Samsung set to launch new Galaxy S9 and S9+ models

Early adopters of the Samsung Galaxy S9 and S9+ are unlikely to be best pleased with the company’s latest move, as the smartphone manufacturer is about to launch updated versions of each handset. Unlike its rivals, the new upgrade doesn’t offer any new hardware aside from more storage options, and will initially only be available in select countries.

The Samsung Galaxy S9-Series in itself was only a small incremental upgrade over its predecessor, however the new additions are set to offer even less in terms of an upgrade. Aside from the original 64GB option, new buyers will now be able to choose between a 128GB and 256GB version.

Samsung’s Senior Vice President, Mobile Product Strategy and Marketing Justin Denison described the move as a means to offer “new high-capacity models and the flexibility of expandable storage” thanks to users indulging in “big files such as uncompressed photos, 4K videos, feature-length movies and more.”

Unfortunately for international buyers, the new versions will only be available in the United States for a marked up price of $770 for the S9's 128GB model and a whopping $890 for the S9+'s 128GB model. The 256GB models push this even further, costing buyers $820 and $940 for the S9 and S9+ respectively. All are available to pre-order ahead of their May 18th launch.

Elsewhere, Samsung is preparing its Galaxy A8 mid-range entry that seems to take after the flagship S9-Series in a variety of ways. Costing users a respectable £449 SIM-free, the Galaxy A8 will house a 5.6-inch Full HD Super AMOLED Infinity display, 16-megapixel camera, dual-lens front-facing camera and curved glass and metal finish for added grip.

KitGuru Says: The annoyance from current Galaxy S9 users will namely come from Samsung having kept this under wraps for the first couple of months of the original’s release. While this is a better selection than previously, it still might be worth hanging on for next year’s tentatively titled Galaxy S10 for a more significant upgrade. How do you feel about the new iterations?

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