Samsung Galaxy S9 and S9 Plus are finally here and willing to take on Apple’s iPhone X on the market. The S9 is not a significant upgrade over its predecessor, but it has its own selling points that stand out among tough competitors out there, ranging from curved Infinite Display to Face-Unlock.
The Galaxy S9 and S9 Plus are now available for pre-orders, with release date set for March 16. This means that we are now so close to the launch day. If you are choose to go for SIM-free option, then you are looking at around $719.99 for the base model.
If you are planning to grab a new flagship smartphone but still confused between Galaxy S9 and iPhone X, then we are here to help. In the section below, we break down the most exciting features of both iPhone X and Galaxy S9.
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Price
The South Korean firm has its upper hand when it comes to pricing. The Samsung Galaxy S9 now costs $719.99 SIM-free and it can be found for even less if you choose to sign up for carriers. On the other hand, the iPhone is now priced at $999 for the starting 64 GB model, making it the most expensive flagship phone ever released to the public.
Most carriers out there now offer payment plans for Apple’s flagship phone. If you are now in the US, you are seeing around $30 a month for a 24-month contract. With a $999 price tag, you will get a 5.8 inch OLED display, FaceID, Animoji and even more. However, there is still missing on the X, like lack of microSD support or Ultra-Slow mode.
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Headphone jack
Back in 2016, Apple removed the 3.5mm traditional headphone jack from its iPhone 7. Apple’s move aimed to free up a small amount of space inside the iPhone, which paid a way for a thinner and lightweight device. Last year, Apple continued to kill the headphone jack from the X, instead including a 3.5mm headphone jack to Lightning connector in the box.
With the S9, Samsung retains the headphone jack from the last year’s model, which has been widely welcome by users and tech experts. With headphone jack support, you can pop your headphones right in without the need for adaptor.
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Software
The Samsung Galaxy S9 comes with Android 8.0 Oreo pre-installed, offering much-improved performance and new exciting features like redesigned emoji, app shortcuts, revamped settings menu, and notification dots.
The iPhone X, on the other hand, now runs iOS 11.2.6, the latest iOS software update. On the surface, iOS 11.2.6 comes with big fixes and system boost. However, when we look inside, it contains a problem which causes battery indicator to disappear. Apple is fully aware of that and working on a fix.
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Design
iPhone X marks the biggest design change Apple has ever made on its iPhone models, with smaller bezels and no home button. It also offers something familiar in the hand, as Apple re-adopted all-glass back design. A new design delivers premium look and comfortable hands-on experience.
When it comes to design, there is not much to tell here. Samsung’s latest flagship phone takes some design hints from the S8, meaning that it features aluminum body and Bixby button. However, there is still something new, like Gorilla Glass 5 and a repositioned fingerprint scanner.
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Screen
The iPhone X marks the first iPhone model to feature an OLED display, offering much brighter picture quality and more details. The X’s screen size is the same on the S9 (5.8 inch), but the S9 has higher resolution and pixel density. One of the highlights of the X lies in its True Tone display, which adjusts the color temperature based on the lighting around you.
Speaking of the S9, Samsung’s new flagship phone retains the same screen technology from the last year’s model. However, Samsung has boosted the brightness, allowing you to see a lot more when you are in bright sunlight.
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Fingerprint scanner
The fingerprint scanner has become the standard feature on all flagship smartphones on the market. With the S9, Samsung re-positioned the fingerprint scanner below the camera sensor for unlocking the phone and mobile payments.
Earlier this year, rumors said that the S9 might feature an in-display fingerprint scanner, but it was nowhere to be found at launch. With the iPhone X, Apple introduced a new security measure, known as Face ID. The new tech allows iPhone X owners to unlock their device with a simple glance.
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Cameras
The Galaxy S9 is all about the camera, as it comes with a lot of new things. One such thing lies in its single-sensor 12 MP camera. The coolest part is that the sensor can analyze and improve your image quality. You can also switch between an aperture of f/1.5 and f/2.4, allowing for amazing photos.
The iPhone X features dual 12MP cameras on the back. Basically, the dual-camera setup in the X is the same camera technology we have already seen in the iPhone 8 Plus. However, the telephone lens has been updated, with wider aperture, allowing for much better low-light photos.
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AR emoji and animoji
AR emoji is Samsung’s answer to Apple’s Animoji, allowing users to create 3D scan of their face. However, it seems that AR emoji fails to please tech experts ahead of public launch. They claim that Samsung’s AR emoji offers creepy avatars and lacks of cute characters. This means that Samsung needs more time to work on its AR tech.
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