MWC 2018: Everything you need to know about Samsung Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9+

Dual-aperture Smartphone camera

The highlight of the new Galaxy smartphones is the improved camera hardware that is said to offer unmatched low-light camera performance. Samsung says that the cameras on new Galaxy handsets can adapt according to the environment as they take inspiration from human eye. The camera features dual-aperture technology that makes it possible for camera lens to expand and contract just like the iris of a human eye. Samsung says that the ‘Dual Aperture' works in the range of ‘F1.5 / F2.4' and automatically lets in more light when it's dark and less light when it's too bright to capture photos that are crisp and clear. The technology was first seen in Samsung W2018 Flip phone.

The camera on Samsung Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9+ will also come equipped with Super slow motion mode that will record videos in 960fps. It is made possible by integrating Super speed image processor and a DRAM chip. However, it is worth mentioning that we have tested the much talked Super Slow motion tech in Sony's Xperia XZ Premium and XZs handset.

We are quite excited about testing the new Galaxy handsets as the imaging hardware on new Galaxy devices feature widest ever aperture used in a smartphone. We will pit the results against Google Pixel 2 XL to find out if the new Samsung handsets can match or surpass the camera performance delivered by Pixel handsets.

While the Galaxy S9 has a mono camera setup, the camera on Galaxy S9+ comprises of one Wide-angle and Telephoto lens. Both the lenses on Galaxy S9+ support OIS, which is indeed a great addition.

The new cameras also come with AR Emojis. AR Emoji uses a data-based machine learning algorithm, which analyzes 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 personalization. AR Emoji shares users' real-life emotions not only in video but also with a range of stickers and uses a standard AGIF file format so users can share their emojis across most third-party messaging platforms.

Uninterrupted and refined screen

Samsung says that the new handsets come with refined Infinity screens that stretch all the way from front to the corners of the back. Galaxy S9+ sports a 5.8-inch Super AMOLED display, while the bigger Galaxy S9+ feature a 6.2-inch Super AMOLED display. The displays on both the handsets have an aspect ratio of 18.5:9. Samsung says the design team has trimmed down the already small bezels at the top and bottom of the device, gave the screen a deeper black so as to blend in with the bezels when the device is off. The bezels have also been refined to conceal features that could possibly detract from users' immersion, such as the device's iris sensor.

Besides, Samsung said that it has improved the brightness of the screen (Adaptive Contrast Enhancement) and has introduced a new Landscape Mode, which allows the home screen and app tray to adjust their orientation when the phone is held at an angle.

Improved Audio

To make the new smartphones more multimedia oriented, Samsung has also improved the audio on the new Galaxy devices. Galaxy S9 and S9+ feature loudest ever speakers offered on a Samsung device. Both the devices come equipped with AKG tuned dual front facing speakers and also have Dolby Atmos effect that add 360-degree surround sound support. As per Samsung, the new audio technology carefully analyzes how key variables affect the audio in order to create the most immersive sound experience possible.

Relocated Fingerprint scanner

I am delighted to say that Samsung took the feedback very well and has repositioned the fingerprint scanner to solve the most irritating design flaw on Galaxy devices. The design team has moved the scanner under the camera module to improve the handling experience. The new Samsung Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9+ will have easier to reach fingerprint scanner mounted at the rear panels, which I believe will make a big difference in everyday mobile user experience.

CPU, RAM and Battery

Galaxy S9 and S9 run on the latest Exynos 9810 CPU in some markets. The octa-core processor is paired with an 18-core Mali-G72 GPU to handle graphical intensive tasks. Galaxy S9 will have 4GB of RAM, whereas Galaxy S9+ will use 6GB of RAM to handle multitasking.

The new Galaxy handsets that will sell in North America and in China will be powered by the latest Qualcomm chipset- Snapdragon 845. There's no change in the battery department. Galaxy S9 will be backed by 3,000 mAh battery unit and Galaxy S9+ will be powered by a 3,500 mAh battery unit.

Android 8.0 Oreo with Samsung UI

The S9 duo runs on Android Oreo with the Samsung's new Grace UX. The new Galaxy smartphones will have support of AR Emojis and will come equipped with improved KNOX and Intelligent Scan security system. Bixby will now use Artificial Intelligence to help you in real-time during foreign language translation. With the improved and smarter Bixby, the new Galaxy devices will also show you the nutrition level of food items when you point the camera at the food.

Besides, the Galaxy S9 and S9+ is also said to take health to the next level with an improved optical sensor built directly into the device. As per Samsung, the new sensor will provide richer, more accurate information on users' health status. This sensor allows the Galaxy S9 and S9+ to keep track of users' Heart Load Factor, a new measurement of the real-time demand placed on the heart.

Overall, there are some noteworthy features and improvements in the new Samsung Galaxy devices that will shape up the mobile user experience in future. What has really made us wait for the 2018 Samsung flagship devices is the new camera hardware that seems quite promising.

Stay tuned on Gizbot for more on Samsung Galaxy S9 and S9+.