The future is here, and it's the Samsung Galaxy S9 and S9+ lineup! Check out the incredible new features on the Galaxy S9 and its big brother, the S9+, which we'll review in these helpful FAQs. The S9+ is half an inch bigger and offers a few extras, but the big deal with this new phone is its camera -- hailed by critics as the best on the market -- regardless of which version you choose. Reviewers say many of the differences from the previous version, the S8, are not obvious as they are in the S9's insane tech and new features more than its aesthetics. Still, the camera - two of them - is a big step forward in using your phone to take pictures and video. Also, this phone sports the longest battery life when compared to previous models. Face recognition is improved, and Samsung says you can drop this phone into a foot of water and it will survive. And don't forget, you can still make calls with this device. Read on and dive into the new Samsung Galaxy S9 and S9+ today.
With a built-in App you can point the S9 or S9+ camera at any printed material and the phone will translate it to another language. This could revolutionize international travel, especially with the S9+'s larger, easier-to-read screen. Line translation is built into the camera app, making it easier to use.
Both versions have super slow motion, which is something few phone cameras can do. The video shoots at 960 fps and has 720p of HD resolution. A cool thing is motion detection. You can switch to normal speed with ease, and you can set the camera to switch to super slow motion as it detects motion.
The S9 and S9+ have face recognition like many phones but Samsung has taken that up a notch. It has an iris-scanning technology, which is the most secure recognition technology you can get. The third component is a fingerprint sensor on the back.
The display, in general, is even more crisp and clear than it was on the S8, which was already pretty good. The S9 and S9+ have a brighter displays though, and that is noticeable right away. The display goes edge to edge on the front. There is also an augmented reality emoji, or avatar you can use. The S9's screen has a 5.8-inch diagonal compared to the S9 Plus screen of 6.2 inches.
The full price is about $750 for the S9, and about $900 for the S9+ version. Some carriers are offering discounts and monthly payments if you sign up with them for a contract.
The big thing with this camera is dual-pixel technology, which makes incredibly sharp pictures. The dual cameras have dual purposes. One has an f2.4 aperture for good lighting, and the second camera has a f1.5 aperture for low light. That allows for better daylight pictures and better low light pictures as well. It is the first camera to have two apertures. It has a DRAM chip so the photo is processed separately from the phone's RAM.
The plus version has an almost half of an inch larger display, and the phone is half an inch longer. It has an additional camera with a few more settings you can tinker with. The plus version also has 6GB of ram, and the S9 has 4GB. The plus also has a bigger battery; the S9's battery lasts up to 20 hours and 9 minutes while the battery of the S9+ holds a charge up to 23 hours and 24 minutes.
Samsung has increased the waterproofing and the shock resistance. The glass is 20 percent thicker which should help prevent breakage. The phone is slightly heavier and slightly thicker, but should not be very noticeable. The S9 is a bit shorter and narrower, but that is by half an inch or less.
The sound quality for calls of either phone can be affected by your carrier and your connection. However, listening to music will be pure pleasure with this phone. It has 3.5mm headphone jacks, and has stereo speakers built in.
Yes, the S9 series has improved internal technology and the Snapdragon 845 chip, gives it an overall more powerful feel. The power consumption is also improved. Samsung says this phone can go a day and a half on a single charge.