The Galaxy S9 is just around the corner, and we already know almost everything about Samsung’s upcoming flagship. There aren’t going to be many surprises at the February 25 Unpacked event in Barcelona. But Samsung may still have a few tricks up its sleeves to get fans excited about the device. The company has made its Unpacked app available for free on the Google Play Store. The Unpacked event attendees will be able to view the Galaxy S9 in Augmented Reality through the Unpacked app during the launch event.
The presence of augmented reality (AR) could help Samsung attract a large crowd of attendees for the upcoming event. The Unpacked app by default shows a countdown to the much-awaited event. The content section within the app redirects you to a YouTube video that teases the Galaxy S9’s advanced camera capabilities.
On the top-right side, you’ll find an AR button that will allow you to see the Galaxy S9 in augmented reality. It activates AR experiences when you scan the Samsung logo or a box of a Samsung product. Tapping on the button presently shows the Unpacked event venue. Though the Unpacked app is intended for registered and invited users, it also allows people to view the forthcoming event’s live stream feed.
XDA Developers reports that Reddit user Thesbros was able to tear down Samsung’s Unpacked app and uncover 3D models that are designed to show you the Galaxy S9 in AR. Though the 3D models are currently hidden, they will reportedly be made available to the attendees, who can scan their event badge to view the upcoming flagship in augmented reality.
Samsung has tried to maintain secrecy about the AR experience by not including the 3D models in the Unpacked app. The 3D models are available on Samsung’s official website rather than within the app. Reddit user Thesbros had to modify the app and use a proxy to download the 3D models.
The 3D models confirmed almost all the rumored specifications of the Galaxy S9. The flagship smartphone will be available in a new Lilac Purple color. The Bixby button remains where it was on the Galaxy S8. The phone will have dual stereo speakers with AKG Tuning. They also confirmed that the fingerprint scanner will be placed below the camera module. The heart rate sensor also appears to have been modified, reports XDA Developers.
According to WinFuture, the Galaxy S9 and S9 Plus would be available in the same 5.8-inch and 6.2-inch screen sizes as their predecessors. The new phones will have a Quad HD+ Super AMOLED Infinity Display that will be curved on the sides. Samsung recently released three video teasers to flaunt the Galaxy S9’s camera capabilities. The teasers hint at the super slo-mo feature, improved low-light photography, and a feature similar to Apple’s Animoji.
Both the handsets will have an 8MP shooter on the front with an f/1.7 aperture and autofocus. On the back panel, the Galaxy S9 would sport a single 12MP sensor while the S9 Plus would feature two vertically-aligned 12MP sensors. The primary camera will have a variable aperture ranging from f/1.5 to f/2.4. The standard Galaxy S9 is said to offer 4GB RAM and the S9 Plus would come with 6GB RAM. Both the models are expected to have internal storage of 64GB, which you can expand further via a microSD card slot.
The new phones will be powered by the Snapdragon 845 or Exynos 9810 chips depending on the region. Samsung will likely sell the Snapdragon variant in the US and China. Benchmark tests have shown that the Exynos version of Galaxy S9 and S9 Plus would be more powerful than the Snapdragon variant. However, you are unlikely to notice the differences in real-life performance.
The Galaxy S9 is rumored to pack a 3000mAh battery while its larger sibling would come with a huge 3500mAh battery unit. Both the handsets will retain the USB Type-C port, the 3.5mm headphone jack, and the IP68 rating for water- and dust-resistance. According to Reddit user Wan997, the upcoming phone’s UI and camera will be similar to last year’s models. The Redditor claims to work at a retail location in the US, and had undergone a 2-hour training session on the Galaxy S9 and S9 Plus.
The Reddit user further revealed that the Live Focus will be exclusively available on the Galaxy S9 Plus. The regular S9 users will get access to Selective Focus. The Animoji-like feature that Samsung is bringing with the Galaxy S9 and S9 Plus will be called AR Emoji, according to Wan997. The Bixby virtual assistant will also offer the real-time translation.
