Samsung Galaxy S9 is now available

With all the bells and whistles available these days, it’s hard for a new smartphone to create buzz. But the Galaxy S9 does just that. Ringing in with a number of notable innovations, the S9 proves there is still room to push the envelope in the smartphone space.

The Galaxy S9 includes a groundbreaking camera that adjusts to light like the human eye, a brighter, more colorful, more durable display and an updated design that gives you the full-frontal screen Samsung is famous for in a package that’s easier than ever to wield with one hand.

The Galaxy S9 is now available from CREDO Mobile. Let’s take a look at the highlights.

Camera

The S9 has a 12-megapixel rear camera that sets a new standard for smartphone photography. It’s the first dual-aperture camera in a phone, working much the same way as a standalone point-and-shoot camera. It adapts automatically to available light to deliver clear photos with no adjustment necessary.

Outdoors on a sunny day, the S9 narrows the aperture to avoid overexposure. Indoors at night, it automatically opens the aperture to let in more light. After you snap, the S9 deploys improved signal processing to reduce image noise and produce fine detail in almost every picture. The camera app even has a “food” mode that slightly boosts saturation to make colors warmer and the food look more tempting.

The Galaxy S9’s front camera is 8 megapixels with autofocus capability. The S9 shoots 4K video at 60 frames per second, as well as slow-motion video and super slow-mo.

Display

The S9’s edge-to-edge screen is like a little infinity pool in your palm. The 5.8-inch OLED display renders vibrant colors and sharp images. Peak brightness has been stepped up to 605 nits, which is 10 percent brighter than the Samsung Note 8’s 540 nits. Turn on the auto brightness function and contrast increases when you’re outside so you can see what’s on your screen even in full sun. DisplayMate called the S9 screen “the best-performing smartphone display” it’s ever tested, citing its higher color accuracy, increased brightness and improved visibility outdoors.

Security

Last year’s Galaxy S8 placed the fingerprint sensor on the back of the phone to the right of the camera lens, rather than at the center. This bothered some users accustomed to a centered sensor because they kept pressing their finger to the camera lens by mistake. The S9 moves the sensor to the center and solves that glitch.

You can also open your homescreen via the phone’s novel combination of face recognition and iris scan. If face recognition needs help, iris scan steps in to verify you—and vice versa. This means your phone can ID you even in low light. Or you can open the S9 the old-fashioned way, with a tap, pattern, PIN or password.

If you use your S9 for work, you’ll appreciate Samsung Knox, a security feature that keeps personal and work data apart. This means you don’t have to carry a separate, secure “work” phone with you wherever you go.

Design

The Galaxy S9 is built to fit comfortably in one hand. It features curved glass on the front and back, which makes it easy to hold. But if you do drop it, Samsung built the S9 with improved impact protection. The body transfers 20 percent less shock to the glass display if it hits the ground.

The S9 comes with IP68 water and dust resistance: the 6 means it’s dust-tight and the 8 means it’s protected against submersion in 1.5 meters of water for 30 minutes. (In case you’re wondering, the IP stands for International Protection Rating.)

The Galaxy S9 has a headphone jack, which is an increasingly rare feature in a flagship smartphone these days. For listening without headphones, it has a pair of impressively loud stereo speakers—one top, one bottom—tuned by AKG Harman and enhanced with Dolby Atmos surround sound.

Hardware

The Galaxy S9 is equipped with the brand-new Qualcomm Snapdragon 845, which is one of the fastest mobile chips on the market. That means better performance—fluid gaming, quick multitasking and no more waiting around while an app launches or a website loads.

The S9 battery offers all-day life and support for fast charging and wireless charging, although you have to buy separate chargers for both those functions.

For storage, the phone comes with 64GB built in. For more storage, there is a microSD card slot that gives you up to 400GB of expandable storage.

If you’re a current CREDO Mobile member, sign into Member Services and order the new Samsung S9.

New CREDO Mobile customers shop here.