Just two months into the year, Samsung officially announced their new phones, the Samsung S9 and Samsung S9+. The much-anticipated phones of this year will be available in stores on March 16.
The specifications
Here is a brief breakdown of the specifications of both phones:
Exactly how different is the S9 from its predecessor?
The design of Samsung Galaxy S9 is not much different than its predecessor. Like S8, you get a metal frame and curved glass panels on both the front and the back. Also, both phones have a 3.5 mm headphone port. Both phones possess the IP68 certification for dust and water resistance, which means that you can submerge the phones in water up to 1.5 meters deep for up to half an hour.
There are a FEW differences though.
For instance, the fingerprint scanner has been shifted from the right of the camera where it was situated on the S8 to underneath the camera on the S9. Additionally, the S9 has smaller bezels above and below the screen, which lead to a reduced height of 147.7 mm compared to 148.9mm on the S8. The rest of the Samsung Galaxy’s S9’s dimensions are slightly larger; 68.7 x 8.5mm compared to 68.1 x 8mm on the S8. Hence, the S9 also weighs slightly more at 163gm, while the S8 is 155gm.
S9 also has fewer color choices as it is just launching in Midnight Black, Coral Blue, and Lilac Purple.
Let’s talk about the new features introduced for the S9/S9+
The reinvented camera
The Samsung Galaxy S9 camera has improved greatly and now has a dual aperture, which means that the camera lens can be made smaller or larger to vary the amount of light that is let in. This allows for better pictures in low light conditions.
AR emoji
Samsung created the AR emoji for its new phone following the Animoji trend which was introduced by Apple for its IphoneX. The AR emoji is essentially a cross between the Animoji and the Bitmoji and it uses augmented reality technology and the front camera of the phone to create an avatar of the user.
Super slow-motion camera
One of the exciting aspects of the new camera is its super slow motion camera. The new camera enables one to record a video at 960 frames per second. This is slow enough to capture a balloon full of water bursting. This feature can be found in the camera app and the phone uses a motion sensor to automatically detect when the slow motion event should happen, meaning that your only job is to keep the app ready.
Live Translation
The S9 is capable to automatically translate phrases, words, menus, or street signs using its camera. All it requires is an internet connection. This feature will definitely come in hand during trips abroad!
The official introduction video by Samsung:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5_-NKRVn7IQ
Source: Youtube
So, how big is Samsung’s market?
Apple and Samsung are the two top players in the smartphone market. However, according to a Fortune article, Samsung reigns supreme in terms of sales. Although Apple may make billions in sales, Samsung has greater sales as it caters to a diverse number of consumers that span different budget levels. Samsung ended 2017 with 21.9% market share with the global smartphone market with nearly 310 million units sold during the period. Apple’s iPhone secured a 15.2% market share in the same year.
What is the actual cost of producing a phone, you ask?
Although data is not available for the S9 and S9+, the production cost of phones in 2017 and earlier can be found. According to data from IHS Markit and published by Statista, the Samsung Galaxy S8 is quite expensive to build; it costs $307.50 per unit. Here is a graph by Statista comparing the prices of a few recent phones:
The high cost of producing the Samsung phone demonstrates superior quality of the materials used to produce the phones.
The Verdict
Now the main question is: Should you buy the new S9 or S9+?
Although no doubt, the new phone has amazing features, it is not so different from its predecessor in terms of its display, design, and specifications. One of the biggest changes in the new phone is its improved camera. For people who are passionate about photography, the new phone is a great upgrade. However, if you are a person who is not so fond of photography or use other professional devices to take pictures (like a DSLR), then buying the S9 would not be a good option; it would be better to perhaps wait a little longer for the S10.