Samsung Galaxy S9 dramatic redesign CANCELLED, source claims

Samsung Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9+ are tipped to launch early next year.

The next-generation smartphone range will purportedly sport the same dual-camera system that debuted on the Galaxy Note 8 earlier this year.

However, it sounds like Samsung had much bigger plans for its new flagship handset.

According to a prolific tipster, known only by the handle @UniverseIce, claims Samsung scrapped plans for a new design after it “did not pass the test”.

Samsung reportedly wanted to increase its edge-to-edge design, extending the display to the chassis at the bottom of the device – leaving only a thin bezel at the top of the phone.

This would help the Galaxy S9 compete with the likes of the iPhone X and Xiaomi Mi MIX 2 in terms of screen-to-body ratio.

Unfortunately, @UniverseIce believes the redesign has been canned.

“Disappointed, the S9 on the left did not pass the test and was killed,” the leakster shared on Twitter.

“On the right is the real S9, which is almost the same as S8.”

Accompanying the tweet are two illustrations, one to demonstrate the new thinner bezels purportedly planned for the Galaxy S9, while the other has the design as the Galaxy S8.

To achieve this narrow bottom bezel, it is likely Samsung would have had to empty the same technique used by Apple in the iPhone X, which folds over the flexible display, tucking it underneath itself.

This enables Apple to store the display controller behind the screen itself.

From the outside, the screen appears to extend all the way to the bottom of the phone.

Unfortunately, @UniverseIce hasn’t shared any additional information about the cancelled design tweak.

Previous reports tipped the Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9+ to have a very similar industrial design to its predecessor.

The Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9+ will purportedly sport the same 5.8-inch and 6.2-inch dual-curved, edge-to-edge Super AMOLED “Infinity Display” as the Galaxy S8 and S8+, respectively.

Both models will keep the 3.5mm headphone port – something previously rumoured to have been ditched in favour of USB-C headphones.

Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9+ will keep the Bixby button, which was introduced last year alongside the artificial assistant of the same name.

There are some changes on the way.

According to sources speaking to VentureBeat, the Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9+ will include built-in AKG stereo speakers this time around.

Samsung has yet to really leverage its acquisition of Harman International – the parent company behind premium audio brands like AKG, JBL and Harman/Kardon – which it bought in March 2017.

The inclusion of AKG stereo speakers should dramatically improve the performance of the built-in speakers.

The Galaxy S9+ is also tipped to include the same dual-camera set-up that debuted with the Galaxy Note 8 earlier this year.

The Note 8 included two 12-megapixel cameras, both fitted with Optical Image Stabilisation (OIS).

There is a wide-angle and telephoto lens, which enables the phone to zoom to 2x without losing quality. It also enables a DSLR-style depth of field effect in portrait photos.

According to reports, the cameras will be aligned vertically on the back of both the Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9+ so the fingerprint scanner is positioned beneath the lens.

This solves one of our biggest gripes with the Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8+ which placed the fingerprint scanner ludicrously close to the lens.

Samsung itself included a warning with the default camera app to remind users to keep the lens clean, since smudges can negatively impact picture quality.