Ahead of MWC 2018, the hotly anticipated slick, smooth, and super curvy addition to the Samsung Galaxy S range was unveiled on Sunday 25th February. Meet the Samsung Galaxy S9: complete with all the features we hoped it would have, loads of the stuff it was rumoured to have, plus some brilliant extras. You can’t get your hands on it until yet but you can pre-order your S9 with Three for delivery on 9th March (the official Samsung Galaxy S9 release date is 16th March – get in!). In the meantime, we’ve managed to get you a sneaky peek video of the Samsung Galaxy S9 to whet your appetite. And you can read more about the fabulous features of the Samsung Galaxy S9 spec right here…
1. A camera with super low-light ability
We’re used to awesome camera phones from tech giants, Samsung. And it’s no doubt that the S8 and S8+ pack an impressive spec to rival compact cameras. But how have Samsung ramped things up with the S9?
Well, both the S9 and S9 + have a 12MP main camera (rear camera) that can shoot an F1.5 aperture. This is the largest aperture ever used in a smartphone and it simply means that it cleverly adapts to light like the human eye. Which basically means that you can capture stunning pictures whether you’re in bright daylight, moonlight, or low light.
2. Super slow-mo that captures absolutely everything
Unsurprisingly, the camera is a big hit with us, and another photographic feature has made it onto our list of brilliant bits. The S9 and S9+ ‘Super Slow-mo’ functionality captures an incredible 960 fps (frames per second). Hailed as ‘the camera that slows down time’, you can either use auto-mode to activate Motion Detect – which captures the moment as soon as a moving subject enters the screen – or you can use manual mode and tap the Super Slow-mo button to capture each video segment. You’ll never miss a second of any magical moment again.
3. Secure and slick Intelligent Scan
Just when you thought fingerprint scanning and face recognition was the future of smartphone security, along comes Intelligent Scan. It’s basically a combination of Iris Scanner and Face Recognition which you get independently on the S8, S8+ and Note.
Put simply, the iris scanner is based on the idea that the pattern in your irises are unique to you and impossible to replicate – so it’s one of the safest forms of iD that’ll keep your phone locked. And face recognition basically does what it says on the tin.
Having these two features working separately can mean it’s difficult to unlock your phone in low light conditions. However, when they work in tandem, the Intelligent Scan tool determines the best way to unlock your phone – whether that’s with the iris scanner or facial recognition. Genius.
4. Fun and quirky AR Emoji
Fancy turning yourself into a cartoon character? With AR Emoji you can share exactly how you’re feeling, with up to 18 different reactions in animated versions of you. Your own mugshot will be transformed into a full body cartoon character that looks, sounds and acts just like you, thanks to the clever camera on the S9. Then you can send it in messages or post it up on your face social media platform.
Here’s what Samsung say about AR Emoji in their recent press release:
“AR Emoji uses a data-based machine learning algorithm, which analyses a 2D image of the user and maps out more than 100 facial features to create a 3D model that reflects and imitates expressions, like winks and nods, for true personalisation. AR Emoji shares your real-life feelings not only in video but also with a range of stickers in uses a standard AGIF file format so users can share their emojis across most third-party messaging platforms.”
5. Stereo Dolby Atmos speakers and headphones
The Galaxy S9 takes sound to the next level as Samsung introduce stereo surround. The speakers (and headphones) are tuned by AKG, and provide Dolby Atmos surround sound using the bottom-firing speaker and the earpiece (which will double as a speaker as well).
Streaming Netflix has never sounded so good and with 12 months’ Netflix subscription on us (available with the S8, S8+, Galaxy Note 8, S9 and S9+) you can immerse yourself in the latest, greatest sounding movies and box sets, without worrying about making a dent in your data. Win-win.
6. The trusty headphone jack for audio lovers!
They say “you don’t know what you’ve got ‘til it’s gone”, and a headphone jack could be the perfect example of this. Removing it from various smartphone models over recent years has been a controversial decision, but you’ll be pleased to know that the S9 has a headphone jack on board. Not everyone is ready to rely on wireless audio, and music lovers can rest assured that they’ll be able to plug in their trusty ear gear.
7. Small, but perfectly formed, USB-C connector
Just like the S8, you get a USB-C connector on the S9 standard. It’s about a third the size of an old USB Type-A plug and it’s pretty much becoming a standard port for all devices these days. So, you’ll only ever need a single cable – whether you’re connecting an external hard drive to your laptop or charging your smartphone.
It’s reversible too, so no matter which way you stick it into your S9, you’ll be sure you’ve got the perfect fit for a charge.
8. It’s a desktop too!
Samsung DeX is a dock which allows you to use your smartphone as a desktop. The idea is that you can leave your laptop and tablet at home and simply rely on your smartphone, because the DeX pad allows you to connect to a monitor using the HDMI port.
This new DeX version positions the phone flat on your desktop – so it’s not standing at an upright angle as with the original dock for the S8. With the phone flat, the screen can be used as a trackpad, so there’s no need for a mouse. It’s good news that this improved version of the dock is still compatible with S8, S8+ and Note 8, but it’s also worth knowing that you’ll need the latest Oreo Android update for it to work (and we don’t yet know when this will be coming to the S8 family).
9. Transfer stuff from your old phone with Smart Switch
When you get your hands on a gorgeous new S9, the last thing you need is to worry about transferring stuff. And with Smart Switch you won’t have to. It’s super simple to transfer your contacts, files, music and everything that’s important to you from your old phone to your new one. And it means that all the familiar features on your old phone are right there on your new one. Simples.
OK, so that’s 9 of the best bits; but there’s so much more we could talk about… Like the gorgeous Infinity Display, which gives you a clutter-free screen with no bezels (they’re the borders between a screen and a phone’s frame that literally cuts down the amount of viewing space). So, you get to immerse yourself in every episode, every movie, every game and every app with an edge-to-edge viewing experience. More screen makes for less distraction – and we also love the fact that the visibility of the Infinity Display is impressive in direct sunlight. The S9 is a slick combination of metal and glass and in our eyes, it’s just upped the smartphone style stakes – we can’t wait to get our hands on it!
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Source: Three Mobile Hub
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