Samsung Galaxy S9+
| Industry | Consumer electronics |
|---|---|
| Founded | January 13, 1969 in Suwon, South Korea |
| Headquarters | Suwon , South Korea |
| Products | Smartphones, tablets, consumer electronics |
| Website | www |
Overview
The Samsung Galaxy S9 and S9+ are Android-powered smartphones developed, produced, and distributed by Samsung Electronics as part of the Galaxy S lineup. These models were officially introduced at the Mobile World Congress held in Barcelona on 25 February 2018, succeeding the Galaxy S8 and S8+ devices. Notably, this generation represents the final Galaxy S series to feature an iris scanner, a variable aperture camera lens, and a notification LED.
Design and Features
The Galaxy S9 and S9+ retain a design closely resembling their predecessors, maintaining the same display dimensions and aspect ratios as the S8 series. A key differentiator between the two generations is the repositioning of the fingerprint sensor: unlike the S8’s sensor placed beside the rear camera, the S9’s fingerprint reader is located directly below the camera module, akin to Samsung’s A series devices. The most significant enhancements lie in the camera system, which received multiple upgrades compared to the earlier models.
Reception and Availability
Upon release, these smartphones garnered generally positive feedback from reviewers, who praised improvements such as the refined camera capabilities and more ergonomically placed fingerprint sensor. Nonetheless, some critics pointed out that the overall design and features remained largely unchanged from the previous generation. The Galaxy S9 series was offered in a palette of seven colors: Lilac Purple, Midnight Black, Titanium Gray, Coral Blue, Sunrise Gold, Burgundy Red, and Polaris Blue. This lineup was eventually replaced by the Galaxy S10 series in March 2019.
Launch
Numerous details regarding the Galaxy S9's features and design were disclosed several weeks ahead of its official debut, and the launch video was leaked mere hours before the formal announcement.
The Galaxy S9 and S9+ were officially introduced at the Mobile World Congress held in Barcelona on 25 February 2018, serving as the direct successors to the Samsung Galaxy S8 and S8+.
Display
At first glance, both the Galaxy S9 and S9+ share a similar appearance with the previous S8 models. They are equipped with Super AMOLED screens featuring a resolution of 1440p and an aspect ratio of 18.5:9. The Galaxy S9 sports a 5.8-inch (15 cm) display, while the S9+ offers a larger 6.2-inch (16 cm) screen. These displays curve gently over the device’s horizontal edges. Both variants support HDR content and can reach a maximum brightness of 864 nits.
Cameras
Camera capabilities were enhanced on both devices. The S9+ includes a dual rear camera setup similar to that found on the Galaxy Note 8, whereas the S9 is equipped with a single rear camera. The Exynos versions utilize Samsung's proprietary ISOCELL S5K2L3 sensor, while Snapdragon models incorporate Sony's Exmor IMX345 sensor. Both phones feature a Dual Aperture rear camera capable of switching between apertures of Template:F/1.5 and Template:F/2.4 depending on lighting conditions, marking the first smartphone since the Nokia N86 in 2009 to offer a variable aperture lens.
Video recording supports 4K (2160p) at 60 frames per second, although recording at this setting is limited to five minutes. Additionally, they can capture 1080p video at 240 frames per second and "Super Slo-Motion" footage at 720p with 960 frames per second for brief durations of 0.2 seconds—features that debuted on a Samsung flagship with this generation. The increased frame rates for standard video recording represent the first upgrade since the release of the Samsung Galaxy S5 in 2014.
The introduction of AR Emoji, comparable to Apple's Animoji on the iPhone X, allows users to create personalized emojis using augmented reality and facial recognition technology. This functionality also supports integration with third-party applications.
A subsequent software update integrated an AI-powered feature from the Galaxy Note 9, which alerts users when photos suffer from issues such as blinking or blurriness.
Chipsets and Storage
In the majority of regions, both the S9 and S9+ are equipped with the Samsung Exynos 9810 system-on-chip. However, models distributed in the United States, Canada, China, Hong Kong, Japan, and Latin America utilize the Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 SoC instead.
The standard S9 model includes 4 GB of RAM, whereas the S9+ is outfitted with 6 GB. Initially, both models were offered exclusively with 64 GB of internal storage. Following widespread criticism regarding the limited storage capacity, Samsung introduced 128 GB and 256 GB variants in May 2018, which were only available for purchase through Samsung’s official website. Additionally, both smartphones support expandable storage via a microSD card, allowing users to increase capacity up to 400 GB.
Batteries
Battery sizes remain consistent with those of the previous generation, featuring a 3000 mAh battery in the S9 and a 3500 mAh battery in the S9+. These batteries are non-removable by users. The S9 continues to support wireless charging standards including AirFuel Inductive (previously known as PMA) alongside the Wireless Power Consortium’s Qi technology.
Charging via wired connection supports speeds up to 15 watts through Qualcomm’s Quick Charge 2.0 technology, while wireless charging can achieve rates up to 10 watts.
Audio
Both the S9 and S9+ feature stereo speakers that have been fine-tuned by AKG and support Dolby Atmos surround sound technology. Additionally, these models are among the limited number of smartphones that continue to offer a 3.5mm headphone jack.
Exterior
The most prominent alteration from the S8 series is found on the rear panel of the S9 and S9+. The fingerprint sensor has been relocated from its previous position beside the camera to a more central spot directly below it, similar to the design seen on the Galaxy A8 and A8+, enhancing user convenience. Samsung introduced a more advanced unlocking system by combining face recognition and iris scanning into a single feature named Intelligent Scan.
Several structural enhancements distinguish these models from their S8 and S8+ predecessors, primarily aimed at boosting physical robustness. These improvements include thicker glass, a reinforced metal frame with increased thickness, and the use of a different metal alloy less susceptible to bending or deformation.
Software
The Galaxy S9 and S9+ come pre-installed with Android 8.0 "Oreo", bundled with Google Mobile Services and Samsung's proprietary Samsung Experience interface and software package. While largely consistent with the software on the S8 and Note 8, this iteration introduces new capabilities such as enhanced customization options, live translation within the camera application, and support for landscape (horizontal) orientation on the Samsung home screen—a feature previously criticized as missing in devices like the Galaxy S3.
Support for Project Treble is included in these devices, facilitating easier and faster system updates compared to earlier Galaxy models.
In December 2018, Samsung began rolling out Android 9.0 "Pie" to the S9 lineup, which brought a significant redesign of Samsung’s Android interface called One UI. One UI focuses on improving usability on large displays by repositioning critical interface elements: many apps now feature prominent headers that push content toward the screen’s center, while navigation tools and prompts are positioned closer to the bottom for easier reach.
By February 2020, Samsung initiated deployment of the Android 10 update paired with One UI 2.0 across all Galaxy S9 devices. Official software support for the Galaxy S9 series concluded in April 2022 with the release of that month’s security patch.
Despite official support ending, community-driven versions of One UI remain available unofficially. For instance, Android 13 with One UI 5.1 can be installed via FloydROM for both the S9 and Note 9 series, while Android 15 featuring One UI 7 is accessible through CornROM for these same devices.
Advertising
In the middle of 2018, Samsung launched a series of satirical advertisements titled "Ingenius" that highlighted features missing from the iPhone but present in the Galaxy S9. These included an audio jack, expandable storage via memory card, and purportedly superior network speeds and camera capabilities.
One advertisement featured a dissatisfied customer unable to find a memory card slot on her iPhone. When she asked an Apple Store employee, she was informed that the device does not have one and was advised, in a single word, to use cloud storage as an alternative for extra space. However, this relies on Internet connectivity and tends to have slower transfer speeds and higher latency compared to physical memory cards. The customer expressed a preference for keeping her data stored locally rather than "up there," prompting the Apple employee to suggest purchasing a model with greater built-in storage capacity.
Reception
John McCann from TechRadar praised the enhanced camera system and repositioning of the fingerprint sensor but criticized the device for bearing too close a resemblance to its predecessor, the (Galaxy S8), and for offering limited AR Emoji features.
Brian Heater reviewed the S9+ for TechCrunch on 8 March 2018, remarking that the phone builds upon the "success [of the S8] in several aspects."
Computerworld delivered a favorable assessment, stating that the device was "noticeably improved over its predecessor," though it lacked any particularly groundbreaking new features. Similarly, PC Magazine provided positive evaluations for both the Galaxy S9 and S9+.
On 8 March, Todd Haselton of CNBC highlighted that the S9+ outperformed the standard S9 due to its larger display, dual-camera setup, additional RAM, and increased battery capacity.
Samuel Gibbs from The Guardian awarded the S9+ a perfect 5-star rating, describing it as "the best large-screen smartphone by far." He commended both the display and camera quality but noted that battery life could be improved. Gibbs also appreciated Samsung’s decision to retain the headphone jack, which many competitors had eliminated.
The camera on the larger S9+ earned a score of 99 from DxOMark, marking it as the highest-rated mobile device camera at that time. This record was later surpassed by the Huawei P20 and P20 Pro models, which received scores of 102 and 109 respectively.
Dan Seifert from The Verge gave the S9 an 8.5 rating, acknowledging its solid performance, camera quality, and design. However, he expressed dissatisfaction with its average battery longevity and the inclusion of Bixby, while also pointing out Samsung’s historically slow update schedule for their smartphones.
Ryan Whitwam of Forbes observed that in 2018, although the S9+ featured 6 GB of RAM compared to 4 GB in the S9, this difference was "unlikely [...] to impact daily use" because "Android currently does not benefit significantly from 6 GB of RAM—perhaps in the future, but not at present."
Sales
In their Q2 2018 earnings report, Samsung characterized the Galaxy S9's sales performance as "slow." Industry experts forecasted that this model would become the poorest-selling Galaxy S flagship since the Samsung Galaxy S5.[1] Over its initial two quarters on the market, the device recorded a notably low sales figure of 19.2 million units.[2]
Touchscreen problems
Approximately one week following the launch, users began reporting touchscreen malfunctions where certain screen areas failed to detect touch inputs, persisting even after performing a factory reset.[3] This phenomenon was commonly referred to by users as "dead zones."[4] Samsung acknowledged these concerns by stating they were "investigating a limited number of reports regarding touchscreen responsiveness issues on Galaxy S9/S9+ models."[5]
Black Crush display concerns
A segment of Galaxy S9 users has experienced the so-called "Black Crush" problem, where the screen struggles to accurately render various dark color gradients. Samsung has confirmed awareness of "a limited number of reports concerning Galaxy S9/S9+ devices displaying dark colors differently than intended in specific cases," though no official remedy has been issued to date.[6][7]
Battery performance concerns
Users of the Exynos-powered variant frequently reported unsatisfactory battery longevity. Investigations revealed that the quartet of Samsung-designed cores was inadequately optimized, contributing to reduced battery endurance.[8] This issue saw partial mitigation following the deployment of an update in August 2018.[9]
Exynos 9810 performance
In earlier Galaxy S models, the Exynos chipset delivered performance comparable to its Snapdragon counterpart. However, the Galaxy S9 equipped with the Exynos 9810 exhibited relatively slower speeds for a flagship device when contrasted with the Snapdragon variant. This discrepancy was not prominently reflected in synthetic benchmark tests but became more apparent in evaluations designed to mimic practical usage scenarios, such as those conducted by PCMark.
See also
References
- ↑ "Samsung says the Galaxy S9 isn't selling very well". The Verge. Retrieved 1 August 2018.
- ↑ "Just when you thought Galaxy S9 sales couldn't get any worse, they did". Boy Genius Report. Retrieved 11 September 2019.
- ↑ "Galaxy S9 screen not responding? Here's how to let Samsung know". CNET. Retrieved 3 April 2018.
- ↑ "Samsung Galaxy S9 and S9 Plus touchscreen issue causing havoc on some handsets". Android Authority. 22 March 2018. Retrieved 23 March 2018.
- ↑ "Samsung is 'looking into' Galaxy S9 touchscreen issues". Engadget. Retrieved 23 March 2018.
- ↑ Elder, Duncan (12 April 2018). "Some Galaxy S9 Plus users are reporting "black crush" screen issues". Android Authority. Retrieved 14 June 2018.
- ↑ Michaels, Philip (13 April 2018). "Galaxy S9 Screen Complaints Grow (Update: Samsung Responds)". Tom's Guide. Retrieved 14 June 2018.
- ↑ Bader, Daniel (3 April 2018). "Samsung Galaxy S9 battery problems, explained: Exynos vs. Snapdragon". Androidcentral. Retrieved 8 June 2018.
- ↑ "Battery Life Of Exynos Galaxy S9 Models Improved With New Patch | Android News". AndroidHeadlines.com |. 15 August 2018. Retrieved 22 October 2018.
External links
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