Samsung debuted its newest smartphones, the Galaxy S9 and S9+, at the Mobile World Conference in Barcelona on Sunday. Both phones boast new camera technology that promises to be a game-changer.
Samsung’s new flagship phones don’t stray far from their predecessors, the Galaxy S8 and S8+. The S9 (5.8″) and S9+ (6.2″) still retain the same sleek look and feel of the previous models and still feature a headphone jack, microSD slot, and USB-C port. The main upgrade is the camera.
Both the S9 and the S9+ will feature the same dual-camera system as the Galaxy Note 8, comprised of a telephoto (2x optical zoom) and wide-angle lens, both with optical image stabilization to mitigate camera shake. The feature generating the most hype is the new variable aperture system fitted to the wide-angle lens. Yes you read that right, Samsung has introduced the first ever dual-aperture system in a smartphone.
In an attempt to mimic what the human eye does naturally, the camera will automatically switch between f/1.5 and f/2.4 depending on the amount of light in a scene. F/1.5 is the widest aperture to date in a smartphone, allowing users to capture crisper images with more detail and less noise in low-light situations than previously possible.
The S9 and S9+ also feature a new slow-motion mode which is capable of shooting an astonishing 960 frames per second, easily outclassing rival phones such as the Apple X and Google Pixel 2, both of which max out at 240 frames per second.
Samsung’s tag line for the launch event was “The Camera Reimagined.” Samsung Senior VP Justin told Fast Company, “The camera has been consistently cited as one of the top three reasons why people purchase phones for the last several years… But really most recently it’s become the number one purchase driver.”
The release date for both phones is set for March 16 with preorders beginning February 25 in the UK and March 2 in the US. The S9 will start at $719 while the larger S9+ has a starting price point of $839.
