The next-generation Samsung Galaxy S9 series will debut at the Mobile World Congress (MWC) 2018 in late February, and a trusted tipster has now revealed the pre-order and shipping dates as well.
As the launch draws closer, Galaxy S9 leaks are intensifying and the hype is building up. Samsung's mobile chief, DJ Koh, had already confirmed that the Galaxy S9 smartphones will make their debuts at MWC in late February, but did not offer any specific launch dates beyond that.
Samsung Galaxy S9 Pre-Order And Release Dates
Trusted tipster Evan Blass (aka @evleaks), who has leaked accurate information countless times in the past, has now revealed that the Galaxy S9 and the Galaxy S9 Plus will debut on Feb. 26, go up for pre-order three days later on March 1, and start shipping on March 16.
Blass says the information comes from a senior executive from a major manufacturer of protective phone cases. An unveiling on March 26 falls in line with Samsung's previous confirmation that the Galaxy S9 series will debut at MWC 2018, and a March release makes sense.
Galaxy S9 And Galaxy S9 Plus: What To Expect
Based on leaks and speculation so far, the Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9 Plus are expected to sport a similar design to the Galaxy S8 series, featuring the sleek Infinity Display panel with no side bezels, a QHD+ resolution, and an 18.5:9 aspect ratio.
In terms of hardware specs, U.S. and China-bound versions of the Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9 Plus should pack the Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 processor, while global variants should come with Samsung's own Exynos 9810 chipset. Both SoCs should improve on the processing power and energy efficiency of the Galaxy S8 series, while also adding more advanced capabilities that would enable iPhone X-like features and applications.
Galaxy S9 And Galaxy S9 Plus Rumored Specs
The Samsung Galaxy S9 is rumored to feature a 5.8-inch Super AMOLED curved display, 4 GB of RAM, and a single rear camera. The Galaxy S9 Plus, meanwhile, is expected to come with a 6.2-inch Super AMOLED curved display, 6 GB of RAM, and a dual rear camera setup.
Both the Galaxy S9 and the Galaxy S9 Plus are expected to come in base configurations with 64 GB of native storage space, but Samsung could also introduce a premium 512 GB configuration for the Galaxy S9 Plus.
Since the Galaxy S9 series won't stray too far from the Galaxy S8 lineup, the next-generation flagships are expected to come at roughly the same price points as their predecessors. The Galaxy S9 could start at $700, while the larger and more powerful Galaxy S9 Plus could start at $800. Pre-order perks, prices, and incentives will likely vary by market.
It's all still in the rumor state until Samsung officially unveils the Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9 Plus at MWC 2018, so take all rumors and leaks with a grain of salt for now.
