Samsung Galaxy S9 and S9 Plus - Hands-on

The Galaxy S9 and S9 Plus: Samsung's Answer to the iPhone 10

Samsung has finally revealed its latest flagship phones, the Galaxy S9 and S9 Plus, which are designed to compete with Apple's iPhone 10. These beautiful phones are all about the camera, both of them featuring a 12 megapixel lens that automatically snaps between two settings when it's best for low-light and another setting for all your other shots.

The S9 Plus also has a bonus lens, making it the second Samsung phone to include two cameras on the back. This allows users to take artistic portrait photos, which is one of the main selling points of these phones. On the other hand, the S9 sticks to just one camera, but still manages to impress with its ability to capture video at a rate of 960 frames per second. This means that slow motion videos will stretch time, giving users an immersive experience.

Another notable feature is the 8 megapixel front-facing camera, which not only takes selfies but also scans your face to convert it into an animated emoji called AR Emoji. This is a clear copy of the iPhone's emoji feature and sets the Galaxy S9 apart from its competitors.

Design-wise, both phones look almost identical to last year's Galaxy S8, with very slightly slimmer bezels and enormous screen-to-body ratio. However, they do have one notable change: the placement of the fingerprint reader. Samsung has sensibly moved it to the center of the back panel beneath the camera, making it easier to unlock the phone.

Unfortunately, face unlock is not as secure as expected, with Samsung admitting that it's not recommended to use it alone or as part of Intelligent Scan. Instead, users are advised to stick to the fingerprint reader and iris scanner on the inside. The phones themselves are built using Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 chip, which promises a heap of speed, battery life, and security improvements.

In terms of storage, there are three options available, varying by region, so users may not have their choice depending on where they live. Storage capacity is also up to 400 gigabytes, making it one of the highest capacities available for a phone. The phones run on top of Android 8.0 Oreo and support external storage via microSD cards.

In terms of display, both phones feature high-resolution screens at 5.8 inches and 6.2 inches respectively. They also have the same water resistance rating as IP68 and come with wireless charging built right in. Additionally, they support gigabit 4G LTE when those networks are ready.

The million-dollar question is how these phones compare to the iPhone 10, Google Pixel 2, and other competitors. While we can't wait to test them out, Samsung's answer to the iPhone 10 is clear: it's all about the camera. With its two-lens setup and advanced features like Intelligent Scan, the Galaxy S9 Plus is set to impress.

"WEBVTTKind: captionsLanguage: enthe galaxy s 9 and s 9 plus are here these are Samsung's answer to the iPhone 10 they're beautiful phones and they're all about the camera both of them do something really novel with the 12 megapixel lens that automatically snaps between two settings when that's best for low-light and one for all your other shots also the s 9 plus has a bonus lens this is Samsung's second phone to include two cameras on the back so you can take those artistic portrait photos that's 9 on the other hand sticks to just one camera look there is even better slow motion video on here it captures video at a rate of 960 frames per second and all that means is that your slow motion videos will stretch time you know what they say slow motion is emotion then there's the 8 megapixel front-facing camera which in addition to taking selfies can scan your face to convert it into an animated emoji called AR emoji this is a clear copy of the iPhone tends an emoji feature big differences between the galaxy s 9 and s 9 plus obviously the size dual cameras on the back and the battery for this guy is a little bit bigger let's talk about design from the front the Galaxy S 9 phones look almost identical to last year's galaxy as 8 they're all screen beauties with very slightly slimmer bezels and enormous screen to body ratio you get a headphone jack which is a rarity these days and the return of the button for Samsung's Bixby voice software you have micro SD card storage and a second speaker to your music and your audio is gonna sound a lot louder and richer I'm also loving these bold new colors lilac purple and coral blue they're beautiful in person and they give the phone's an immediate edge of your basic boring black but the best change is on the back remember how you had to awkwardly stretch your finger across the camera to unlock the galaxy s 8 and Note 8 Samsung has sensibly moved the fingerprint reader to the center of the back panel beneath the camera and I couldn't be happier well well maybe I could be a little bit happier if the reader were actually built into the display like on this vivo phone that was one rumor that just didn't pan out from asinine as for unlocking the phones with your face you won't get a map of infrared dots like you do with the iPhone 10 but there is a new feature called intelligent scan it tries to unlock your phone through an iris scan first but it automatically falls back on phase unlock if the iris scan fails it's meant for speed and convenience but Samsung admits that face unlock isn't secure so I really don't see the point of using face unlock alone or as part of intelligence scan that were me I would just stick to the fingerprint reader and the iris scanner on the inside the galaxy s nine phones are the first to use Qualcomm snooze Snapdragon 845 chip which promises a heap of speed battery life and security improvements plus the phones bump up external storage support for 400 gigabyte cards for software s9s run on top of android 8.0 Oreo so they're all up to date there's plenty that the s9 and s 9 plus borrow from last year's S eights screen size at five point eight and six point two inches they've got very high resolution displays there are three storage options they vary by region so you may not have your choice depending on where you live there are also the same battery capacities at last year's models but we're hoping that they'll be even more efficient this year for longer battery life you've got the same water resistance rating at ip68 wireless charging built right in and support for gigabit 4G LTE when those networks are ready and now for the million dollar question now that we know everything that's in the galaxy s 9 and s 9 plus how do they actually compare to the iPhone 10 Google pixel two phones and others well we don't know yet but we can't wait to test them out youthe galaxy s 9 and s 9 plus are here these are Samsung's answer to the iPhone 10 they're beautiful phones and they're all about the camera both of them do something really novel with the 12 megapixel lens that automatically snaps between two settings when that's best for low-light and one for all your other shots also the s 9 plus has a bonus lens this is Samsung's second phone to include two cameras on the back so you can take those artistic portrait photos that's 9 on the other hand sticks to just one camera look there is even better slow motion video on here it captures video at a rate of 960 frames per second and all that means is that your slow motion videos will stretch time you know what they say slow motion is emotion then there's the 8 megapixel front-facing camera which in addition to taking selfies can scan your face to convert it into an animated emoji called AR emoji this is a clear copy of the iPhone tends an emoji feature big differences between the galaxy s 9 and s 9 plus obviously the size dual cameras on the back and the battery for this guy is a little bit bigger let's talk about design from the front the Galaxy S 9 phones look almost identical to last year's galaxy as 8 they're all screen beauties with very slightly slimmer bezels and enormous screen to body ratio you get a headphone jack which is a rarity these days and the return of the button for Samsung's Bixby voice software you have micro SD card storage and a second speaker to your music and your audio is gonna sound a lot louder and richer I'm also loving these bold new colors lilac purple and coral blue they're beautiful in person and they give the phone's an immediate edge of your basic boring black but the best change is on the back remember how you had to awkwardly stretch your finger across the camera to unlock the galaxy s 8 and Note 8 Samsung has sensibly moved the fingerprint reader to the center of the back panel beneath the camera and I couldn't be happier well well maybe I could be a little bit happier if the reader were actually built into the display like on this vivo phone that was one rumor that just didn't pan out from asinine as for unlocking the phones with your face you won't get a map of infrared dots like you do with the iPhone 10 but there is a new feature called intelligent scan it tries to unlock your phone through an iris scan first but it automatically falls back on phase unlock if the iris scan fails it's meant for speed and convenience but Samsung admits that face unlock isn't secure so I really don't see the point of using face unlock alone or as part of intelligence scan that were me I would just stick to the fingerprint reader and the iris scanner on the inside the galaxy s nine phones are the first to use Qualcomm snooze Snapdragon 845 chip which promises a heap of speed battery life and security improvements plus the phones bump up external storage support for 400 gigabyte cards for software s9s run on top of android 8.0 Oreo so they're all up to date there's plenty that the s9 and s 9 plus borrow from last year's S eights screen size at five point eight and six point two inches they've got very high resolution displays there are three storage options they vary by region so you may not have your choice depending on where you live there are also the same battery capacities at last year's models but we're hoping that they'll be even more efficient this year for longer battery life you've got the same water resistance rating at ip68 wireless charging built right in and support for gigabit 4G LTE when those networks are ready and now for the million dollar question now that we know everything that's in the galaxy s 9 and s 9 plus how do they actually compare to the iPhone 10 Google pixel two phones and others well we don't know yet but we can't wait to test them out youthe galaxy s 9 and s 9 plus are here these are Samsung's answer to the iPhone 10 they're beautiful phones and they're all about the camera both of them do something really novel with the 12 megapixel lens that automatically snaps between two settings when that's best for low-light and one for all your other shots also the s 9 plus has a bonus lens this is Samsung's second phone to include two cameras on the back so you can take those artistic portrait photos that's 9 on the other hand sticks to just one camera look there is even better slow motion video on here it captures video at a rate of 960 frames per second and all that means is that your slow motion videos will stretch time you know what they say slow motion is emotion then there's the 8 megapixel front-facing camera which in addition to taking selfies can scan your face to convert it into an animated emoji called AR emoji this is a clear copy of the iPhone tends an emoji feature big differences between the galaxy s 9 and s 9 plus obviously the size dual cameras on the back and the battery for this guy is a little bit bigger let's talk about design from the front the Galaxy S 9 phones look almost identical to last year's galaxy as 8 they're all screen beauties with very slightly slimmer bezels and enormous screen to body ratio you get a headphone jack which is a rarity these days and the return of the button for Samsung's Bixby voice software you have micro SD card storage and a second speaker to your music and your audio is gonna sound a lot louder and richer I'm also loving these bold new colors lilac purple and coral blue they're beautiful in person and they give the phone's an immediate edge of your basic boring black but the best change is on the back remember how you had to awkwardly stretch your finger across the camera to unlock the galaxy s 8 and Note 8 Samsung has sensibly moved the fingerprint reader to the center of the back panel beneath the camera and I couldn't be happier well well maybe I could be a little bit happier if the reader were actually built into the display like on this vivo phone that was one rumor that just didn't pan out from asinine as for unlocking the phones with your face you won't get a map of infrared dots like you do with the iPhone 10 but there is a new feature called intelligent scan it tries to unlock your phone through an iris scan first but it automatically falls back on phase unlock if the iris scan fails it's meant for speed and convenience but Samsung admits that face unlock isn't secure so I really don't see the point of using face unlock alone or as part of intelligence scan that were me I would just stick to the fingerprint reader and the iris scanner on the inside the galaxy s nine phones are the first to use Qualcomm snooze Snapdragon 845 chip which promises a heap of speed battery life and security improvements plus the phones bump up external storage support for 400 gigabyte cards for software s9s run on top of android 8.0 Oreo so they're all up to date there's plenty that the s9 and s 9 plus borrow from last year's S eights screen size at five point eight and six point two inches they've got very high resolution displays there are three storage options they vary by region so you may not have your choice depending on where you live there are also the same battery capacities at last year's models but we're hoping that they'll be even more efficient this year for longer battery life you've got the same water resistance rating at ip68 wireless charging built right in and support for gigabit 4G LTE when those networks are ready and now for the million dollar question now that we know everything that's in the galaxy s 9 and s 9 plus how do they actually compare to the iPhone 10 Google pixel two phones and others well we don't know yet but we can't wait to test them out you\n"