The Samsung Galaxy S9, launched (Updated)

SAMSUNG today announced the launch of the Samsung Galaxy S9 at the Mobile World Congress (MWC) 2018 in Barcelona. The event was streamed live on the Internet.
Little is unknown about the S9 series before its announcement. It could be the worst kept secret at MWC this year. Early leaks of pictures, specifications, and even an official video of the Android-powered smartphone surfaced before the announcement. Because of this, the launch event serves more as a confirmation of what we already know.
As expected, the Galaxy S9 has a larger twin, the Galaxy S9+. Both phones share the same design aesthetics as the Galaxy S8 series. However, the first noticeable difference is the placement of the fingerprint reader which is now in a much more sensible location at the bottom of the camera instead of to the side.
The face of the S9 is an improved 5.8in QHD+ Infinity Display, similar to the gorgeous display we have seen on the S8. Likewise, the S9+ sports a 6.2in curved Super AMOLED screen with the same 18.5:9 aspect ratio that we know and love.
Samsung did not skimp on the audio either. The S9 and the S9+ will two of the loudest speakers ever installed on a Samsung Galaxy device. These speakers are tuned by AKG and can take advantage of the Adobe Atmos audio feature which creates the best virtual sound spaces.
The tagline of the Samsung Galaxy S9 launch is 'The Camera. Reimagined'. On the S9, we get a 12 MP dual-aperture sensor, not to be confused with a dual lens camera, that is said to enhance the phone's capability further to take photos in low-light and capture slow-motion video.
On the other hand, the S9 gets a dual camera setup arranged like the cameras on the Note8 but turned 90-degrees. One of the cameras is the much touted 12 MP dual-aperture sensor which can switch between F1.5 and F2.4 aperture while the other is fixed at F2.4.
Both cameras also feature optical image stabilisation as well as both a laser and dual-pixel autofocus.
According to Samsung, with this camera setup, you could take slow-motion video at up to 960fps. This 'Super Slow-Mo' feature is made possible by the new speedy processor and memory architecture in the camera. The feature can be triggered multiple times or is set to trigger when it detects motion.
The video could be then be played in reverse, converted into a GIF, or made into your personalised lock screen.
On the front side, both the S9 and the S9+ get an 8MP F1.7 camera with autofocus. This camera can be used to generate and puppeteer your virtual avatar and emoji.
In a partnership with Disney, you could also use your facial expression to puppeteer the faces of Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, and the heroes from The Incredibles and send then as emoji.
The Augmented Reality emojis are compatible with other phones and third-party applications, according to Samsung.
Both phones will be running the latest Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 in the US, and the Samsung's own Exynos 9810 chipset in the rest of the world. The S9 will have only 4GB of RAM while the S9+ will get the 6GB treatment.
However, we will have to wait for an official Malaysian announcement to know the specifications of the phone we are getting here.
Of course, the Samsung S9 series is not all about specifications. It packs some exciting features as well. Some of them we had already seen before but enhanced further. For example, DEX, water resistant, Samsung Knox, facial recognition and iris scan.
The new DEX, with its flat dock, lets users use the phone itself as a trackpad and keyboard. We have seen this before but in a competitor device.
Samsung's suite of security features is enhanced for the enterprise market with the Enterprise Edition. It leverages Samsung Nox to create an always secure, easily managed, and dependable environment for enterprise needs.
In addition to the fingerprint scanner, the S9 and S9+ use a combination of iris scanner and facial recognition to make unlocking your phone more seamless.
Last but not least is Bixby, Samsung's own AI assistant. With the S9 series AR capabilities, Bixby has some new tricks up its sleeves such as active translation and the ability to recognise foods which in turn can be used to keep track of your diet in the Samsung Health app.
It is also worth noting that the S9 and the S9+ will have an audio port and support fast wireless charging.
The Samsung Galaxy S9 and S9+ will be available in black, grey, blue, and purple. It is set to be released on March 16. According to Samsung a preorder schedule and high trade-in value program will be made available later.
Samsung Malaysia Electronics will offer pre-orders for the Samsung Galaxy S9 and S9+ in Malaysia starting from March 1 at 10 am to March 4.
Those who preorder the devices from Samsung and its official affiliates will need to place a deposit of RM300. In return, each purchase will be rewarded with a Harman Kardon Onyx Mini Bluetooth Speaker worth RM699 for free.
The Galaxy S9 will only be available with 64GB of storage for RM3,299. On the other hand, the Galaxy S9+ will be available in three variations: 64GB for RM3,799, 128GB for RM3,999, and 256GB for RM4,399.
Samsung Malaysia Electronics noted that the Galaxy S9 and S9+ would be available in lilac purple, midnight black, and coral blue, however, the Galaxy S9+ with 256GB storage is only available in Midnight Black.
Meanwhile, there will also be a trade up and save programme for those who are looking to upgrade to a Galaxy S9 series phone. The plan will launch on March 9 and ends on April 30. However, no further information is available at this time.