Samsung was among the first few Android OEMs to include a handy IR blaster on its flagship Galaxy S and Note devices. Since the Galaxy S6 though, the company has had a change of heart and has not bothered including the handy sensor on its flagship devices.

While an IR blaster might seem like a trivial inclusion to many, it is incredibly useful to have since it allows one to control various electronic devices around them right from an app on your phone.

Sadly, just like the Galaxy S9, the Note 9 also lacks an IR blaster. This means that the last time Samsung had included an IR blaster on one of its flagship devices was the Galaxy S6. As for the Note series, the last Note handset to come with an IR blaster was the Galaxy Note 4. 

If having an IR blaster on your smartphone is a must for you, its time for you to look elsewhere. While LG, HTC, and other OEMs have also removed IR blasters from their devices, there are a few Chinese OEMs who continue to be an exception. Huawei, for example, continues to include an IR blaster on almost all of its flagship devices including the P20 Pro and the P20.

Xiaomi also continues to include an IR blaster on its budget Redmi smartphones like the Redmi Note 5 Pro, though for some reason, the company omits the IR blaster from its flagship devices.