Samsung Galaxy S9 round-up: Most probable design, specifications, price, release timeline of Android flagship

Samsung is confirmed to unveil the company's first Android flagship Galaxy S9 series on February 25, just a day before the World Mobile Congress (MWC) 2018 from February 26 to March 1 in Barcelona.

But before Samsung could officially reveal the Galaxy S8 successor to the world, several images, CPU specifications, camera hardware and even the price and market ETA (Estimated Time of Arrival) details have made it to the Internet, leaving pretty much nothing to the imagination for fans on what to expect on Sunday.

However, everything that is being shown on the Internet is not always genuine. So, we have scoured through the web for the most trusted sources and stitched together a curated list of the most probable features expected to come in the Galaxy S9 series.

Design, build quality and display:

In 2017, Samsung pushed the envelope on how far a smartphone design can be optimized, to offer not only the best viewing experience but also stand out among rivals. Its dual-curved Infinity Display design made the Galaxy S8 the best-looking phone around and a set a new benchmark in the industry. But, it had one teeny tiny flaw in terms of the fingerprint sensor location.

In the Galaxy S8, the biometric sensor was placed right beside the camera on top, which caused users to accidently touch and smudge the camera lens.

The Galaxy S9 series images leaked by Evan Blass (@evleaks), the most trusted tipster on Twitter, shows Samsung has taken the criticism constructively and translocated the fingerprint sensor below the camera, which makes a lot of sense, as it will be easily accessible to the finger and there is a lesser chance of users accidentally touching the camera.

There is more good news and that is 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 over the predecessor with dual-speakers and if the  Reddit user Nmarrufo, who claims to have played with Galaxy S9, is to be believed, the sound quality is of top-notch.

As far as the build quality is concerned, Samsung Galaxy S9 will have a good blend of metal and glass. It is likely come with Gorilla Glass 5 shield on both the front and the back, but it will only be enough to protect front-panel from deeper cracks during a fall.

Though the device might be able to function, the cracked glass will look ugly and users have to spend a bomb to replace it. Prospective buyers are advised to get additional cover accessories during the phone purchase.

On the bright side, 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) under water for close to 30 minutes.

On the display front, Samsung has kept the crowd-favorite Infinity Display feature in the Galaxy S9 and gone a step further by reducing bezels at the bottom, offering more space for the screen. The Galaxy S8 successor will come in two variants — the S9 (5.8-inch display) and the S9+ (6.2-inch display). Both will boast a QHD+ (2960x1440p) super AMOLED screen having 18.5:9 aspect ratio, guaranteeing a rich cinematic viewing experience.

Processor, RAM and storage:

Like previous years, the Samsung Galaxy S9 (S9+) series, depending on the region of sale, is expected to come with either a 10nm class Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 chip (in the US, China, and select countries) or Samsung's 10nm Exynos 9810 series processor (in India, Europe, and other areas).

As far as memory configuration is concerned, the standard Galaxy S9 will be offered in 4GB RAM+64GB storage, whereas the bigger screen Galaxy S9+ model will be available in 6GB RAM+64GB storage in major markets across the world.

Camera:

Besides the screen-size, another key difference between the upcoming two Samsung phones is the primary camera setup. The generic S9 is expected to house a 12MP primary camera on the back with variable aperture (f/1.5 and f/2.4) and a 7MP front-facing camera with f/1.7 aperture.

The S9+ is said to house two 12MP sensors, one with variable aperture (f/1.5 and f/2.4) and another with just f/2.5 aperture. It will come with the 8MP sensor with f/1.7 aperture on the front that is seen in the generic model.

Both the S9 and S9+ will come with slow-motion video capability and Optical Image Stabilization (OIS).

For those unaware, variable aperture is a game-changing camera feature. With this option, users will be able to 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.

In its press invite, Samsung has proclaimed that the Galaxy S9 will redefine flagship camera phone in the industry.

Also, the company will be offering the "Intelligent Scan" feature in the front-camera module.

It apparently uses the device's Iris scanner and the Facial recognition sensor with front-camera to accurately identify the owner's face in almost all light condition (from bright sunny day to dark night), which is one of the shortcomings of the current flagships Galaxy S8 and the Note8 series.

But, it remains to be seen if it will be on a par with or better than Apple's FaceID feature seen in the iPhone X.

Battery:

Reliable reports have indicated that Samsung hasn't got over the Galaxy Note7 fiasco and decided to play it safe by using same capacity batteries — 3,000mAh and 3,500mAh — for the Galaxy S9 and the S9+, respectively. This is the same as their predecessors.

The Galaxy S9 and S9+ will be come with fast-charging capability via both cord and also wireless.

Release time-frame:

After the official unveiling on February 25, the 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.

Price:

As per reports, the generic Galaxy S9 will cost €841 (approx $1,026/Rs 67,282) and the top-end Galaxy S9+ will set you back by €997(approx $1,228/Rs 79,762) in Europe.

The price of the Galaxy S9 series is expected to same in most of the international regions, but in some markets, where the devices have to be imported, they might cost more due to customs duty.

Most probable specifications of Samsung Galaxy S9 and S9+:

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