Samsung Galaxy S9 and S9 Plus: specs, release date, prices

Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus

Samsung Galaxy S9 Review: The Perfect… Samsung! [Video]

Video uploaded by Marques Brownlee on March 19, 2018

Samsung Galaxy S9 and S9 Plus: specs, release date, prices

As you can see from the video above, Samsung has been focusing on multitasking and digital assisting. This Korean company is the first to position the new smartphone as a business tool. The Samsung Galaxy S9 features the Enterprise Edition. This way, personal and business contacts and data are isolated from each other.

It can be very useful as BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) work, because the inbuilt feature called Enterprise Billing allows you to compensate data costs from work-related app usage. The core of this system is the Knox.

Samsung has long been implementing the customized Android For Work security platform but now it is available for all consumers. This security platform is called Knox and its task is to protect apps with sensitive and critical data. Knox prevents programs from downloading and installing uncertified software and kernel launchers onto the phone. In doing this, it can disable Wi-Fi, BT connection, and USB debugging mode as well. Knox adds an additional password for when you need to unlock the phone and unlock the SIM-card. It can also switch off the biometric ID scanners.

Samsung Galaxy S9 Iris Scanner Will Work In The Dark

Speaking of which, the Samsung Galaxy S9 and S9 Plus both feature a fingerprint scanner, a face recognition system, and a graphic password. So, the ID methods can effectively back each other up.

Samsung engineers revised the dock station completely as well. Last year, the DockX was rather a toy than a serious working tool. You still required not only a display but also a keyboard and a mouse to do any task. This time the dock is flat ( last year’s model works more like a prop stand) and allows you to use the phone screen as a touchpad. So a proud owner of the new Korean flagship doesn’t have to take any peripherals to their office, a dock station is enough.

The camera is also rigged to alter the working environment. It sports the AR kit that adds info about objects to the screen. The camera is the highlight of the new Samsung Galaxy S9 judging by the first promo reel, with the slogan “Camera Reimagined”. The Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus will have a dual lense 12-megapixel rear camera. It can switch between f/1.5 and f/2.4 apertures depending on the environment you’re shooting in. f/1.5 works well for low light or macro shots, while f/2.4 photographs the scene in focus better. This is only regarding one of the two cameras. The other rear camera is locked at f/2.4 which is good enough to shoot zoomed pictures or portraits. The front 8-megapixel camera is capable of the 960FPS slow-motion video as well.

Introducing Samsung Galaxy S9. The Camera. Reimagined.

North America is going to get the Samsung Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9 Plus on Qualcomm Snapdragon 845, while other parts of the world will be on Samsung’s proprietary chip Exynos 9810. Let’s have a look at the Snapdragon’s specs, then. It features Adreno 630 graphic chips with a dedicated processing system, the Hexagon™ 685 AI platform, the X20 LTE modem and multi-gigabit Wi-Fi support. The phones with Snapdragon 845 can work wonders with AI, AR and VR. Samsung Galaxy S9 and S9 Plus are going to be exceptional, one of a kind phones.

Update on February 28, 2018

On February 28, 2018, Samsung announced full price and monthly payment details for its Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9 Plus for US wireless carriers, along with trade-in offers:

T-Mobile

Galaxy S9: $720 full price or $30 per month for 24 months with $0 downpayment.
Galaxy S9 Plus: $840 full price or $30 per month for 24 months with $120 downpayment.
Pre-order launch date: March 1 at 9:01pm PST
Launch date: March 16
Trade-in promo: Up to $360 value for qualifying smartphones.

AT&T

Galaxy S9: $790.20 full price or $26.34 per month for 30 months for AT&T Next.
Galaxy S9 Plus: $915 full price or $30.50 per month for 30 months for AT&T Next.
Pre-order launch date: March 1 at 9:01pm PST
Launch date: March 16
Trade-in promo: Up to $350 value for qualifying smartphones

VERIZON

Verizon offers the new Samsung smartphones with the highest launch price of the US wireless carriers. However it also offers the largest number of promotional offers for customers.
Galaxy S9: $799.99 full price or $33.33 per month for 24 months with 0 percent APR.
Galaxy S9 Plus: $929.99 full price or $38.74 per month for 24 months with 0 percent APR.
Pre-order launch date: March 1 9:01pm PST
Launch date: March 16
Trade-in promo: Up to $350 credit. Other promos: $150 prepaid MasterCard for porting in a number, $10 off accessories for Verizon Up customers, 50-percent off Samsung tablet with two-year agreement, $100 off Gear S3, and Samsung fast charge power bundle for $99.99.

SPRINT

Galaxy S9: $792 full price or $33 per month on a Sprint Flex lease.
Galaxy S9 Plus: $912 full price or $38 per month on a Sprint Flex lease.
Pre-order launch date: March 1 at 9:01pm PST
Launch date: March 16
Trade-in promo: Up to $350 credit for eligible devices. Other promos: Galaxy Forever option to upgrade to the latest Galaxy after 12 lease payments on Sprint Flex.

XFINITY MOBILE
(powered by Verizon, but is a carrier operated by Comcast so it has different pricing and promotions)

Galaxy S9: $719.99 full price or $30 per month for 24 months.
Galaxy S9 Plus: $839.99 full price or $35 per month for 24 months.
Pre-order launch date: March 1 9:01pm PST
Launch date: March 16.
Launch promos: Customers who purchase a Samsung phone and activate a new line of service with Xfinity Mobile from Feb. 26 to March 22 receive a $250 Visa prepaid card. Additionally, customers who trade in a qualified device receive $200 guaranteed, for a potential value of up to $450 when purchasing a new Samsung Galaxy S9 or Galaxy S9 Plus smartphone.

Unlocked from Samsung

The company will be selling unlocked versions directly through Samsung.com and the Shop Samsung app. The unlocked Galaxy S9 is $719.99 or $30 per month for 24 months financing, and the unlocked Galaxy S9+ is available for $839.99 or $35 per month for 24 months financing. It seems, customers could use one of these unlocked models with any carrier and save themselves some money if they are an AT&T, Sprint, or Verizon customers. In addition, the unlocked model is free from carrier bloatware that can often be excessive.