After being initially unveiled at MWC 2018, Samsung’s flagship handsets for 2018 — the Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9+ — are now on sale in 70 markets.
Riding high on the success of the Galaxy S8 and Galaxy Note 8 from 2017, the Galaxy S9 packs modest changes compared to its predecessor. Its more of an ‘s’ upgrade packing some major internal changes and an improved camera. If you are planning on buying Samsung’s latest flagship but have some questions about it, check out our FAQ below.
Samsung Galaxy S9 FAQ
Q) What are the full specifications of the Galaxy S9 and S9+?
A) The full specs of the Galaxy S9 and S9+ can be found below:
| Samsung Galaxy S9 | Samsung Galaxy S9+ | |
| Dimensions | 147.7 x 68.7 x 8.5 mm, 163g | 158.1 x 73.8 x 8.5 mm, 189g |
| Display | 5.8” (146.5mm) Quad HD+ | 6.2” (158.1mm) Quad HD+ |
| (2960×1440), (570ppi) | (2960×1440), (529ppi) | |
| Chipset | Octa-core (2.7GHz Quad + 1.7GHz Quad), 64 bit, 10nm 2nd gen process | |
| Octa-core (2.7GHz Quad + 1.9GHz Quad), 64 bit, 10nm 2nd gen process | ||
| *May differ by markets and mobile operators | ||
| RAM and Storage | 4GB RAM (LPDDR4), 6GB RAM on S9+ (LPDDR4), 64GB (UFS 2.1) | |
| Camera | Rear: Dual Pixel 12MP OIS (F1.7), Dual Aperture f1.5 – f/2.4, 1.4um, Super Slow-Mo video recording | |
| Front: 8MP AF (F/1.7) | ||
| Battery | 3000mAh | 3500mAh |
| Connectivity | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac (2.4/5GHz), LTE Cat.18 | |
| Bluetooth v 5.0 (LE up to 2Mbps), ANT+, USB Type-C, NFC, Location (GPS, Galileo*, Glonass, BeiDou*) | ||
| *Galileo and BeiDou coverage may be limited. | ||
| Sensors | Accelerometer, Barometer, Fingerprint Sensor, Gyro Sensor, Geomagnetic Sensor, Hall Sensor, Heart Rate Sensor, Proximity Sensor, RGB Light Sensor, Iris Sensor, Pressure Sensor | |
| OS | Android 8.0 | |
| Software Features | Samsung Pay, Intelligent Scan, Bixby with dedicated hardware button | |
| Colors | Midnight Black, Coral Blue, Titanium Gray, Lilac Purple | |
Q) Are the Galaxy S9 and S9+ dust and water-resistant?
A) Like with all major Galaxy flagships released over the last couple of years, the Galaxy S9 and is Plus sibling are IP68 certified which makes them dust and water-resistant.
Read: Samsung Galaxy S9 IP68 Water Resistant Rating Explained
Q) Is the battery of the handset removable?
A) No, the Galaxy S9 does not feature a removable battery.
Q) What kind of SIM card slot does the phone have? Can one use two SIM cards and a microSD card at the same time?
A) Samsung sells a single SIM variant of the Galaxy S9 in Europe and United States. In the Asian market, Samsung sells the Galaxy S9 with a hybrid slot meaning you can use either two SIM cards or one SIM card and microSD card at any given time.
Q) What kind of Gorilla Glass does the Galaxy S9 feature at the front and back?
A) The front of the handsets makes use of Gorilla Glass 5, while the rear glass panel makes use of Gorilla Glass 4. The glass panels are 20 percent thicker than that of the S8 which makes it more durable.
Q) What are the primary differences between the Galaxy S9 and S9+?
A) Both phones differ from each other in terms of their dimensions, screen size, RAM, camera, and battery capacity.
The Galaxy S9 is the smaller of the two and features a 5.8-inch QHD+ display with a 3000mAh battery, while the Galaxy S9+ features a larger 6.2-inch QHD+ display. The larger dimensions of the handset also allow Samsung to include a bigger 3500mAh battery on it. The bigger Plus model also features more RAM (6GB) and a dual-camera setup that allows it to offer 2x optical zoom and Live Focus.
Q) How does one take a screenshot on the Galaxy S9?
A) The lack of a home button on the Galaxy S9 means that the process of taking a screenshot on the handset is different from previous flagship Galaxy devices. To take a screenshot on the handset, you need to press hold the Volume Down + Power, which is similar to many of the latest Android devices out there.
Read: How to Take a Screenshot on Samsung Galaxy S9
Q) Is the fingerprint scanner on the Galaxy S9 better than that of the Galaxy S8?
A) Yes. The repositioned fingerprint scanner is easier to reach and it is also more accurate and faster than before.
Q) How many fingerprints can one register on the Galaxy S9?
A) 5.
Q) Does the Galaxy S9 support fingerprint gestures?
A) Yes, the Galaxy S9 does support fingerprint gestures albeit only one: swiping down on the fingerprint scanner to open the notification shade.
Q) Is there FM Radio on the Galaxy S9?
A) The Qualcomm-powered Galaxy S9 variants do feature FM radio hardware but it is not activated out of the box.
Q) Can you record slow-motion videos on the Galaxy S9?
A) Yes, you can. In fact, you can even record super slow-motion videos on the Galaxy S9 at up to 960fps @ 720p resolution. While you are limited to recording super slow-mo videos to only 0.2 seconds, Samsung’s intelligent camera app makes sure that it switches to the super slow-mo mode at the right time. Additionally, you can also record 4K videos at 60fps and Full HD slow-mo videos at 240fps on the handset.
Q) Does the Galaxy S9 feature a microSD card slot?
A) Yes, the Galaxy S9 features a microSD card slot that supports SD cards of up to 400GB.
Q) Which version of Android does the handset run on?
A) Android 8.0 Oreo.
Q) Do the Galaxy S9+ support LTE and VoLTe networks? Will a Reliance Jio SIM work on the phone?
A) Yes, the Galaxy S9 supports LTE and VoLTE out of the box. It also supports Jio’s and AirTel’s VoLTE network. Additionally, carrier aggregation on AirTel and Jio network also works for improved LTE speeds.
Q) Is Fast charging supported on the Galaxy S9?
A) Yes, the handset supports fast charging as well as fast wireless charging. Sadly, like the Galaxy S8 and Note 8 before it, the Galaxy S9 features fast charging technology which offers speeds similar to that of Quick Charge 2.0.
Q) How much free storage space does the Galaxy S9 offer out of the box?
A) Almost 52GB out of the box.
Q) Can you uninstall or disable pre-installed apps on the handset?
A) Yes, you can uninstall or disable some of the pre-installed apps and bloatware on the Galaxy S9.
Q) Does the carrier variant of the Galaxy S9 feature any operator logo or apps?
A) While the Galaxy S9 and S9+ will not feature any carrier logos at least in the US, the handsets will continue to come preloaded with certain carrier apps and bloatware.
Q) Like the Galaxy S8, does the Galaxy S9 feature a force touch virtual home button?
A) Yes. The Galaxy S9 continues to feature a force touch virtual home button.
Q) How can one quickly launch the camera app on the Galaxy S9?
A) One can quickly launch the camera app on the Galaxy S9 by double pressing the power button. This shortcut is also found on plenty of other Android devices. This shortcut, however, is not available for Galaxy S9 units sold in India due to government regulations.
Q) What contents do you get inside the retail box of the Galaxy S9?
A) You get the phone, a 9v 2A charger, a USB cable, SIM ejector tool, AKG earphones, and some regulatory papers.
Q) Is Samsung bundling AKG earphones with the Galaxy S9 in all markets of the world?
A) Yes, Samsung is bundling AKG earphones with the Galaxy S9 in all markets of the world.
Q) Does the handset support USB OTG?
A) Yes, the Galaxy S9 supports USB On-The-Go. This allows you to directly connect pen drives, external hard disks and more using an adapter to the device. Do note that since the handset now comes with a USB-C port, you will need to use a new OTG adapter with it.
Q) Does the Galaxy S9 come with an IR blaster?
A) No, like the Galaxy S8 and Note 8 before it, the Galaxy S9 does not feature an IR blaster.
If you have any other questions about the Galaxy S9, drop in a comment and we will answer them for you.
