Samsung Galaxy S9, S9 Plus debut in India: Price, specs, launch offers and more

Technology major, Samsung launched the company's new 2018-series Android flagship phones Galaxy S9 and the Galaxy S9 Plus in New Delhi on March 6.

The highlight of the Galaxy S9 series is the camera hardware.  It boasts Dual Aperture mode. With this option, the device can switch (manual/automatic mode available) between F1.5 and F2.4 apertures to get the best quality images depending on the lighting environment. The former will allow the camera to absorb more light in indoor or dark conditions, while the latter can be used in bright sunny conditions.

Another notable aspect of the Galaxy S9 series is the front camera. It comes packed with a feature-rich 8MP wide-angle sensor having F1.7 aperture complemented by several facial recognition sensors that help the device capture Augmented Reality photos of the user to create 3D emojis. This could be Samsung's answer to Apple iPhone X's highly popular Animoji feature.  But the latter's utility is very limited, as it can only be used on iMessage app, whereas the former allows users to share them on all messaging apps and social media sites.

It has to be noted that the generic Samsung Galaxy S9 houses a single 12MP primary camera on the back with LED flash. On the other hand, the S9+ comes with two 12MP sensors with LED flash.

On the bright side, the two marquee features -- Dual Aperture and AR Emoji -- are available in both the Galaxy S9 series models.

Also, the S9 and S9 Plus models come with slow-motion video capability and Optical Image Stabilization (OIS).

Samsung Galaxy S9 series though look similar to the gorgeous Galaxy S8 series, the company has made necessary ergonomic changes in the new mode by translocating the finger sensor below the camera module, which is not only easily accessible but also avoids users accidentally touching the camera lens and leaving sweaty smudges.

Samsung Galaxy S9 series flaunts a good blend of metal and glass having an additional layer of Gorilla Glass 5 shield on both the front and back-side.

To further enhance the durability, the Galaxy S9 series comes with IP68 water-and-dust resistant certification, meaning the device can survive up to 5 feet (1.5 meters) underwater for close to 30 minutes.

The 2018-series Samsung Galaxy S9 (& the S9+) series will come with Samsung's 10nm Exynos 9810 series in India

As for the memory configuration is concerned, the standard Galaxy S9 will be offered in three storage variants 64GB, 128GB and 256GB having 4GB RAM, whereas the bigger screen Galaxy S9+ model will be available in 64GB, 128GB and 256GB storage options having 6GB RAM in major markets across the world.

Samsung has incorporated 3,000mAh and the 3,500mAh for Galaxy S9 and the S9+, respectively. Besides, the models come with fast charging capability via both cord and wireless. 

Also, Samsung India has partnered with Airtel and Reliance Jio to bring LTE Carrier Aggregation for higher bandwidth, faster streaming, and quicker downloads, making them the fastest smartphones on 4G networks in India.

With this, the Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9 Plus can stream data close to 250 Mbps, which is 2.5 times faster than the average smartphone connected to the same network.

Samsung Galaxy S9 and S9 Plus price and launch offers:

The company has launched  two storage variants — 64GB and 256GB — of Galaxy S9 and S9 Plus.

The Galaxy S9 base model (64GB) costs Rs 57,900, whereas the 256GB model is priced Rs 65,900.

As far as the Galaxy S9 Plus is concerned, the 64GB model is priced Rs 64,900, and 256GB costs a whopping Rs 72,900.

Both the Galaxy S9 series will come in Coral Blue, Lilac Purple and Midnight Black, and will hit stores –online (Flipkart & Samsung e-store) and authorised retail outlets -- from March 16 onwards.

As part of the launch offer, the company is offering Rs 6,000 cashback on Paytm mall and HDFC Bank Cards.

Prospective Galaxy S9 and the Galaxy S9 Plus consumers can avail a 'Double Data' offer on Airtel's popular Infinity Postpaid plans. With Infinity 499, users get 80 GB of data, unlimited calling.

With Infinity 799, users get 120GB of data, unlimited calling, a one year Amazon Prime membership and one free child connection. Both plans also offer free subscription to Airtel TV and Wynk Music. A special Prepaid Pack at Rs 199 with 1.4GB data/day and unlimited calling for 28 days is also being offered. Furthermore, Samsung is offering one year Amazon Prime membership worth Rs 999.

Galaxy S9 and S9+ users on Jio get an exclusive offer of 1 Terabyte of high speed 4G data with unlimited voice and SMS for one year worth INR 15,000 at only Rs 4,999. The users can now enjoy uninterrupted digital services without any daily data usage limit. Additionally, users are entitled to complimentary Jio Prime Membership as a part of this offer.

The Galaxy S9 and the S9 Plus users, who are new or existing customers of Vodafone, will get free subscription to Netflix for a year on Vodafone Red plans starting Rs 999 till April 30, 2018. Also, prepaid users who recharge with INR 199 get unlimited voice and 1.4GB/day and an additional 10GB free data every month for their next 10 recharges.

Also, under the Samsung Upgrade program, loyal Samsung Galaxy users will be eligible to get additional Rs 6,000 bonus over the regular exchange price when they upgrade to the Galaxy S9 or the Galaxy S9 Plus.

Key specification of Samsung Galaxy S9 and the Galaxy S9 Plus:

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