Samsung has set an official date for the reveal of its latest high-end smartphone, the Galaxy S9.
The Galaxy S9 has been rumored to be displayed to the world at the Mobile World Congress, an industry event that will take place in Barcelona next month. According to Samsung, the new S9 will be shown off to the public at a special presentation during the conference.
The South Korean consumer electronics giant is expected to showcase the smartphone as part of an “Unpacked” event scheduled or the night before the MWC. Samsung has teased its target audience with a variety of somewhat cryptic announcements regarding the device.
The latest — an invite for MWC 2018 that wraps up “The Camera, Reimagined” in a giant purple nine — has generated plenty of discussion on social media. Industry commentators expect that Samsung’s focus is on improving the device’s camera — a major focus of recent smartphones.
Samsung has long been known for its camera features in range-leading smartphones, although the Google Pixel 2 camera has emerged as the market leader of the moment. The Pixel 2 has a powerful 12-megapixel f/1.8 camera with features such as optical stabilization and auto-HDR+.
Other features that set the Pixel’s camera apart include a portrait mode with blurred, bokeh-style backgrounds and EIS and OIS for improved stabilization during 4K video capture.
While Samsung once held an enviable position in the “camera wars” with its Galaxy S7, devices from other manufacturers have gained substantial ground over the past two years. As part of its efforts to “reimagine” the camera, Samsung could implement a variety of exciting features.
Journalists have speculated that the new features could be a variable aperture control, allowing the Galaxy S9 to offer DSLR-like levels of control over image exposure. Others have suggested that it may include mobile a world first for a smartphone camera.
Alternatively, as The Verge notes, the “reimagined” text simply could be the standard marketing boilerplate as part of an effort to build anticipation for the new phone.
Beyond its camera, tech enthusiasts have speculated about other features likely to appear in the upcoming phone. Most agree that an increase in battery life, a more detailed display and a variety of software improvements are likely.
Videos leaked onto Chinese social networks seem to confirm many of these rumors. A video purporting to display a test unit of the Galaxy S9 shows a larger Infinity Display panel, with a thin, sleek bezel that improves on the design of the Galaxy S8.
The leaked video, which has yet to be confirmed as authentic, does not show any of the S9’s user interface.
Despite competition from other brands, particularly upstart Chinese smartphone manufacturers such as OnePlus and Huawei, Samsung remains one of the world’s leading manufacturers of smartphones.
As of the second quarter of 2017, Samsung maintained a 23.3 percent share of the smartphone market, putting it ahead of major competitor Apple. Samsung’s Galaxy S series has long served as a testing ground for the company’s latest technological innovations and features.
