INTRODUCTION

The new Samsung Galaxy S9 has finally launched, and while it looks remarkably similar to the Galaxy S8 on the outside, the devil is inside this device, which has undergone a major update.

What Samsung recognises is that the evolution of premium brands is not about revolution, but evolution.

A better processor, a better camera, and more functionality has been packed into the S9, and their strategy is exactly what you find with premium German brands such as Miele, BMW, Audi or Mercedes, which is why these brands are still market leaders when it comes to luxury brand perception.

Samsung has significantly improved the technology that is integral to the overall performance of its premium smartphones – low light shooting, a new fingerprint sensor and better security are just some of the improvements.

The S9 also debuts an augmented reality emoji system, which uses the front or back camera to analyse your face, and turn it into a series of 18 emojis (all with different expressions) or into a video emoji which is supposed to look like you. This is fun technology, that gets a giggle.

The fingerprint scanner is now in the middle of the rear of the phone, which is what we predicted had to happen when the Galaxy S8 was launched.

What seriously sets the S9 & S9+ apart is the smartphone’s low-light, f/1.5 camera. According to reviewers around the world, this is cutting edge technology especially as it’s packed into a small footprint smartphone.

Images that looked dim and barely discernible on other phones are suddenly bright and crisp on the new Galaxy S9.

This is the first Galaxy S flagship with dual cameras, and dual optical image stabilisation. There are two 12-megapixel cameras - with one wide-angle and one telephoto lens - whilst offering extra tools like Dual Capture and Live Focus.

Paired sensors are available only on the larger S9+.

There is also “Dual Aperture” technology which jumps between two f-stops -- f/2.4 and f/1.5. The later is the widest aperture on a smartphone yet.

The facial recognition system has also been improved, especially for individuals who wear glasses.

You can now scan your face with your glasses off (which is how Samsung encourages you to do it), and if the phone cannot recognise you, due to a winter scarf or different glasses, the phone quickly reverts to its iris scanner, which looks for your eyes and unlocks the phone using this.

All this technology works better because Samsung has significantly improved the processor which powers the new S9 and S9+.

What we have done with this guide, is spell out the key features that we believe sets the Galaxy S9 & S9+ apart from other smartphones on the market.