Galaxy S9 and Galaxy A8 Enterprise Edition launched in Germany

Samsung has been launching Enterprise Edition variants of its popular smartphones to target business customers for some time now. Last year, the company released the Galaxy Note 8 and Galaxy S8 Enterprise Edition models as part of the strategy.

Continuing its enterprise push, Samsung has announced the Galaxy S9 and Galaxy A8 Enterprise Edition smartphones in Germany. Other than after-sales support and enterprise-deployment software, these devices are in no way different from the consumer edition counterparts. Both the devices will come with three-year Knox Configure (Dynamic Edition) licenses and the Enterprise Firmware Over-The-Air service (E-FOTA on MDM).

Three years of monthly security updates

Samsung Knox Configure allows IT administrators to remotely configure and manage a large number of Samsung mobile devices to their requirements. They can create configuration profiles to restrict features, change settings, set company logos and business apps as an unchangeable default option, etc. IT administrators can also remotely and selectively install firmware updates with the Samsung Enterprise Firmware-Over-The-Air (E-FOTA on MDM) service. The service also allows scheduled updates to reduce service interruptions and downtime.

The Galaxy S9 Enterprise Edition will receive three years of monthly security updates and quarterly updates for the fourth year, while the Galaxy A8 Enterprise Edition is limited to monthly security updates for three years. Both phones will come with two years of manufacturer warranty. If Samsung indeed delivers as promised, these devices might appeal even to the general consumers who care about quick security updates.

The Galaxy S9 Enterprise Edition will be available in Germany from April 2018 at a price of €849 (~$1050). The Galaxy A8 Enterprise Edition is already available for the corporate customers in Germany for €499 (~$550). Samsung is launching the dual SIM variants of these phones to help users manage their private and work life better. Samsung hasn’t launched the Galaxy A8 in Germany to the public and is offering it exclusively to enterprise customers.

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Samsung reportedly expects to make less money from OLED displays in 2018

Samsung’s semiconductor and display divisions provided a significant chunk of the company’s profits last year but according to a new report, Samsung expects to make less money from OLED panel sales in 2018. Apparently, that’s because the OLED boom that the company was counting on hasn’t really materialized.

It has been reported multiple times over the past few weeks that in light of low demand for the iPhone X, Apple has halved its OLED panel orders from Samsung. This means that Samsung Display will now ship fewer OLED panels to Apple and subsequently make less money.

No smooth sailing for the OLED business

Bloomberg reports that the iPhone X didn’t sell as well as Wall Street had anticipated and that according to people familiar with the matter, Samsung is now going to ship half the units planned to Apple. The report also mentions that Samsung sees its 2018 operating profit from displays coming in short of analysts’ forecasts.

Some market analysts had predicted that Chinese vendors who are rapidly expanding their foothold in the market will switch to OLED panels and that would greatly benefit Samsung since it has a near monopoly in the small to medium-sized OLED panel market. That has yet to happen.

The people mentioned in the report claim that Samsung is committed to OLED and doesn’t feel the pressure yet to cut OLED panel prices. It’s hoping that the successful launch of the Galaxy S9 will keep things moving along in the interim while a planned foldable smartphone could provide growth in the future.

Apple is also going to launch another iPhone this year with an OLED display and while Samsung Display might win some orders, LG Display is also believed to be courting OLED panel orders from Apple.

That being said, most major Chinese vendors aren’t expected to switch to OLED this year. Manufacturers like Huawei, Oppo, Xiaomi, and Vivo appear to be in no rush to ditch LCD in favor of OLED. That’s because they operate on thin margins as it is.

Researcher IHS Market estimates that the 5.5-inch LCD panel in the iPhone 8 Plus costs Apple $52 while the company pays $110 for the iPhone X’s 5.8-inch OLED display. Chinese manufacturers try to price out behemoths like Apple and Samsung by aggressively pricing their handsets and they’re not really in a position to make a switch to more expensive display panels. They don’t have to either, their strategy has been working, with companies like Xiaomi even coming in striking distance of Samsung’s lead in key markets.

Bloomberg Intelligence analyst Simon Chan rightly points out that LCD displays are “fine enough” for many users and that until the price difference between OLED and LCD remains substantial, it’s unlikely that Chinese OEMs will be willing to make a switch.

OLED panel costs will eventually come down in a couple of years but until that happens, Samsung will have to tough it out, and by then it may even have to compete with upstart OLED manufacturers in China who want a piece of the pie as well.

Samsung may have held off further investment in its OLED facilities. It was reported in June last year that the company was going to build a “super OLED factory” in South Korea as it anticipated rising demand. Samsung was going to invest $925 million in this new OLED plant but has reportedly decided against investing in the new facility due to demand uncertainties.

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Watch the Galaxy S9 camera switch aperture in this short video

One of the major highlights of the Galaxy S9 (and S9+) is a camera with variable aperture. Well, to be more precise, the camera can switch between two fixed apertures, depending on how bright or dark a scene is, which is why Samsung is calling it Dual Aperture. The Galaxy S9 also has the largest/widest aperture – f/1.5 – seen on a phone. A lower value indicates a larger aperture, which means the opening through which light enters the camera is wider. As a result, compared to the f/1.7 cameras seen on Samsung flagships until now, the Galaxy S9 can capture brighter photos in low-light situations.

Dual Aperture system enables great photos in bright and dark scenes

A wider aperture also results in shallower depth of field, enabling the camera to blur out the background to a higher degree than what a narrower aperture would allow. When things are too bright, however, a wider aperture can be detrimental, and since the Galaxy S9’s camera can go as wide as f/1.5, a dual-aperture system becomes necessary. That is why the S9 and S9+ can switch to a narrower aperture of f/2.4 when the occasion calls for it, resulting in sharper photos that aren’t as overexposed as they would be if the aperture was fixed at f/1.5.

Since the Galaxy S9 camera has a physically adjusting aperture, one can see how the lens opening becomes wider or narrower when aperture is switched between f/1.5 and f/2.4. We have had a few requests asking us to post a video showing the changing aperture, and while many of you have probably seen it in action in videos from other publications already, we have also uploaded our own for those who haven’t.

Check it out below, and watch out for our official Galaxy S9 review to see how well the Dual Aperture camera works in practice. Also check out a few super slow-motion videos taken on the Galaxy S9 and read our hands-on experience with both the S9 and S9+.

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Galaxy S9+ wins ‘Best New Connected Device’ award at MWC 2018

The Galaxy S9 hasn’t even been released yet and the awards are already rolling in. Samsung today announced that the Galaxy S9+ received the “Best New Connected Device” award at the annual Global Mobile Awards (GLOMO Awards). Samsung says that the Galaxy S9+ received this award due to its refined design, advanced camera and outstanding performance. The company received more than 30 awards for various products and services at the Mobile World Congress 2018 in Barcelona.

Apart from the Galaxy S9, several of Samsung’s devices and technologies were also recognized at the 2018 Global Mobile Awards. Its mobile payments service Samsung Pay received the “Best Mobile Innovation for Payment” award in recognition of it being an industry-leading service.

Galaxy S9+ is an award-winning product already

The Gear VR with Controller was recognized as the “Best Mobile VR or AR” device for setting the standard for VR experiences. Samsung launched this headset last year and it’s the first Gear VR that ships with a dedicated controller. The company hasn’t launched a new Gear VR headset with the Galaxy S9 because the flagship is compatible with last year’s headset.

“We are honored to be recognized by the GSMA and many organizations for our mobile technologies,” said Younghee Lee, the Chief Marketing Officer and global marketing boss at Samsung’s mobile business.

DxOMark, a camera reference publication, recently published its full review of the Galaxy S9+’s camera and concluded that Samsung’s new flagship offers the best smartphone camera on the market right now. That’s not all. DisplayMate has concluded that the Galaxy S9 has the best smartphone display.

The Galaxy S9 has already proven to be an award-winning product for Samsung even though it hasn’t been released. That’s going to happen soon, though. The company has already started taking pre-orders for the Galaxy S9 and the Galaxy S9+ in select markets with the handset being scheduled for release on March 16.

If you haven’t pre-ordered one already, don’t forget to check out our Galaxy S9 deals page. We’d also love to know what color you prefer for your new Galaxy S9/S9+.

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Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9+ launching in India on March 6

We had heard rumors of the Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9+ possibly launching in India on March 6th, following a leak that gave us details on how much these handsets would cost in the country. Samsung has now confirmed that to be the case and has sent us an invite for the launch event in New Delhi. This is the fastest release of a Samsung flagship in India; some reports say sales will begin on March 16th, which would mark the first time the country has been included in the list of initial launch countries. Not that it’s exclusive to India, as the Korean giant is finally releasing a flagship phone in many regions so quickly after the unveiling, along with offering most color options and at least one of the higher storage variants in most markets.

Galaxy S9 and S9+ launching in India on March 6

In India, the Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9+ will be powered by the Samsung Exynos 9810. Samsung has listed the purple, blue, and black color options on its Indian website and is taking pre-bookings for a small upfront payment. The storage variants include 64GB and 256GB, although the latter is only available in Midnight Black. This may change later on or it might not; the Galaxy S8+ with 6GB of RAM and 128GB of storage had also launched in India in black, so don’t be too hopeful about the possibility of buying the new Lilac Purple or Coral Blue version with 256GB of on-board storage.

If a leaked document is to be believed, the Galaxy S9 and S9+ won’t command too high of a price premium over what the Galaxy S8 and S8+ cost at launch in India. Of course, nothing is official at the moment, but we’ll bring you all the details on March 6th as we’ll have boots on the ground at the launch event. For now, check out our hands-on experience with the Galaxy S9 and also see all our coverage of Samsung’s latest and greatest flagship.

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[Poll] What’s your favorite Galaxy S9 color?

Now that the official unveiling of the Galaxy S9 and S9+ is over, it’s time to ponder over purchase related questions. Samsung has made choosing between the Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9+ more difficult this time by equipping the plus variant with more RAM and a dual-camera setup at the back. So, the choice between the two is no longer just a matter of screen size.

Fortunately, Samsung is not discriminating between the two models when it comes to available color options at least. The Galaxy S8 was available in Midnight Black, Orchid Gray, Coral Blue, Arctic Silver, and Maple Gold colors at launch. For the Galaxy S9 duo, Samsung is going with Midnight Black, Lilac Purple, Coral Blue, and Titanium Gray (in some markets). Of these, the company believes the new Lilac Purple will be a crowd favorite.

Samsung came up with a Rose Pink color option for the Galaxy S8 and S8+ months after their launch. So, in case if you are not impressed with the current colors, there is still hope that Samsung might launch new options later this year.

Since the Galaxy S9 and S9+ are made from glass, they will be fingerprint magnets just like their predecessors. The Midnight Black may be the tried and tested choice, but it is also more prone to fingerprints than the other colors.

Which is your favorite color option? Cast your votes below and let us know your thoughts.

What's your favorite Galaxy S9 color?

• Coral Blue
• Midnight Black
• Titanium Gray
• Lilac Purple
• Can't say before seeing them in person
• I like all of them

Results

• Coral Blue 37%, 10 votes
  10 votes 37%

  10 votes - 37% of all votes
• Midnight Black 19%, 5 votes
  5 votes 19%

  5 votes - 19% of all votes
• Titanium Gray 19%, 5 votes
  5 votes 19%

  5 votes - 19% of all votes
• Lilac Purple 15%, 4 votes
  4 votes 15%

  4 votes - 15% of all votes
• Can't say before seeing them in person 11%, 3 votes
  3 votes 11%

  3 votes - 11% of all votes
• I like all of them 0%, 0 votes
  0 votes

  0 votes - 0% of all votes

Total Votes: 27

1 March 2018

×

You or your IP had already vote.

• Coral Blue
• Midnight Black
• Titanium Gray
• Lilac Purple
• Can't say before seeing them in person
• I like all of them

×

You or your IP had already vote.

Results

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Galaxy S9+ has the best smartphone camera according to DxOMark

Camera reference publication DxOMark published the results of its Galaxy S9+ camera test today and it says that the Galaxy S9+ has the best smartphone camera on the market right now. It features a 12-megapixel primary sensor with f/1.5 and f/2.4 variable aperture lens and a secondary 12-megapixel lens with a 2x tele and f/2.4 aperture lens. There’s Optical Image Stabilization for both lenses and Dual Pixel PDAF on the main sensor.

Galaxy S9+ wins best smartphone camera crown

The Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9+ are the first smartphones from Samsung to offer a camera with variable aperture. The camera uses the f/1.5 aperture in low light conditions to maximize light capture while it uses the slower f/2.4 aperture for more detail and sharpness in bright conditions.

With 2x optical zoom on the secondary camera of the Galaxy S9+ and a Super Slow-motion video feature that records at 960 frames-per-second, DxOMark says that the Galaxy S9+ offers “one of the most comprehensive smartphone imaging feature sets” available on the market today.

The Galaxy S9+ has now taken the top spot in DxOMark’s rankings with a total score of 99, it edged out the Google Pixel 2 by just one point. The publication further adds that the handset’s camera doesn’t have any obvious weaknesses and performs very well across all its test categories. The individual Photo score of 104 is the best that DxOMark has seen so far while the Video score at 91 is among the best.

To put together its detailed camera reviews, engineers at DxOMark capture and evaluate more than 1,500 test images and more than two hours of video in controlled lab environments as well as in natural indoor and outdoor scenes with the camera settings at default.

The in-depth review is now live on DxOMark’s website so do check it out if you’re interested in the handset’s imaging prowess. Not only does Samsung’s latest flagship has the best smartphone display crown, it has also taken the best smartphone display crown, making it the Android flagship to beat in 2018.

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