Samsung Galaxy S9+ is the plus-size phone in the 9th generation of the Samsung Galaxy series. Unlike last year, where the S8 and S8+ could be differentiated only by their size, this year’s plus category, i.e., the S9+, comes with an extra camera on its back, along with a host of other features. Just like its smaller counterpart, the S9, the thing which stands out the most on the S9+, is the 12MP dual-aperture camera system. Being the focus of this year’s innovations, it offers enhanced low-light and bright-light images along with excellent video taking ability.
The other innovations include the much-awaited AR emoji, the ability to record videos in super slow motion, and an upgraded version of Bixby, Samsung’s own AI assistant. Bixby can now recognize and detect objects in real-time, making it all the more useful. Let’s look at some more features of this incredible smartphone.
Screen & Hardware
The S9+ comes with a 6.2-inch display, which is the same as in the S8+. And that’s maybe a great thing about it because it looks just as beautiful as a phone of this size should look. The Super AMOLED 18.5:9 panel is enhanced and looks fantastic with the Quad HD+ resolution. This combination can deliver crisp and vibrant colours, which makes the whole experience of using the smartphone richer. The videos and the images look sharp, and the gaming characters are ready to jump out of the screen at a moment’s notice.
The screen covers almost the whole front surface and comes without a notch display, contrary to the popular choice nowadays. But still, the absence of buttons, sensors, and other paraphernalia on the front helps to give it a neater and more futuristic look.
Hardware
The S9+ comes with 6 GB of RAM (as compared to 4 GB of the S9) and has 128 GB of internal storage capacity. Also, the world, except the US, will be treated to Samsung’s new Exynos 9810 processor. The US market will still get Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 845 CPU. Games (which are sometimes the primary concern of the young generation) load quickly and can run smoothly without overheating the phone. You can multitask and switch between the apps quickly and without any lag, along with viewing high definition 4K videos.
Camera
The S9+ has a 12 MP rear camera that can deliver enhanced low and bright-light images besides recording good quality videos. This smartphone has ditched the fixed aperture system, which means that the camera now allows more light to fall on its sensor when the surroundings are dark. Hence, it enables you to capture better low light photos. Capturing videos in super slow motion was never this easy. Just hold up the phone in front of the thing which you want to record and wait for the camera to do its magic. The rear camera, along with the 8 MP front camera, is instrumental in delivering the two most important innovations, AR Emoji and Bixby Vision.
AR Emoji and Bixby Vision
After Apple’s revolutionary Animoji, Samsung is the new entrant in the AR Emoji market. Its working is relatively simple. The front camera takes a snap of your face, and then the application converts it into a virtual avatar. You can style your avatar by choosing from a range of clothes and accessories available in the in-built shop. Though this range is not very exhaustive and it is undoubtedly expected to be upgraded further, it does contain a pretty decent collection of basic styling accessories that can make your avatar look cool.
After creating your virtual avatar, you can add a variety of special effects in it, including your sound. You can also make the avatar mimic your actions, which can create some funny gifs that you can store easily. The Galaxy S9+ also comes with an upgraded version of Samsung’s AI assistant. Bixby now comes loaded with some new and improved features. For example – It can look at a text written in a foreign language, scan it, and convert it into your language.
The AI assistant is also highly aware of its surroundings. By pointing it at things around you such as monuments, flowers, sculptures, etc. you can gain information about the stuff in question. Bixby can load up all the relevant data as quickly as possible and present it in a clear-cut format.
Audio, Battery, and Software
The 3500 mAh battery in Samsung Galaxy S9+ is the same as it was in the S8+. Samsung smartphones are not mainly known for their battery life, so don’t expect this one to deliver something out of the box for now. With intensive usage, the battery can power you through the day, with approximately half of it remaining. Though it is pretty good, it can always be better, considering the other smartphones in the same price range. A set of new AKG speakers have been inducted into the S9+, which also supports Dolby Atmos 360-degree positional audio. Hence you can now listen to those 8D song videos on YouTube with high clarity.
The security on the S9+ has been taken care of by its Intelligent Scan System. Along with the usual fingerprint scan, the device also has a facial and iris recognition system, allowing you to unlock the phone just by looking at it. The smartphone works on Android Oreo 8.0, which Samsung’s signature TouchWiz UI on top – both of these combine to give a rapid user experience, along with smooth switching between the applications and their quick loading.
Verdict
Though the S9+ comes with some added features, it is not for everyone. If you already have an S9 and don’t particularly want a bigger screen size, then this might not be worth the upgrade. Also, because of its large screen size, it is not suitable for people with small hands. The S9 and S9+ offer approximately the same external storage space. But, the internal space in the S9+ can be up to 128GB. So, it’s up to you to decide whether you want those 128 GB or are okay without it.
In all, the Samsung Galaxy S9+ is perhaps one of the best big-screen phones in the market right now. It’s well equipped with all kinds of features, both essential and fun and can prove to be a great buy in the end. To get in-depth information about the various technical and build details of the smartphone, visit: https://www.samsung.com/in/smartphones/galaxy-s9/
