Samsung Unveils Galaxy S9 Series Smartphones With Dual Lens Variable Aperture Camera and AR Emoji

[jav6454]

I don't have a problem with my Android slowing down after a few days of usage.

Lucky you then. I went through 2 other Galaxy devices before HR decided they've heard enough complaining from me and authorized an iPhone purchase.

All I needed on that device from hell was Google Drive, Docs, Sheets and Slides. Even those apps choked and force quit on their own.

 

[Wildkraut]

Not that i care for Animoji but I find Samsungs Animoji makes more sense. And looks like their Camera is better than the iPX camera. Currently I own an iPhoneX, but Apple is deceptioning me too much lately. Maybe this was my last iPhone/Apple device after using Apple for many many years.

My new Sony 65“ XE8505 TV will come with Android, lets see... time will tell.

 

[Zwhaler]

I was waiting for the MR front page to mention the S9/S9+. Interesting how this is becoming a common thing each new Galaxy device.

I'm glad they do! It's worth it if nothing else for the comments section...

 

[44267547]

They won't sell as many phones that way. Might as well just keep your phone for years if all they really improve is the software.

But ask yourself how many consumers actually upgrade on an annual basis? I would say not many, especially given the rising costs of smart phones, I would say most consumers likely retain their current smart phone for at least two, maybe three years before they upgrade again. Hardware refinements for smart phones are not drastically different every single year, they’re typically minor. More specifically, the camera is upgraded and a few physical enhancements. But again, it’s the software experience that immerses the user more than the hardware. It’s the software experience that retains the consumer, which is a clear example why iOS has such a strong following.

 

[Denmac1]

Whether it's Apple or Samsung, seems like it's now a Smartcamera with a phone built in.

Personally, I'm kinda tired of the Swiss Army approach to phones in general. (Yeah, I know...I don't have to buy one)

 

[MarkB786]

Very nice. Looking forward to the Note 9 release this fall!

 

[LovingTeddy]

Yet with all those beefed up specs and CPU, it still doesn't deliver the same experience as an iPhone.

How many of iPhone users really use the iPhone to the full potential?

You are type of person who dismiss anything none Apple without even use one.


I tell you, for most part, my 300 dollar Huawei P10 Lite delivers most of things 800 dollar iPhone delivers.

iPhone experience, by now, can be summarized by one word, limited.

 

[mi7chy]

FaceID required the construction of a detailed mask to fool. And the people who claimed to have done it most certainly cheated (like putting in a PIN after a false try on their mask) as they famously refused to answer the most basic questions presented to them and dodged others.

Don't need a mask to compromise Face ID security and payments. Just point it at someone who doesn't look like you. There are a ton of these on YouTube between mother/son, uncle/nephew, etc.

 

[LovingTeddy]

Samsung is all about cramming gimmicks into phones for store demos

Trust me I had a Galaxy S7 Edge and moved to an iPhone X, and they're night and day. I didn't use the edge screen at all. I use Face ID on the iPhone X because it works.

You are comparing a 2017 phone with a 2016 phone. Good compassion. My 300 dollar Huawei P10 beats iPhone 4S hands down...

 

[pl1984]

True. However, do you remember the complaining about the iPhone 8 looking the same as the 7 and the 7 looking like the 6S? You’d think it was the end of the world.

I do and I think it's a ridiculous complaint. I'm pleased with my iPhone 6 and I see no reason for it to change.

 

[MacknTosh]

Yet with all those beefed up specs and CPU, it still doesn't deliver the same experience as an iPhone.

You were quick getting your hands on one.

 

[citysnaps]

No FaceID, no seamless integration with Apple apps (such as Notes), no integration with Apple Watch, no iMessage, no Ax cpu, no integration with HomePod........absolutely no interest in that phone.

And with a fingerprint sensor on the back? Seriously?

 

[840quadra]

It’s not for low light. Smaller apertures give greater DOF (depth of field). Large apertures give shallow DOF (great for portraits to soften the background).

However, with a range from f1.5-f2.4, there’s not much range at all (a typical SLR lens would have a much wider range, like f2.8-f22, for example).

That’s not what the article says

The headline feature of the S9 and S9+ is a 12-megapixel dual lens camera, boasting the first variable aperture system built into a smartphone, which promises better results in low light conditions and hardware-based shallow depth of field effects

Hence my question.

FWIW I have been shooting semi-professionaly for 10 years, mostly in Motorsports. I do See huge advantage of variable aperture, just not in low light as the article highlights. I also don’t see much overall benefit given the narrow range offered in this phone, but agree it is a good step forward in mobile phone cameras.

 

[LovingTeddy]

I don't have a problem with my Android slowing down after a few days of usage.

Me either. My one year P10 still works as fast as the day I unboxed.

 

[pl1984]

Lucky you then. I went through 2 other Galaxy devices before HR decided they've heard enough complaining from me and authorized an iPhone purchase.

All I needed on that device from hell was Google Drive, Docs, Sheets and Slides. Even those apps choked and force quit on their own.

Your complaint doesn't pass the common sense test. I could see if you were stating it slowed down over time as software updates were released. But to say it slowed down over a few days is a difficult pill to swallow.

 

[Westside guy]

Anyway, I applaud Samsung for keeping a headphone jack (which I have missed on more than a few occasions on my iPhone 8). Also much prefer their thin bezels to The Notch. Too bad it doesn't run iOS ...

Yes, yes, and yes.

(although my 6S does have a headphone jack)

 

[cmiller4642]

For what people are calling an incremental upgrade to the S8, it's one helluva increment with that Camera. Keeping the beautiful design of the S8 with even slightly less bezel on top and bottom was a wise decision. Not having a hideous and intrusive afterthought notch, keeps the phone looking sleek and very modern. You want animated emojis? Samsung does it better with AR Emojis. I don't know anyone that uses Apple animojis. But already, hands on users are saying they would most definitely use AR Emojis. Why wouldn't they? We use emojis all the time, and Samsug just took it to a new level with the way they implemented AR emojis to use across all social media. There's not a doubt in my mind that more than a few people here, and few of the Apple butt kissing tech reviewers, secretly wished Apple did the same thing. Instead, Apple gave you a poop faces and unicorns. smh.

https://twitter.com/twitter/statuses/967835686064873472

Oh wow looks like Mii, Bitstrips, Xbox Live Avatars, etc....

Animojis are unique and use the real emojis that people like to use.

 

[rohanparekh]

they even copy that useless feature

Just wait and watch....They are also preparing an office building in ring shape

 

[Vasilioskn]

Omg can we just get better battery life ? Enough gimmicks

 

[69Mustang]

Because my experience with a brand new Galaxy phone has been nothing but terrible (work given phone mind you). The speed of the OS slows down to a crawl after a few days of usage. Not to mention doing anything is beyond not intuitive.

After a few months of using it, I "forced" my HR & Supply Chain depts to give me an iPhone instead as doing any work on that piece of garbage was maddening.

They obviously gave you a defective phone. A lot of children's first phones are Androids. If kids can intuit it's operation, then the problem might not have been the phone. Might have been the operator.

 

[cicalinarrot]

Boy, this looks inelegant. Bring those slightly different bezels for a design exam and you'd be guaranteed to fail.

 

[deanthedev]

Don't need a mask to compromise Face ID security and payments. Just point it at someone who doesn't look like you. There are a ton of these on YouTube between mother/son, uncle/nephew, etc.

Meaningless. Just like the very first one with the brothers where they later clarified they put in the PIN when it failed on the brother so it merged (learned) both faces.

 

[Ds6778]

Not true.

They are on more of a tick tock strategy now. The S6 was a dramatic redesign, the S7 refined it. The S8 was a dramatic redesign, and the S9 refines it. Next year will likely be something more dramatic again.



TBH it is more about comparing these to the Pixel 2 as well!



Well the S8 was literally last year, so everyone who knew anything about the S9 realised it was a refinement year, and it is a lot less bloated than before.

Regardless, Pixel is slowly becoming the way forward for Android. But Samsung is still the market leader by a huge distance.

It’s exactly true. Everything is headed to a bezel free design....slab of glass with a screen. You’re wrong.

 

[The Game 161]

Very much a spec update..if I had the s8 plus can’t see it being much better. Certainly if you have the note 8 I see no reason to upgrade.

 

[deanthedev]

I don't have a problem with my Android slowing down after a few days of usage.

I don’t have slowdowns with my Pixel, S8 or S7 after a few days. There are far too many other issues to worry about if I ever wanted to actually use one daily.