 by selling a unit of this device. From what the info published by IHS Markit is showing, among the most expensive components there are DRAM and NAND flash memory with its rising prices. The great dual-lens camera with its variable mechanical aperture is another very expensive component.

RELATED: Samsung’s Foldable Smartphone Galaxy X Won’t Launch Anytime Soon: Report

According to IHS, the combined BOM cost for all the cameras (iris scanner included) is $44.95, while the primary camera alone costs $34.95. A unit of the iPhone X costs $389.50, according to TechInsights, and its display is even more expensive than the one of Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus for Apple.  The Galaxy S9+ comes with 6 GB of RAM and up to 256 GB of internal storage depending on the configuration. It also offers a dual camera with a variable aperture to get better shots in every light conditions, while the battery remains the same with 3500 mAh capacity as the Galaxy S8+.

(Source, Via)

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How much do you think it costs to build a Galaxy S9+ (Exynos)?  Someone at TechInsights has made a chart comparing the cost of building Samsung’s latest flagship against other phones like the Galaxy Note8, S8+, iPhone 8+, and iPhone X.

The chart gives a breakdown of every major component that is in the phone and some of the details are surprising. Do note that the price of each material for each phone was taken when the device was initially analysed.

The display for the Galaxy S9+ costs $72.50 but for the S8+ it is $78.50. Both devices use practically the same display with a few minor changes but the display of the S9+ costs $4 less. Even the iPhone X’ notched display costs less than that of the Galaxy S8+.

Of all the devices, the Galaxy S9+ has the highest camera cost at $48. It is understandable for the S8+ and iPhone 8 Plus since they both have single rear cameras.

The Exynos 9810 which has an integrated LTE modem costs $68. It is slightly lesser than the Galaxy Note 8’s $68.50 price and more than the $64.50 price of the iPhone X and iPhone 8 Plus when you combine the price of the Bionic 11 chip ($52) and Qualcomm MDM9655 LTE modem ($12.50).

The Galaxy S9+ comes with a 3500mAh battery and that costs $5.50. The iPhone X’s smaller 2716mAh battery costs $6.50. The iPhone X also costs more in non-electronics – $46 as against the Galaxy S9+’ $29.

In summary, the Galaxy S9+ is Samsung’s most expensive phone yet in terms of components with the total bill of materials coming to $379.50. However, it is still less than Apple’s iPhone X which costs $389.50.

READ MORE: Samsung Galaxy Note 9 Confirmed: Name Trademarked In Colombia

The Galaxy S9+ (Exynos) is €949 (~$1172) in Europe. That is 3x the cost of building the device. However, when you add other costs such as marketing, distribution, and taxes, you’ll realize Samsung isn’t making as much money as you might think. Nevertheless, it sure is smiling to the bank.

(Source)

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The tagline for the Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9+is “The Camera. Reimagined”. Although the S9+ comes with dual rear cameras, its main sensor is the same as that of the S9. A teardown of the Galaxy S9+ by iFixit gives us a closer look at what has been “reimagined”.

First, the Galaxy S9+ (and Galaxy S9) are not easy to dismantle. To do so, you’ll need to apply heat to weaken the glue, and a pick and clamp to separate the two halves. It is not as easy as it sounds.

After separating the two halves, the first thing your eyes will most likely get drawn to are the cameras. The top camera is the main one with the adjustable aperture. Unlike DSLRs that have at least five aperture blades, the Galaxy S9+ has two rotating circular blades to switch between f/1.5 and f/2.4.

[envira-gallery id=”178358″]

To get access to the rest of the camera, you need to remove the screws holding the black plastic that covers the components. After removing that, you should be able to separate the camera from the board.

As you can see from the image above, both rear sensors of the Galaxy S9+ is actually a single component sharing the same PCB and connector.

READ MORE: Samsung Galaxy S9 and A8 Enterprise Edition Launched In Germany: 4 Years Of Guaranteed Updates

The rest of the components are not easy to remove such as the battery. iFixit gives it a repairability score of 4 out of 10 due to reasons like not being able to change the display without disassembling the whole device and a likelihood of breaking the rear glass while doing so. One advantage the device has is that a lot of the components are modular and can be replaced independently.

You can view the complete teardown in the source link below.

(Source, Via)

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India is one of the largest smartphones markets in the world and the competition in the market is getting fierce. So, in order to strengthen its position in the market, South Korean giant Samsung is planning to launch India-focused devices.

The company will be launching India-focused phones across different price ranges, that too in this year. This plan of the South Korean giant was revealed by Asim Warsi, Global Vice President of Samsung India.

He added that the company is focusing on multi-dimensional strategies to counter the growing competition, especially from the Chinese players. The devices from Samsung will be available through online channels as well as through offline stores.

In the year 2017, Samsung was the leader in the overall Indian smartphone market with 24.7 percent market share, according to the latest numbers from the International Data Corporation (IDC). However, the company is facing tough competition from China-based Xioami which took the top spot in the later quarters.

Currently, the company has the largest retail network in the country with over 150,000 touch points. Mr. Warsi adds that the company will continuously invest and expand reach not just on the channels’ part but also for the after-sales service.

Recently, Samsung launched its flagship smartphones in the Indian market — Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9+. The devices come with several India-specific features such as “LTE Carrier Aggregation” that enables users to stream data 2.5 times faster.

The Galaxy S9 features a 5.8-inch Super AMOLED display and packs 4GB RAM. It comes with a 12MP rear camera with dual variable aperture of f/1.5 and f/2.4. The camera is capable of super-slow motion video at 960fps at 720p resolution. On the front, there’s an 8MP camera for taking selfies.

On the other hand, the Galaxy S9+ comes with a 6.2-inch Super AMOLED display and packs 6GB RAM. Unlike the Galaxy S9, this one features dual rear cameras consisting of 12MP + 12MP sensors with dual OIS. On the front, there’s an 8MP snapper with f/1.7 aperture.

Read More: Enterprise Edition Of Galaxy S9 and Galaxy A8 Launched In Germany: Promises 4 Years Of Guaranteed Updates

In India, both models are powered by company’s own Exynos 9810 processor and will be running Android Oreo operating system out-of-the-box with TouchWiz custom interface on top. While the Galaxy S9 is powered by a 3,000mAh battery, the Galaxy S9+ is powered by a 3,500mAh battery.

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Following the launch of the Samsung Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9+ in India earlier today, both phones have also been officially launched in China.

We are already familiar with the specs but we’ll run through them once again.

Specs

The Galaxy S9 has a 5.8” display while the S9+ comes with a 6.2” screen. Both have a resolution of 2960 x 1440 (WQHD+) but they are set to 2220 x 1080 (FHD+) out of the box.

The version of both phones launched in China is powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 845 mobile platform. The Galaxy S9 comes with 4GB of RAM and 64GB/128GB of storage while the Galaxy S9+ has 6GB of RAM paired with 64GB/128GB/256GB of storage.

Apart from the difference in RAM and storage configuration, both phones also differ with respect to camera configuration. The smaller S9 comes with a single 12MP 1.4 µm sensor with a variable aperture of F1.5 and F2.4. The camera can shoot 720p slow-motion videos at 960fps, has OIS, Dual Pixel PDAF, and LED flash.

The Galaxy S9+ comes with a second 12MP rear camera with a f/2.4 1µm sensor with 2x optical zoom and PDAF. Both phones have 8MP f/1.7 front cameras.

The Galaxy S9 and S9+ run Android Oreo out of the box with Samsung’s own UI overlay and Bixby Assistant. They also have stereo speakers with Dolby Audio, NFC, audio jack, USB-C 3.1 port, and Bluetooth 5.0. A 3000mAh battery powers the Galaxy S9 while a 3500mAh battery is found inside the Galaxy S9+.

For China, Samsung has added a number of unique features such as Samsung Pay support for bus card payement in 6 cities including Beijing and Jilin. There is also an upgraded exclusive butler service, screen replacement, battery replacement, and a ¥600 (~$95) trade-in allowance.

READ MORE: Samsung Galaxy J3 (2018) & J3 Pro Appear on GeekBench

Price

The Galaxy S9 duo cost a lot in China though. The S9 starts at ¥5799 (~$919) for the 64GB version and ¥6099 (~$966) for the 128GB model.

The 64GB Galaxy S9+ will sell for ¥6699 (~$1061), the 128GB for ¥6999 (~$1109), and the 256GB model (mindnight black and lilac purple only) for ¥7599 (~$1204).

They will be available for pre-order starting today until March 14 before going on sale on March 16. Orders can be made on the official webiste or on JD.com.

Samsung is also running a sweepstake for those who pre-order. The Galaxy Gear S3, the vertical wireless charger, a smaller wireless charger, tote bags, and coupons are some of the gifts buyers can win.

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As expected, Samsung has today launched its two new smartphones in the Indian market — the Samsung Galaxy S9 and the Galaxy S9+ at a launch event in New Delhi. Both the phones were originally unveiled at Mobile World Congress 2018 in Barcelona.

While the devices have been launched in India today, Samsung India store had already opened pre-bookings for both — Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9+ right after the launch event in Barcelona. The devices were available for pre-booking for a price of Rs 2,000 (approximately $31).

One of the highlights for the Galaxy S9-series is that it comes with improved camera experience to take on the likes of Apple’s iPhone X and Google Pixel 2. DxOMark, which tests and rates smartphone cameras, has placed Samsung Galaxy S9+ as the best camera ahead of both its rivals.

Both phones bear resemblance with their predecessors in terms of design. However, there are some design changes like the repositioned fingerprint scanner that now sits below the rear camera, less rounded corners and slightly reduced bezels.

The screen of S9 and S9+ are curved towards the edges on the front and rear. Their aluminum frame that is flanked with curved Gorilla Glass panels on both sides. The devices come with IP68 certification that ensures that the phones are waterproof and dustproof.

The Samsung Galaxy S9 and the Galaxy S9+ features 5.8-inch and 6.2-inch Super AMOLED display, respectively which supports QHD+ resolution of 2960 x 1440 pixels. The company says that both phones come with a new kind of coating on the screen that delivers deeper blacks.

Both phones are powered by Samsung’s Exynos 9810 octa-core processor with Mali G72MP18 GPU. The Galaxy S9 packs 4GB RAM while the S9+ packs 6GB RAM. Both devices are available in two storage options — 64GB internal storage and 256GB onboard storage.

Coming to the camera specs, the Galaxy S9 features a 12-megapixel dual pixel rear camera with LED Flash, f/2.4-f/1.5 variable aperture, and 960fps super slo-mo support. On the other hand, the Galaxy S9+ comes with a 12-megapixel primary rear camera and 12-megapixel secondary camera along with f/2.4-f/1.5 variable aperture, LED Flash, and 960fps super slo-mo support. On the front, the devices feature 8-megapixel auto-focus camera with wide-angle lens and f/1.7 aperture.

The devices are running Android Oreo operating system out-of-the-box with TouchWiz custom interface on top. While the Galaxy S9 is powered by a 3,000mAh battery, the Galaxy S9+ is powered by a 3,500mAh battery. Apart from the fingerprint reader, both phones are also equipped with security features like improved KNOX and Intelligent Scan that combines Iris Scanner and face recognition.

Connectivity options on the device include 4G VoLTE, Wi-Fi 802.11ac (2.4GHz/5GHz), VHT80 MU-MIMO, Bluetooth v5 (LE up to 2Mbps), GPS with GLONASS, USB 3.1, NFC and MST. The Galaxy S9 is powered by the 3,000mAh battery while the Galaxy S9+ is fuelled by a 3,500mAh battery and both devices come with wireless charging.

Pricing and Availability

In India, the Samsung Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9+ will be available in Midnight Black, Coral Blue, and Lilac Purple colors. As of the pricing, the 64GB ROM model of S9 costs Rs. 57,900 while the 256GB model is priced at Rs. 65,900. On the other hand, the 64GB model of S9+ is priced at Rs. 64,900 while the 256GB model costs Rs. 72,900.

Read More: Samsung Galaxy S9 and A8 Enterprise Edition Launched In Germany: 4 Years Of Guaranteed Updates

While pre-bookings started last week on Samsung Shop, both the phones are now available for pre-order starting from 2 PM today on Flipkart. The company will start shipping the device from March 16th.

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After launching its flagship smartphones — Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9+ at the Mobile World Congress 2018 in Barcelona last month, Samsung is now all set to launch both phones in the Indian market.

The company has sent out media invites for the launch event in New Delhi that is scheduled to take place on 6th March, i.e. tomorrow.

While the company usually launches its flagship device in India after one month of global launch, this time, the South Korean giant is introducing its flagship phones in India along with the global debut. The launch event will start at 11:30 AM IST and will be live-streamed on the company’s website (link).

Ahead of this official launch, Samsung India store had already opened pre-bookings for both — Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9+ right after the launch event. The devices were available for pre-booking for a price of Rs 2,000 (approximately $31). Globally, the devices will start shipping from 16th March, and we expect the company to follow the same dates in the Indian market.

As of now, the pricing of the devices in India is not yet known. The Galaxy S9 starts from $720 in the US, which roughly converts to Rs 47,000, while the Galaxy S9+ starts from $840, which is approximately Rs 54,000.

This latest Galaxy S9-series comes with improved camera experience to take on the likes of Apple’s iPhone X and Google Pixel 2. DxOMark, which tests and rates smartphone cameras, has placed Samsung Galaxy S9+ as the best camera ahead of both its rivals.

Coming to the specifications, the Galaxy S9 features a 5.8-inch Super AMOLED display and packs 4GB RAM. It comes with a 12MP rear camera with dual variable aperture of f/1.5 and f/2.4. The camera is capable of super-slow motion video at 960fps at 720p resolution. On the front, there’s an 8MP camera for taking selfies.

On the other hand, the Galaxy S9+ comes with a 6.2-inch Super AMOLED display and packs 6GB RAM. Unlike the Galaxy S9, this one features dual rear cameras consisting of 12MP + 12MP sensors with dual OIS. On the front, there’s an 8MP snapper with f/1.7 aperture.

Read More: Samsung Launches Enterprise Edition Of Galaxy S9 and A8 In Germany: Promises 4 Years Of Guaranteed Updates

In India, both devices will be powered by company’s own Exynos 9810 processor and will be running Android Oreo operating system out-of-the-box with TouchWiz custom interface on top. While the Galaxy S9 is powered by a 3,000mAh battery, the Galaxy S9+ is powered by a 3,500mAh battery.

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Samsung Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9 + were officially launched on Sunday at the Mobile World Congress (MWC) 2018. The South Korean company has already started with the pre-bookings of both phones in India. A leaked document has surfaced to reveal the pricing of the S9 and S9+ models that will be arriving in the country.

The Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9+ were introduced in storage choices like 64 GB, 128 GB and 256 GB. However, fresh information reveals that Samsung will be only selling the 64 GB and 256 GB editions of the Galaxy S9 and S9+ in India. The country will be receiving the Exynos 9810 chipset variants of both phones.

Leaked information states that the 64 GB and 128 GB Galaxy S9 models will carry respective MRP pricing of Rs. 62,500 and Rs. 71,000. On the other hand, the 64 GB and 256 GB variants of the Galaxy S9+ will have respective MRP price tag of Rs. 70,000 and Rs. 79,000. There is a possibility that the Galaxy S9 duo may arrive with lower pricing at launch.

Read More: Samsung’s Foldable Phone Could be Delayed As Company Shifts Focus

The Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9+ will be available for buying through Samsung’s online shop. Since Flipkart has added a dedicated page for Galaxy S9 and S9+, it appears that the retailer will be exclusively selling the new Galaxies. Customers who are interested in buying the Galaxy S9 or S9+ can visit Samsung’s site and make an upfront payment of Rs. 2,000.

(source)

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