With the release of the next major smartphone from Samsung only a few weeks away, several Galaxy S9 leaks are beginning to emerge.
Geskin leaks
Firstly, notorious industry insider Benjamin Geskin suggested this week that both the Galaxy S9 and and Galaxy S9 Plus will feature 6GB of RAM memory and 256GB of internal storage. The leaker also shared what he indicated are the official logos of the two devices, which the Korean manufacturer is expected to reveal early in 2018.
“The next generation of the innovative Galaxy S8 and S8+" pic.twitter.com/oN0VeJ4Yib
— Ben Geskin (@BenGeskin) October 19, 2017
Renders of these images indicate that the Galaxy S9 Plus will once again be written as Galaxy S9+ for branding purposes, while the comments of Geskin also offer an insight into the Samsung product range. It seems that there will be only two high-end Android phones from the Korean Corporation in 2018, meaning that Samsung will not spread itself more thinly with the Galaxy S9, and release three smartphones.
Both with 6GB RAM + 128GB internal storage with SD slot
Powered by Qualcomm SDM845 (US & China) and Exynos 9 Octa 10nm SoC
— Ben Geskin (@BenGeskin) October 19, 2017
Other Galaxy S9 leaks from the same source suggest that Samsung will retain the Micro SD card slot that it has offered significant support for in the past. This will enable users of the flagship to extend the amount of storage that the device is capable of, probably increasing it to 512GB once more.
Proprietary technology
Geskin also believes that Samsung will retain previous policy and include the same processor in devices intended for the Chinese and United States market. Although the Korean company produces an East Asian version of the handset that differs from the Western model, the importance of the Chinese market means that it is excluded from this East Asian variant.
As usual, samsung’s proprietary technology will drive the East Asian Galaxy S9, with this smartphone set to feature the Exynos 9 Octa, according to the latest Galaxy S9 leaks. Of course, it is important to note that this particular processor has yet to actually arrive on the market, or even be acknowledged publicly, so this particular suggestion remains very much up in the air at present.
However, it is believed that this processor will be built on the 10nm process node when it does indeed emerge in the coming months. It certainly sounds like a powerful unit that will drive a doubtless capable smartphone. With Apple having debuted an iPhone X that drives the Apple smartphone forward, Samsung will need to respond strongly with the Galaxy S9.
4K resolution
Further Galaxy S9 leaks suggest that Samsung will finally embrace 4K resolution in 2018, and that it will choose its flagship smartphone as the bearer of this screen technology. Samsung has become associated with outstanding displays in recent years, particularly since it became the world’s most successful seller of television sets. But it has thus far resisted the temptation to embrace 4K resolution in its mobile devices, even though this has seemed like a natural move for the Korean corporation.
But with Apple now improving the display in the iPhone X significantly in comparison to previous generations, it seems that Samsung must respond in kind if it is to remain ahead of its great rival in this department.
Camera improvements
Samsung will also focus on improving the photographic capabilities of the Galaxy S9, with Geskin noting that the smartphone will feature an “improved dual lens cameras from the Note 8”. Whether this will include an improved megapixel rating remains to be seen, but the Galaxy Note 9 has already been linked with a 24-megapixel snapper.
But it does seem an absolute certainty that the Galaxy S9 will feature a duel-lens camera at the rear of the device. This is now becoming a staple in the smartphone industry, and it was a somewhat surprising that the recent Google Pixel 2 stuck with a single-lens unit. This means that the photographic capabilities of the Google smartphone are less than some of its competitors, including both the recent iPhone 8 Plus and iPhone X releases.
Headphone jack
Recent Galaxy S9 leaks have also indicated that Samsung is considering ditching the headphone jack from the device. This is, of course, becoming common in the smartphone industry, after Apple removed the port from its iPhone 7 release. But the Korean manufacturer has resolutely stuck to the traditional methods of listening to music, even though it is generally believed that the industry is heading towards a wireless model in this area.
This would undoubtedly receive a mixed reception, but considering the excellent USB 3.1 Type-C also linked with the smartphone, users shouldn’t be too disappointed overall. This is more than a fleeting trend in the smartphone industry; all of the major manufacturers will eventually remove the headphone jack from their devices owing to technological shifts.
AI chip
Samsung is also expected to include its own artificial intelligence chip in the Galaxy S9, with the Korea Herald providing more information on this unit. The Korean publication suggests that the chip will enable the smartphone to connect to appliances around the home, creating something of an integrated smart home.
Of all Galaxy S9 leaks, this certainly makes the most sense, as the smart home concept is expected to become a major part of the technology industry in the coming years. Samsung should certainly embrace smartphone technology, and integrating the Galaxy S9 with this intriguing technological niche would be a good start.
Other features
Aside from this, expect the Galaxy S9 to deliver improved battery life with a larger cell, and for the smartphone manufacturer to ensure that its flagship has a more durable design in 2018. Many people complained about the splintering of the Galaxy S9 screen, and Samsung will look to avoid this with the Galaxy S9 generation.
An improved fingerprint sensor and better Bixby integration can also be anticipated for the Galaxy S9, which will probably emerge as usual at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona.
