Samsung, in a bid to create curiosity around the upcoming Galaxy S9, earlier in the week posted a few teasers tipping several capabilities of the device's camera, sparking excitement among fans. More features have now been detailed on Reddit.
A community member who goes by the name nmarrufo claims to have played with the Galaxy S9 for a good 20 minutes. Though nmarrufo declined to name the company insider from whom he obtained the phone, he conducted an AMA (Ask Me Anything) session on Reddit to reveal the key features.
During the Reddit AMA session, nmarrufo claimed that the Galaxy S9 model had a Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 processor, and if the previous pattern is to be believed, it is bound to land in the US (or China in select developed markets).
The tipster added that the Galaxy S9 series looks almost the same as the Galaxy S8, including the dedicated Bixby Button on the left side (below the volume rockers), and that the only discernable change is the translocation of the fingerprint sensor below the camera, which makes so much sense, as it will be easily accessible to the finger and users won't accidentally touch the camera sensors and leave sweaty smudges.
This was the only downside in the near-perfect design of the Galaxy S8 series, where the biometric sensor was placed right beside the camera. It looks like Samsung has taken the criticism constructively and made the required changes in the successor.
Another good news is that Samsung, unlike Apple has retained the 3.5mm audio jack port in the Galaxy S9, so users need not ditch the wired headphones just yet. And the company has also upgraded the Galaxy S9 sound system with dual speakers, and if nmarrufo is believed, the sound quality is top notch.
The Reddit user also confirmed that Samsung Galaxy S9 will boast 3D emoji, an answer to Apple's iPhone X's Animoji. Even in the recently-released teaser, Samsung hinted that owners of the phone would be able to change their face to cartoon-like emoji on the phone.
Unlike 3D-based Animoji we see in the Apple iPhone X, which mimic just the facial impression of the user on pre-selected animals, the Galaxy S9 will mimic the owner's face.
The Galaxy S9 camera is said to capable of recording 4K video at 60fps (frames per second), 720p(HD) at 480fps, and 1080p (full HD) at 240fps. It was also confirmed that both the Galaxy S9 and the S9+ will have the dual-aperture feature, an option for device owners to adjust light absorption in the camera for a particular image.
Samsung Galaxy S9: Everything you need to know about 2018 Android flagship
As per latest reports, the upcoming Galaxy S9 (5.8-inch) and S9+ (6.2-inch) will have pretty much the same design language, but differ in one aspect.
The generic Galaxy S9 will have just one primary shooter on the back, whereas it's bigger sibling, the Galaxy S9+, is expected to house a dual-camera sensor on the lines of the Galaxy Note8.
Inside, due to differences in screen size, the Galaxy S9 and the S9+ will have 3,000mAh and 3,500mAh batteries, respectively.
As said before, Samsung has made changes to the fingerprint sensor placements in the upcoming Galaxy S9.
The Galaxy S9 series will also boast IP68 water-and-dust resistant certification, meaning the device can survive up to 5 feet (1.5 meters) underwater for close to 30 minutes.
Like previous years, the 2018-series Samsung Galaxy S9 (S9+) series, depending on the region of sale, is expected to come in two variants — one with a 10nm-class Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 processor (in the US, China, and select countries) and the other with Samsung's 10nm Exynos 9810 series (in India, Europe, and other regions).
As for the memory configuration, the standard Galaxy S9 will be offered in two options — 4GB RAM+64GB storage and 4GB RAM+128GB storage, whereas the bigger-screen version Galaxy S9+ will be available in 6GB RAM+64GB storage, 6GB RAM+128GB storage and 6GB RAM+256GB models in major markets across the world.
Word on the street is that Samsung has plans to release a limited-edition Galaxy S9+ with 6GB RAM and massive 512GB storage in select markets.
Rumor has it that the Galaxy S8 successor will have variable aperture setting options, which allows users switch between f/1.5 and f/2.4 apertures depending on the lighting environment. The former will allow the camera to absorb more light during indoor or dark conditions, while the latter can be used during bright sunny conditions.
The standard Galaxy S9 is expected to boast a 12MP primary camera on the back and an 8MP front-facing camera. The S9 Plus is said to house a dual-camera setup, but there is no information on its MP count. On the front, it will come with the same 8MP sensor seen in the generic model.
Both the S9 and S9+ will come with slow-motion video capability and Optical Image Stabilization (OIS).
After the official unveiling on February 25, Samsung Galaxy S9 series is expected to be put up for pre-order on March 2 and shipping is expected commence in the following week, on March 8. It is said to hit the stores on March 16.
As far as the pricing is concerned, Samsung's standard Galaxy S9 price is said to start at KRW950,000 (approximately $886/€716/Rs 56,500) and the S9+ (base model) is expected set you back by KRW999,000 (approximately $929/€753/Rs 59,414).
