The latest addition to Samsung’s Galaxy S series, the Galaxy S10+, was recently rated “Best of Test” by PROTESTE, the largest consumer protection association in Latin America.

The Galaxy S10+ took the top spot in PROTESTE’s smartphone rankings with a record-setting score of 85 points (out of 100). In second and third place are the Galaxy S10 with 84 points, and the Note9 with 83. The Galaxy S10e ranked sixth with 82 points, and the Galaxy S9+ ranked eighth with 81, which means that half of the top ten smartphones in PROTESTE’s rankings are Samsung Galaxy devices.

The Galaxy S10+ stood out in a variety of tests, and was particularly impressive in the portion that evaluated resistance to shocks and water. To test the Galaxy S10+’s durability, PROTESTE repeatedly dropped the device from a height of 90cm, and immersed it in a container of water for an extended period of time.

“We evaluated points that are often extremely important to consumers, such as resistance and the battery,” said Thiago Leite Porto e Silva, a specialist in technology products at PROTESTE. “The Galaxy S10+ exceeded our expectations, and surprised us with the highest grade ever earned in our tests.”

The Galaxy S10+’s top ranking is a testament to the innovation of its features. “This ranking demonstrates that the consumer is at the center of our efforts and development, and will always be our main driving force,” said Jeonghwan Kim, Executive Vice President and Head of Samsung Electronics Latin America.

The new flagship line combines groundbreaking innovations in display, camera and performance technologies to offer users more screen space for gaming, browsing and viewing content; more tools to help them get the most out of their phone; more ways to capture incredible photos and videos; and more choices, so they can find the phone that’s right for them.

Check out the infographic below to learn more about how the Galaxy S10 line sets a new standard for smartphones.

The Samsung Olympic Showcases are specifically designed to celebrate the excitement of the Youth Olympic Games, enabling visitors to create, capture and share their own experiences through activities that help spread #DoWhatYouCant to a young audience.

Over 5,000 daily visitors visited the two Samsung Olympic Showcases, which opened to the public in Buenos Aires – one at the Youth Olympic Park and the other at Abasto Mall – enabling everyone to establish meaningful connections through different experiences, and interact with Samsung’s latest technology, including Galaxy S9 and S9+, Galaxy Tab S4 and Gear IconX – paired with Galaxy S9 and S9+.

Candelaria Costa, a local student from Buenos Aires, said, “The Samsung Olympic Showcase has a lot of fun activities that keep everyone entertained. I just finished the Galaxy Fitness Cycling Challenge against my friend, and I liked it a lot. I also experienced virtual reality for the first time and now I’m a big fan!”

Young Olympic fans race each other at the Galaxy Fitness Cycling Challenge while visiting the Samsung Olympic Showcase at the Olympic Park in Buenos Aires during the Youth Olympic Games Buenos Aires 2018.

Young Olympic fans receive Samsung-themed eco bags and participate in the Samsung Pin promotion by completing a variety of interactive experiences while visiting the Samsung Olympic Showcase at the Olympic Park in Buenos Aires during the Youth Olympic Games Buenos Aires 2018.

Young Olympic fans participate in the Super Slow-mo Football Challenge and embrace the Olympic Spirit while visiting the Samsung Olympic Showcase at the Olympic Park in Buenos Aires during the Youth Olympic Games Buenos Aires 2018.

Young Olympic fans are all smiles as they experience the high-speed thrill of Winter Ride 4D motion virtual reality at the Samsung Olympic Showcase at the Olympic Park in Buenos Aires during the Youth Olympic Games Buenos Aires 2018. The film is displayed through the Samsung Galaxy smartphone and compatible Gear VR.

Young Olympic fans stop by the Samsung Olympic Showcase during their visit to the Olympic Park in Buenos Aires during the Youth Olympic Games Buenos Aires 2018. In collaboration with the International Olympic Committee (IOC), Samsung sponsored the Buenos Aires 2018 Youth Olympic Pass giving the public free access to all competitions as well as more than 1,200 cultural activities.

Young Olympic fans learn more about Samsung’s mobile technology at the Interactive Table at the Samsung Olympic Showcase at the Olympic Park in Buenos Aires during the Youth Olympic Games Buenos Aires 2018.

Young Olympic fans show off their soccer skills as they experience Shoot-out motion virtual reality at the Samsung Olympic Showcase at the Olympic Park in Buenos Aires during the Youth Olympic Games Buenos Aires 2018. The experience is displayed through the Samsung Galaxy smartphone and compatible Gear VR.

About the Youth Olympic Games

The Youth Olympic Games (YOG) are an international multi-sport event for young athletes between 15 and 18 years old of an educational and cultural nature, with the objective of promoting Olympic values ​​in Youth. The celebration of the event, which takes place every four years (in its two editions, winter and summer, which take place alternately every two years), is promoted by the International Olympic Committee (IOC). The Youth Olympic Games Buenos Aires 2018 will take place between October 6 and 18 and will involve 4,000 athletes from 206 countries.

About Samsung’s Involvement in the Olympic Games

Samsung began its Olympic Games involvement as a local sponsor of Olympic Games Seoul 1988. Beginning with Olympic Winter Games Nagano 1998, the company extended its commitment to the Olympic Movement as the Worldwide Olympic Partner in the Wireless Communications Equipment category, providing its proprietary wireless communications platform and mobile devices. These innovative mobile technologies provide the Olympic Community, athletes and fans around the world with interactive communications and information services. Samsung hosts various Olympic campaigns to share the excitement of the Olympic Games with people around the world and enable everyone to participate in the Games through its innovative mobile technology. Samsung’s commitment as a Worldwide Olympic Partner continues through to Tokyo 2020 in the Wireless Communications Equipment and Computing Equipment category.

“The belief that the world holds endless possibilities begins at a young age, which makes it even more important that we support the youth of today who are pushing the limits to #DoWhatYouCant,” said Younghee Lee, CMO and Executive Vice President, Samsung Electronics. “Samsung is committed to the Olympic Movement and we’re looking forward to providing exciting experiences powered by our latest technology to young fans at Buenos Aires 2018.”

To celebrate the Youth Olympic Games, Samsung is offering immersive and interactive visitor experiences at the Samsung Olympic Showcases, which highlight the latest wireless communications products and technologies, including Galaxy S9 and S9+, Gear IconX – paired with Galaxy S9 and S9+ and Galaxy Tab S4. For twelve days, two showcases will be open to the public in Buenos Aires – one at the Youth Olympic Park and the other at Abasto Mall–enabling everyone to participate in the Youth Olympic Games through Samsung’s innovative mobile technology.

Samsung Olympic Showcase located in Youth Olympic Park (left) and Samsung Olympic Showcase located in Abasto Mall

During the Youth Olympic Games, fans, athletes and visitors of the Samsung Olympic Showcases will be able to interact with Samsung’s latest technology and establish meaningful connections through a variety of activities, including:

• Experiential Activations: Fans and consumers will be exposed to comprehensive and accessible experiences powered by Samsung technology such as the Interactive Table, My Emoji Gallery, Super Slow-mo Football Challenge, and Galaxy Fitness.
• Immersive VR Experience: Unique 4D VR offerings powered by Galaxy S9 and S9+ will be available where fans can step outside their comfort zones with exhilarating Kayaking, Rowing, and Winter Ride experiences.
• Mobile Products and Accessories Experiences: The Samsung Olympic Showcases will provide opportunities to test out Samsung products including the Galaxy S9 and S9+, Gear IconX – paired with Galaxy S9 and S9+, and Galaxy Tab S4.

At the Samsung Olympic Showcases, fans will also have a chance to celebrate the Olympic Spirit, and participate in the Samsung Pin promotion by completing a variety of interactive experiences, and collect up to 7 specially designed sport and culture themed pins.

As part of its goal to spread the Olympic Spirit and to help fans participate in the biggest multisport and cultural celebration in the world, Samsung is distributing the Buenos Aires 2018 Youth Olympic Pass at designated Samsung Stores. With the Pass, the public has access to the four Youth Olympic Parks and the competition stadiums, as well as more than 1,200 cultural activities free of charge. Nearly 600,000 requests for the Pass, which comes in the form of an electronic bracelet, have already been processed.

“Samsung’s many activations at the Youth Olympic Games Buenos Aires 2018 will allow all visitors to capture their unique experiences and share the Olympic Spirit around the world,” said IOC President Thomas Bach. “By bringing its innovative technology to young athletes and fans from across the globe, Samsung is celebrating the power of sport.”

Samsung began its Olympic Games involvement as a local sponsor of the Olympic Games Seoul 1988, and extended its commitment to the Olympic Movement as a Worldwide Olympic Partner at the Olympic Winter Games Nagano 1998. Youth Olympic Games Buenos Aires2018 will be held October 6-18, 2018 in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

For more information on Samsung’s latest products, please visit news.samsung.com/global and www.samsungmobilepress.com.

About the Youth Olympic Games

The Youth Olympic Games (YOG) are an international multi-sport event for young athletes between 15 and 18 years old of an educational and cultural nature, with the objective of promoting Olympic values ​​in Youth. The celebration of the event, which takes place every four years (in its two editions, winter and summer, which take place alternately every two years), is promoted by the International Olympic Committee (IOC). The Youth Olympic Games Buenos Aires 2018 will take place between October 6 and 18 and will involve 4,000 athletes from 206 countries.

About Samsung’s Involvement in the Olympic Games

Samsung began its Olympic Games involvement as a local sponsor of Olympic Games Seoul 1988. Beginning with Olympic Winter Games Nagano 1998, the company extended its commitment to the Olympic Movement as the Worldwide Olympic Partner in the Wireless Communications Equipment category, providing its proprietary wireless communications platform and mobile devices. These innovative mobile technologies provide the Olympic Community, athletes and fans around the world with interactive communications and information services. Samsung hosts various Olympic campaigns to share the excitement of the Olympic Games with people around the world and enable everyone to participate in the Games through its innovative mobile technology. Samsung’s commitment as a Worldwide Olympic Partner continues through to Tokyo 2020 in the Wireless Communications Equipment and Computing Equipment category.

A screenshot from The Little Trumpet Boy by Charles Officer, featuring 17-year old William Leathers, a boy with perfect pitch and synaesthesia

Samsung Canada has introduced an exciting collaboration project – documentary films shot entirely on smartphone devices. Samsung reached out to six unique content creators for this effort: filmmakers Nimisha Mukerji, Charles Officer and Yung Chang, as well as YouTube creators Sabrina Cruz, Corey Vidal and Emile Roy.

The documentary project was intended to show how easy it is to tell a story using Samsung’s innovative features. Filmmakers Nimisha Mukerji, Charles Officer, Yung Chang and YouTuber Emile Roy used the Galaxy Note 8 devices, while YouTube creators Sabrina Cruz and Corey Vidal used the Galaxy S9+ to depict their unique styles to tell their stories.

The six-part documentary series was screened at the Hot Docs Festival, the largest documentary festival in North America, which was held in Toronto from April 26 to May 6 this year. Each director brought a different perspective to the human experience with their work. The Little Trumpet Boy by Charles Officer introduced 17-year old William Leathers, a boy with perfect pitch and synaesthesia. Award-winning film and television director Nimisha Mukerji shot a personal documentary chronicling her pregnancy, while Sabrina Cruz, best known for her YouTube channel NerdyandQuirky, created a piece titled Sourtoe Cocktail about her quest to the Yukon to get a taste of the world famous “Sourtoe Cocktail,” seasoned with an amputated toe that has been dehydrated and preserved in salt. Yung Chang created Home Movie, featuring a memorable movie for his daughter, and Corey Vidal’s video titled Remembering takes a very personal trip down memory lane using his Galaxy S9+. All of these documentaries can be seen online for free on the Samsung Canada YouTube channel.

Among the documentaries, The Little Trumpet Boy and Home Movie touched the heart of a representative from EBS, an educational television and radio network in Korea. As a result, the two documentaries are scheduled to be screened at the upcoming 18^th EBS International Documentary Festival (EIDF) that will be held from August 20 to 26 in Goyang, Korea.

Galaxy S9 and S9+ users can create AR (augmented reality) avatars of Anna, Elsa, Olaf and Kristoff. To start animating messages as one of your favorite Disney Frozen characters, just open the Galaxy S9/S9+’s AR Emoji mode, tap the plus icon on the right-hand side to access the Galaxy Apps Store and download the Disney Frozen pack.

AR Emojis are a fun and versatile way to personalize communications with friends, harnessing expressions through facial recognition technology, and are shareable across all platforms. The Disney Frozen AR Emoji pack is now available for download on the Galaxy Apps Store. Be sure to stay tuned for more AR Emoji releases from the collaboration coming soon.

With the update, after users snap a selfie to generate their AR Emoji, they’ll be able to easily make detailed adjustments to their AR Emoji’s hair, ears and facial features. This means that, for instance, when a child creates an AR Emoji, they’ll be able to adjust the shape of their face so that it more closely mirrors their own. And if you feel like your AR Emoji’s eyes, nose, lips, cheeks or other facial features are in need of a touch-up, the new My Emoji Editor function offers simple tools to fine-tune these distinguishing characteristics.

The update also enhances AR Emoji’s face-tracking function with a 65-percent increase in ‘landmark detector’ points. This will ensure that features such as your eyes and mouth are tracked more precisely. And thanks to the update’s frame rate boost, your AR Emoji will be able to mimic your movements in a manner that’s smoother and more natural.

^*Availability may vary depending on market.

To showcase how smartphone photography can match the beauty and detail of the real thing, Samsung has partnered with noted celebrity photographer Uli Weber, who created a bespoke series of low light images, shot exclusively on a Samsung Galaxy S9 or S9+, in Ibiza^*.

The Golden Hour

A mesmerizing effect is created in the periods just before sunrise and sunset, when the first light of the day begins to creep in and the last glow fades away. Amongst artists and photographers, this time has been given a special name: the “golden hour”. The term also has a significant presence in photography published on social media, with #goldenhour gathering over 2 million mentions on Instagram so far.

The golden hour is a time when daylight is redder and softer than when the sun is higher in the sky, creating stunning effects that are impossible to replicate without the use of post-editing software or filters. Just twice a day, there is a unique opportunity to see the world differently, capturing this on camera adds brilliance to otherwise ordinary images.

Gold Meets Galaxy

Using the cameras of the Samsung Galaxy S9 and S9+, professional-level shots can be achieved during golden hour with no need for additional equipment. Using a smartphone allows people to be more flexible with their angles and spontaneous with their shooting. The flagship Galaxy smartphones have Dual Aperture lenses, which adjust according to lighting conditions in the same way as a human eye, to produce striking low light photographs. No filter required.

The reddish hue of daybreak is also represented in the latest editions of the Galaxy S9 and S9+ in Sunrise Gold – a name that was chosen to express those moments when light first begins to radiate across the sky.

Golden Tips

Teaming up with German photographer Uli Weber, famed for shooting portraits of celebrities such as Kate Moss and Sting, Samsung held a masterclass in Ibiza to demonstrate how to shoot gorgeous images on your smartphone.

At the event, Weber offered up his tips for capturing the beauty of golden hour with your smartphone, as well as snapping a series of striking photos on the Galaxy S9 and S9+.

Weber reflected on his experience with the smartphones and their cameras: “Golden hour gives off the best natural light, transforming your holiday shots from ordinary to extraordinary. Having a handset with advanced low-light capabilities in your pocket as you travel means you can capture these one-off moments without having to edit afterwards. Often, particularly in low light, smartphone photography doesn’t reflect reality but Samsung’s Galaxy S9 and S9+ camera is a brilliant example of how smartphone photography has advanced. The way it captures low light means you can shoot the beauty of the world as you see it.”

In today’s world, both our methods and mediums of communication are shifting. As people share more of their experiences visually, Samsung designed the cameras of the Galaxy S9 and S9+to help them achieve golden hour photos with a professional flair.

^*All photos included in the article are shot on a Samsung Galaxy S9+

Samsung’s new washing machine with QuickDrive Technology 

In the video below, watch how Galaxy S9’s Super Slow-Mo feature captures the difference QuickDrive^TM technology makes for washing machine performance. The independent yet complemental rotation of the main drum and back plate generates dynamic movement for your most productive wash cycle yet.

*The exact time that the Quickdrive cuts down for users varies by region

Held over the course of two days at Vancouver’s famed Warehouse Studio, the project placed breakout Canadian producers Harrison, WondaGurl, and Grammy award-winner T-Minus in a studio with talented artists of various genres and styles. What happened next was captured entirely using the Galaxy S9+.

Like the project itself, Samsung’s newest flagship was designed to foster exciting entertainment experiences. The device’s innovative camera, and the Super Slow-mo function in particular, offered a dynamic way to capture the incredible sounds, energy and creativity that defined the cross-genre collaborations.

The fruits of the sessions have been compiled on an album that’s available to download exclusively via the Samsung Members app.* You can listen to a selection of the songs by visiting the project’s official SoundCloud page, and don’t forget to check out the videos below to see how the Galaxy S9+ captured the producers’ and artists’ creative processes.

For the very first time in France, Samsung’s latest products will be showcased across two floors at Samsung Paris, allowing visitors to fully immerse themselves in the Samsung ecosystem and explore how versatility and connectivity are at the core of all Samsung devices. Among the latest releases on display to visitors are the Galaxy S9, A8, Gear Sports and Fit2 Pro.

A day and night view of Samsung Paris, on Avenue des Champs-Elysées

With interior styling featuring references to some of the most iconic Parisian landmarks and a wealth of activities on-site, the Samsung Paris showcase is sure to offer visitors to the Champs-Elysées a lasting and enjoyable experience.

Powerful Pictures

Ever wondered what you’d look like as an Emoji? With the Galaxy S9 and S9+, the most recent additions to the Samsung family, you can now find out with the AR Emoji feature. In the Samsung Experience Zone, visitors can get the full lowdown on all the features and functionalities of the Galaxy S9.

Payment at Your Fingertips

The Café Samsung Pay will offer visitors the chance to relax and enjoy a hot drink – all whilst discovering the Samsung Pay service. They will be able to try out making simulated payments in the café in order to test Samsung’s recently launched payment solution.

Connectivity for Your Convenience

A world first, the Customer Service Zone will allow visitors to get their smartphone repaired in the record time of approximately just one hour. With the option to either continue enjoying the Samsung Paris showcase or take a wander down the Champs-Elysées whilst the repair is being completed, shoppers will be alerted once their devices are ready via a portable vibrating device.

Keeping users connected and redefining the way they communicate is at the heart of the Samsung offering, and the Samsung Smart Home range is the perfect example of how Samsung’s innovative technologies work together for the best user experience possible. Behind the doors of 100 Avenue des Champs-Elysées, several dedicated zones will offer visitors the chance to discover the full functionality of the Smart Home range, as well as to witness first-hand how all of its products work with each other.

Activities for All Ages

A dedicated Kids Zone awaits interested parties of all ages, where children will be able to enjoy the full Samsung experience in their own way. Among other fun activities, Samsung tablets will be on hand for them to draw on.

For those looking for entertainment of a more adventurous kind, the Fitness Zone will offer visitors the chance to – virtually – check out the slopes. The Gear Sport and Gear Fit2 Pro will be on hand to provide the thrilling immersive experience of 4D Alpine Skiing.

Samsung Paris will be open until March 2019 at 100 Avenue des Champs-Elysées, Monday to Saturday 10:00am to 09:00pm and Sunday 11:00am to 09:00pm.

The first ever Good Lock application, released in 2016 and compatible with Android 6.0 Marshmallow, introduced users to a frequently-updated array of customizable features for their Galaxy devices. Responding to consumer demand, Samsung has now released Good Lock 2018 to give Android 8.0 Oreo users the freedom to personalize their Galaxy device’s appearance and interface experience.

With so many options to choose from, check out the Newsroom’s guide to the features of Good Lock 2018 below.

Love Your Lock Screen

Lockstar is changing how you see your locked phone, allowing you to style your lock screen with a wide range of designs. You can select your preferred background and clock face, as well as which items appear visible on the screen, and these features can be arranged in a variety of configurations. The app also gives you the flexibility to choose the gesture which prompts the phone to unlock and to place shortcuts to apps you use regularly on the lock screen, so the phone will open straight to them after unlocking.

Customize Your Quick Panel

Use Quickstar to give your Quick Panel a makeover. With the Coloring tab, you can choose from a list of recommendations or create your own palette by adjusting the hues which mark On or Off for each setting, the color and transparency of the background, and the Blur and Dim effects. The Simple Indicator tab also gives you increased control over the icons displayed in your Status Bar and the Notification Multi-Window tab allows you to toggle the Notification Multi-Window on and off. With the Notification Multi-Window enabled, you can check the necessary information more conveniently on the pop-up window.

Change Tasks in Style

The Task Changer app allows you to scroll through recent apps by swiping left and right, rather than up and down, changing the way you move from task to task. There is a choice of Scroll effects and the opportunity to turn on Mini Mode, which shrinks the apps in the bottom of the screen to aid one-handed scrolling.

Once Task Changer is enabled, you can pull up the Recently Used Apps and choose to either use the app as a pop-up screen, or split view two apps by holding down the app you would like to use a little harder. Once task changer is enabled, you can also receive more information about the app, lock the app, or hide the app’s contents by tapping the icon image on the top.

Establish a Routine

Using Routines, you can combine processes and functions to create new features. Give each routine a name before selecting the conditions that will prompt the routine and the actions that you want it to perform. To ensure the perfect movie-watching environment, for example, you can set a routine that turns on Wi-Fi, rotates your screen to landscape and adjusts your sound and brightness levels, as soon as you open your chosen media app.

Choose Your Clock

Read the time in a whole new way with ClockFace, an app which allows you to choose from numerous clock designs for your always on display and lock screen. Choices include analog or digital clock faces and there is a spectrum of colors available, including tones which adapt with the color of the background and rainbow effects.

Become Part of the Family

Good Lock 2018 is one member of a family of apps designed to heighten customization on your Galaxy smartphone. For example, EdgeLighting + allows you to tailor Edge Lighting effects to your liking. With Edge Touch, you can establish Edge Zones which do not recognize screen touch to prevent accidental actions. Further adjustable options are offered with One Hand Operation +, designed to help you navigate your device one-handed, with thumb gestures alone. Finally, Sound Assistant gives you even greater control over Sound settings, including the ability to personalize your phone’s sound for different times and manage individual app volume.

EdgeLighting+ (left), Edge Touch (center) and One Hand Operation+ (right)

*Good Lock 2018 is currently available to download from Galaxy Apps in Korea, the United States, UK, Singapore, Australia, and Canada. It is compatible with the Galaxy S9 and S9+, Galaxy S8 and S8+, Galaxy S7 and S7 edge, Galaxy Note8, Galaxy FE and other devices that are running Android 8.0 Oreo and above. Samsung intends to update the app regularly while paying close attention to consumer feedback.

The “#LetsGold” collaborative event leverages Samsung’s VR, AR and AI technologies in ways that stimulate the senses and take the dining experience to new heights. An exclusive six-course meal takes guests on a culinary journey that utilizes the smartphone’s innovative features to offer an exciting look at each delectable dish.

Eager guests are escorted to an exclusive room that’s awash in gold and includes a matching Galaxy S9+ at every seat. Once they’re seated, they’re introduced to an AR Emoji avatar of Executive Chef Tse Man, who kicks off the feast by revealing the evening’s appetizers, and offering a peek at his team’s meticulous cooking process through the mixed reality technology.

After the appetizers comes a rich and nutritious porcini, blazed mushrooms and abalone soup, which transforms before diners’ eyes when viewed through a camera lens on the Galaxy S9’s Infinity Display. Once diners snap a shot of the soup, they’ll be able to watch a delightful animation of each locally sourced ingredient leaping into their bowl.

Once they’ve finished, diners are treated to a fun and interactive introduction to their next course: Penghu lobster. Donning Galaxy S9-equipped Gear VRs, guests enjoy an immersive look at lobsters and various other forms of marine life roaming the sea. Once they take off the headset, they’re delighted to find that the fresh and savory lobsters have transformed into a classic Cantonese dish – baked golden brown and absolutely delicious.

Next up on the menu is one of Chef Tse Man’s signature dishes: a succulent U.S. Angus beef fillet served with wine. While they eat, diners are informed of the wine’s vineyard and vintage, courtesy of the smartphone’s ever-insightful Bixby Vision function.

Rounding off an exquisite evening of gastronomical delights are the restaurant’s signature fried rice – which guests are encouraged to capture, in all its tantalizing glory, through the device’s bright, F1.5-aperture lens – and finally, delicious charcoal buns with salted egg custard filling.

If you’re in the area, hurry over to Ya Ge to experience this Galaxy S9-inspired feast for yourself. Your taste buds will thank you later.

As a result, in addition to boasting AKG-tuned stereo speakers and an even more immersive Infinity Display, Samsung’s latest flagships feature a Game Launcher app that is more convenient and efficient than ever. Let’s examine exactly how users can utilize the upgraded app to streamline gaming sessions.

A One-Stop Gaming Hub

Before we discuss how Samsung has ‘leveled up’ Game Launcher, let’s take a moment to explore some of the app’s most convenient features.

Game Launcher is essentially a one-stop hub for all things mobile gaming, featuring tools designed to help users get the most out of their gaming experience. Included among these are the abilities to turn off notifications, lock navigation buttons, and mute games’ sound. The app also enables users to easily record videos and capture in-game screenshots, and features modes to boost performance and save power.

Users can enable Game Launcher by accessing Settings > Advanced Features > Games > Game Launcher and tapping the toggle switch, or via the guide page that appears during the start-up of a game. Downloaded games are automatically placed in an icon format in the Game Launcher app in a 4-by-4 arrangement, which also makes it easy to discover exciting new games to add to your collection. (More on that in just a moment.)

Putting Gamers in Control

Housed in the app as well as in the games themselves, Game Launcher’s customizable tools allow you to specify exactly how you’d like your phone to behave when you’re gaming. This makes it easier for users to immerse themselves in the on-screen action.

As soon as users open the app, they’re presented with a pair of icons near the bottom of the screen that enable them to mute games’ sound and toggle Game Launcher’s various performance modes. The latter function includes options to place the device in either ‘High performance’, ‘Normal performance’ or ‘Power saving’ mode, and has been enhanced for the Galaxy S9 with machine learning to foster more efficient gameplay.

Once users begin playing, they’re presented with a wide array of additional features and settings in the form of the Game Tools menu. Accessible via the circular gamepad icon that appears in the Navigation Bar when a game is launched, the menu conveniently places many of Game Launcher’s signature, immersion-enhancing features at users’ fingertips – including controls to hide alerts, lock buttons to prevent accidental touches, and manage several of the other functions outlined above. The Navigation buttons can also be locked to prevent any accidental taps when gaming.

Game Launcher’s latest update has added a few new functions to the Game Tools menu that make it even easier for users to focus on their game. Users may also opt to disable their phone’s auto brightness feature as well as block Bixby during gameplay.

Tailored Recommendations

To make it easier for users to find games they’re sure to love, Game Launcher also includes “Discover More Games”, an advanced game discovery feature, which offers recommendations based on the user’s gameplay history and personal preferences.

Accessible with a simple swipe up from the app’s main screen, the feature conveniently compiles popular and engrossing games that the user may be interested in, with 100-120 featured games highlighted each week for users. If users are unable to find the right game from the featured game selections, the Game Launcher discover page also allows users to search and discover the library of over thousands of games.

Each entry in the various lists from “Discover More Games” is accompanied by a short clip* of in-game action. Once users tap the game, they’ll be led to a comprehensive page that includes a gameplay video, as well as insight into the game’s popularity, related games, and a link to download the game from the Google Play Store.

Also featured in the rundowns are tags* classifying each game’s content and themes into various categories. Tapping a tag will instantly pull up a list of games that share that trait. To make it easy for users to find their next favorite game, Game Launcher’s advanced search function includes support for both keyword and tag-based searches, and even allows you to search for multiple tags at once.

Lastly, to offer users greater insight into their gaming habits, Game Launcher also features a My Games function, which is accessible with a tap of the avatar to the left of the search icon. This handy feature neatly displays your favorite tags and genres of games, compiles in-game video recordings, and makes it easy to keep track of exactly how much you’ve played in a given timeframe.

Open up the Galaxy S9’s enhanced Game Launcher now to take your mobile gaming experience to the next level.

*Availability may vary by region.

Finally a viable solution to replace old laptops and desktop computers has arrived on the public safety scene with Samsung DeX in Car technology, making the work environment safer, more flexible and more efficient for police officers in the field by simply using a Samsung flagship Galaxy smartphone and the Samsung DeX service solution that brings an easy-to-use, PC-like experience to mobile handsets.

Bridging the gap between smartphone and desktop, Samsung DeX delivers an in-car computing capability by pairing the latest Galaxy smartphones with a mounted display and dedicated keyboard. By connecting the Samsung Galaxy S8/8+, S9/9+ or Note8 smartphone to DeX Pad or DeX Station, the smartphone functions as the car’s mobile data terminal.

The setup provides an optimal solution for forward-thinking police leaders and public safety professionals who recognize the importance of seamless mobile computing access both in the patrol car and while in the field.

Additionally, Samsung Galaxy smartphones include defense-grade mobile data security powered by Samsung Knox, helping agencies achieve Criminal Justice Information Services (CJIS) compliance when using the phone alone and with DeX.

“Mobile phones are more than just communication devices,” said Reginald Jones, Director of Public Sector Sales and Solutions. “They’re valuable public safety tools in terms of flexibility, security, efficiency and workplace productivity.”

Samsung DeX in Car helps reduce reliance on pen and pad or bulky in-car computer systems so police officers and other first responders can maintain greater situational awareness of their surroundings at all times, in addition to achieving a more streamlined workload.

With Samsung DeX in Car solution, the transition from a desktop experience inside the patrol car to accessing secure data in real-time while on the move, outside the vehicle, and then back in the station at the desk, is seamless.

The more comfortable viewing format makes full use of a horizontal display instead of stretching a smartphone interface, so officers can work on larger projects like incident reports, suspect identification or crime scene review.

For example, photos, videos and voice recordings gathered in the field on a smartphone are also securely processed on the smartphone, reducing redundant record-keeping when back at the desk. Through a seamless interface, Samsung DeX in Car allows data stored on the officer’s phone to be swiftly and securely transferred. Samsung Galaxy smartphones are armed with Samsung Knox, a platform that keeps the data inside a secure architecture throughout data migration – from gathering it, to processing it, to sharing it through other databases.

“The phone is becoming the critical technology tool for public safety officials, and Samsung DeX enables officers to use their Galaxy smartphone as a laptop replacement in the vehicle and in the station,” Jones said.

Samsung DeX in Car also helps remove some of the guesswork for officers before they respond to incidents. Having a Samsung Galaxy smartphone at the center of their workflow boosts the amount of data officers can receive. Instead of relying on radio transmissions and vague descriptions, officers get high-quality images, detailed reports and real-time updates.

“Samsung DeX offers a better return on investment all around,” said Jones. “It provides more flexibility and more security at a lower cost. The phone is the center point for public safety and using Samsung DeX offers the ultimate in mobility while being a powerful force multiplier for law enforcement officers.”

Today’s smartphones can support so many police operations, and the more an officer can do with a single device, the more they can do in the field to help their community.

Source: US Newsroom

The AR Emojis, first launched on the Galaxy S9 and S9+, enable users to create a personalized emoji that can be shared on any platform, providing a fun, unique way to send messages to friends. These messages can be further customized, as the augmented reality-powered, deep learning and facial recognition technology map more than 100 facial features.

AR Emojis for Daisy Duck and Goofy characters are now available for download. To add the avatars of these two characters, Galaxy S9 and S9+ users can simply tap the plus icon on the right-hand corner to access the Galaxy Apps Store under the camera’s AR Emoji mode.

Samsung and Disney will deliver more exciting AR Emoji updates in the coming months. Check back soon for more Samsung and Disney AR Emoji news.

Samsung’s QuickDrive technology reduces washing time by half, without compromising washing performance. Caught in Super Slow-mo, viewers can clearly see the washer’s innovative Q-Drum in action, with the main drum and the back plate rotating independently. This independent motion, powered by double forces, ensures the clothes inside the washing machine move dynamically around the drum—back and forth, as well top to bottom.

POWERbot powerfully cleans even the most hard-to-reach areas. Slowing down the robot vacuum cleaner with Super Slow-mo allows viewers to appreciate its powerful suction, which delivers optimal cleaning results with 40x more suction power than the previous model*. In addition, the device’s self-cleaning brush prevents clogging from collected dust and tangled hair, cutting down on regular maintenance and enabling it to run autonomously even longer.

Watching Samsung’s WaterWall dishwasher technology in Super Slow-mo, viewers can see individual jets create a powerful wall of water that cleans everything in the dishwasher. The Top Control Dishwasher with WaterWall also harnesses Zone Booster in the left half of the appliance, which has five nozzles for the industry’s widest targeted cleaning that cleans even the dirtiest dishes in a single wash.

*Tested internally on Samsung POWERbot VR7000 and Samsung conventional VR10F71UCAC

Together the media companies have produced highly-shareable Super Slow-mo videos to show just how easy it is to create these entertaining videos with the new flagship devices. Just in time for the summer fun, here are some of the best videos produced since the partnership began.

1. Yoga Interrupted

Yoga in the park is all well and good until your friend gets tired of downward-facing dog and wants to play instead.  The Dodo partnership has proved that one of the best ways to enjoy Super Slow-mo videos is with a pet.

“At the Dodo we do a LOT of shooting on our phones because animals do the cutest things when you least expect,” said one Dodo director. “So, shooting on the new Galaxy S9s has been a revelation for us because we’re able to capture things at a super high quality, with lots of features, all from our phones.”

Wait for it… @tailsofaCowboy shot in #SuperSlowMo #WithGalaxy : Galaxy S9 @SamsungMobile

A post shared by The Dodo (@thedodo) on Apr 18, 2018 at 2:31pm PDT

2. Tips From the Master

To make your videos even more captivating, The Dodo reached out to influencer, zammypup, for some advice on improving production value. Some tips include adding a cute guest star to the mix and playing around with different props.

@zammypup knows the secret to being a star captured in #SuperSlowMo #WithGalaxy : Galaxy S9 @SamsungMobile

A post shared by The Dodo (@thedodo) on May 7, 2018 at 8:23am PDT

3. The Zen of Blowing Bubbles

Make sure you take some time to stop and smell the roses and preserve the moment with a little Super Slow-mo fun this summer. BuzzFeed used the Galaxy S9/S9+’s reverse mode to make their videos even more entertaining.

Don’t let the days float away. Capture every moment in #SuperSloMo #WithGalaxy : Galaxy S9. @samsungmobile

A post shared by BuzzFeed (@buzzfeed) on Apr 27, 2018 at 1:00pm PDT

4. Foodie Fun

Backyard barbecues are the hallmark of summer, and BuzzFeed’s content creators say the Galaxy S9/S9+ are the perfect devices to capture these moments.

“During our creative process, we found that life’s everyday moments can become extraordinary with Samsung’s Super Slow-mo technology,” said Tommy Wesely, Vice President of Branded Content at BuzzFeed. “Ordinary situations like hanging out with friends on an afternoon can evolve into these moments that highlight the reaction, emotion and experiences that we all share.”

The summer vibes were captured perfectly in this snack attack clip.

Nom nom nom. Capture every moment in #SuperSlowMo #WithGalaxy : Galaxy S9. @samsungmobile

A post shared by BuzzFeed (@buzzfeed) on Apr 19, 2018 at 2:00pm PDT

Samsung Newsroom sat down with members of Samsung Electronics’ Mobile Communications Business, who were behind the development of the Sunrise Gold color of the Galaxy S9 and S9+. They include instrument developers Seung-hwan Park and Young-gun Kim from the Mechanical R&D Team, and designers Hye-jin Bang and Hye-jung Lee from the Design Team.

(from left) Hye-jin Bang, Young-gun Kim, Seung-hwan Park and Hye-jung Lee

Q: What inspired the development of Sunrise Gold?

Hye-jin Bang: Samsung has released a gold edition for every Galaxy model. For Galaxy S9 and S9+, we wanted to create a new luxurious gold edition that is both gender neutral and appeals to people of all ages, including millennials. Based on the latest trends in various industries, such as interior design, and extensive global consumer surveys, we found that Sunrise Gold meets all our objectives.

Sunrise Gold is inspired by satin-weave fabric, which reflects a unique, subtle aura of gloss. We spent several years developing the Satin Gloss Finish – a new type of glossy surface that also includes qualities of a matt finish – to capture the exact texture of the fabric.

Each color of gold is different, yet beautiful. Take a look at Galaxy S9’s Sunrise Gold (left) and Galaxy S8’s Maple Gold (right).

Q: How did the team achieve the Satin Gloss Finish?

Seung-hwan Park: To realize the subtleties of Satin Gloss Finish, we had to accurately adjust the glossiness of the surface. That’s why we added an extra layer of glass coating on the back of the phone, and made the surface rugged afterward, to change the way it reflects light. The reduced glossiness of the finish also reduces fingerprint marks on the phone. Samsung patented the Satin Gloss Finish, as it’s a first in the smartphone industry.

Hye-jin Bang: We have been wanting to develop the Satin Gloss Finish for around four years. We were finally able to put the idea into practice after countless experiments. During the development process, we had difficulties producing the glossiness we had in mind while maintaining the coating’s durability, which is crucial for smartphones.

Q: How did the team improve the durability of the Satin Gloss Finish?

Seung-hwan Park: The production technique we used to improve durability involves several high-temperature treatments of the coating to unify glass coating with mobile back glass. This was the first time we used this technique in our manufacturing process and we spent a lot of time improving its reliability.

Young-gun Kim: One of the most difficult part was finding a way to produce the precise level of glossiness. We produced many samples with different techniques and tested them under various conditions. We finally achieved the Satin Gloss Finish after a lengthy process of trial and error.

Q: Finally, what’s the meaning behind the name Sunrise Gold?

Hye-jung Lee: The concept of Galaxy S9 and S9+ revolves around capturing everyday moments in special ways. Samsung has so far introduced four color editions for the devices. Each of the colors represent a different time of the day: Midnight Black is inspired by the night; Titanium Gray symbolizes the liminal time between night and day; Coral Blue mimics the dawn; and Lilac Purple reflects the sunset. We wanted to apply the same theme to the new color edition.

The impressive reddish hue of the latest gold edition resembles the light of a rising sun. That’s why we chose the name Sunrise Gold to represent the magical moment when light radiates across the sky when daylight breaks.

Samsung Newsroom recently took the Galaxy S9 on a trip to the zoo to examine how some of the animal kingdom’s most majestic inhabitants enjoy a typical spring day. Read on to find out how Super Slow-mo transformed ordinary zoo sights into extraordinary footage.

A sunny day at Korea’s Everland amusement park proved the perfect setting to capture a series of stunning Super Slow-mo videos.

With Super Slow-mo, movements that are too fast for the human eye to see – such as the beat of a bee’s wings – are revealed in exquisite detail.

Super Slow-mo captures a kaleidoscope of butterflies fluttering amongst flowers.

The Galaxy S9’s camera provides us with an excellent opportunity to admire the plumage of some hungry birds.

Elsewhere, the camera captures a giraffe enjoying a midday snack – and leaving a mess on a colleague’s hand.

After recording this Super Slow-mo video of a tiger at play in the park’s zoo, it seemed only appropriate to save the video as a playful ‘swing mode’ GIF.

A Super Slow-mo video of an elephant cooling off looks even cooler when saved as a reversed GIF.

A bevy of bubbles gracefully floats over a gushing fountain.

Super Slow-mo videos transform ordinary moments, like children playing in a fountain, into works of art.

To learn more about the Galaxy S9’s innovative camera, check out our in-depth rundown here.

The smartphones’ camera app update, now available in the ‘My apps’ section of the Galaxy Apps store, has expanded AR Emoji’s library of pre-set expressions from 18 to 36. Samsung also plans to add 18 more expressions in the coming months, which will bring the feature’s total number of emotion-capturing sticker options to 54.

Once users have downloaded the update, they’ll be able to access and share the new AR Emoji stickers directly from the keyboard, or copy and paste them from the Gallery app into their favorite messaging platform.

Get a sense of what the new AR Emoji stickers look like in the sample conversation below.

Have you ever wondered what all these icons mean?

Built to learn all about you, Bixby is designed to make your smart devices even smarter. Bixby Vision* utilizes the camera of your Galaxy S9 and S9+ and AR technology to provide you detailed information about the world around you. The intelligent assistant is also harnessed with deep learning technology to understand your surroundings and execute your commands quickly.

Find out how you can enrich your experiences and add greater convenience to your life with our easy guide below.

When travelling abroad, language can be the greatest barrier to discovery as you try to find your way around. With the Live Translation function, Bixby Vision can capture the text it finds in an image and then provide an accurate translation of that text, deciphering words so you can be confident that you know where you are going. You don’t even have to take a photo. Select from 54 input languages and 104 output languages**, and the intelligent assistant will translate the text in real time on the screen.

Have you ever walked through a public space and seen a monument or landmark that you wanted to know more about? Bixby Vision’s Place Mode gives you more information about the places and spaces around you, from local attractions and landmarks to restaurants and facilities. Details about your surrounding area shift as you point the camera in different directions, syncing with your map app so that you can navigate easily to your chosen destination.

If you point the camera at the sky, Place Mode will generate weather information and a forecast tailored to your location.

Watching your weight, or just want to keep an eye on what you’re eating? Use Bixby Vision’s Food Mode to receive detailed information about calories and nutrition. You can log these details directly to your Food Tracker in Samsung Health, helping you to maintain a balanced diet. You can also check out recipes and videos of the dish, so that you can recreate a version of it at home.

A lot of time and effort is devoted to becoming a wine connoisseur but, if you’re looking for a shortcut, Wine Mode in Bixby Vision will furnish you with details about the bottle’s rating, as well as the vineyard it came from and suggested food pairings.

When it comes to makeup, nothing could be more fun than experimenting to find something that matches your personality and your complexion. Bixby’s Makeup Mode adds to the enjoyment by allowing you to try on makeup virtually. The mode intuitively understands the shape of your features and applies the makeup to the appropriate places. You can choose to see whole makeup “looks”, or mix and match individual lipsticks, eyeshadows, eyeliner and more to find a combination that’s right for you. Bixby Makeup Mode has also partnered with regional retailers to provide you with the latest colors and products, so when you find something you like, you can select the product and make a purchase in moments in their online store.

You’re out and about, when suddenly you see someone wearing the exact style of shoes you’ve been looking for. Bixby Vision’s Shopping Mode will search for the same or similar items for sale online, and direct you to the retailer’s website. You can also access the function through your Gallery app, so you can save an image and shop for it later.

With further functions such as QR code, Image Mode and Book Mode, Bixby Vision shows that there’s more around you than more than meets the eye. As you go about your daily life, the intelligent assistant expands the scope of your smartphone’s camera, allowing you to see to the wider world.

*Availability of each function or mode may differ by device and region. Samsung Account login and data network (Wi-Fi or internet connection) required.

**For the full list of languages please visit http://www.samsung.com/global/galaxy/apps/bixby/vision/. Devices released in China provide 10 input languages and 27 output languages.

Galaxy S9 and S9+ users may now personalize their messages with augmented-reality avatars of Mr. Incredible, Elastigirl, Violet, Dash and Jack-Jack, as well as fellow Super Frozone. To add them, simply access the camera’s AR Emoji mode, tap the plus icon on the right-hand side, and select the Incredibles AR Emoji pack from the Galaxy Apps Store.

The companies’ latest collaboration serves as an incredible example of AR Emoji’s ability to make communicating with friends more personal and fun. Check back soon for info on Samsung and Disney’s next exciting AR Emoji release.

Personalization has long been a core focus of the Galaxy series, as demonstrated by fun and versatile features like Samsung Themes. Compatible with the S9, the S9+, and many of the Galaxy family’s recent additions^*, the function transforms your device into a canvas for expression – making it that much easier to make your phone your own.

Make Over Your Mobile

Spanning everything from wallpapers, Always On Display (AOD) images and icons to call and message interfaces, Samsung Themes allow you to make over virtually every design element on your screen. Each customization is integrated in a way that seems natural and organic, and makes interacting with your device a pleasure.

Getting started is easy: simply access the Samsung Themes app from the app drawer or long-press the home screen and tap the ‘Themes’ icon. The feature offers instant access to your personal collection of themes, as well as the diverse and ever-expanding range of options available to download in the Samsung Themes store.

With over 100 thousand designs to choose from, the store makes it easy to find the perfect theme to suit your style or mood. Simply enter a keyword into the search bar and start exploring the extensive catalog.

Mix, Match and Have More Fun

To provide users with more ways to express their individuality, the Samsung Themes store offers the choice to either download and apply one of its curated options, or build your own by customizing each design element individually.

The store is divided into four categories: ‘Themes’ (the default selection), ‘Wallpapers’, ‘Icons’ and ‘AODs’ (Always On Display images). With tons of sleek, subtle and standout options available, the combinations are limitless. Mix and match each layer of your phone’s look to create a theme that’s uniquely yours.

Galaxy smartphones’ vibrant displays allow each theme to truly shine, especially through support for features like iris mask themes, as well as Video, Motion and Multi wallpapers^**. Applied to the lock screen, Motion wallpapers naturally shift depending on the phone’s orientation, while the Multi wallpaper function displays a different wallpaper each time you open your phone^***.

Video wallpaper, Multi wallpaper

Motion wallpaper

A Wide-Ranging Collection

The Samsung Themes store features a wide array of inventive offerings, including everything from pop culture-based designs to selections that are simple, seasonal and just plain adorable. And that’s just the tip of the iceberg. The store is chock full of designs that showcase the creativity of incredible people. People like the dynamic individuals who recently took part in the AUTISTAR Project.

Short for “Autism Special Talents and Rehabilitation”, AUTISTAR produces and markets goods designed by individuals with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). The company operates a design school that helps students hone their artistic skills, and all proceeds from sales of students’ designs go toward efforts to support their socioeconomic independence.

The AUTISTAR Project saw students team up with the experts at watch-face design company Mr. Time to create Samsung themes that express their unique perspectives. Each theme features an accompanying watch face design, and a portion of the sales goes toward autistic individuals’ education.

Colorful Zony

Save the Earth

Access the Samsung Themes store now to browse these and other exciting themes, and download a design that’s as unique as you are.

^* Samsung Themes are compatible with the Galaxy S6 and newer Galaxy and Galaxy Note devices; additional information on compatibility can be found here

^** Compatibility may vary depending on device and operating system

^*** Supports up to 20 wallpapers

But the Galaxy S9/S9+ is taking it up a notch with an all-new variety of intelligent and personalized emojis, which means you may never want to send plain text messages again. AR Emoji is designed to bring your unique facial expressions and add more fun to the emoji experience. But how did this AR-based feature come to life? Get a look behind Samsung’s lab doors for a close-up view.

01. The Problem

Regular emojis add more color to the conversation and are a fun way to communicate, but we recognized there are a lot of times when the existing set of emojis just don’t cut it. These lack personality – one smile looks no different from another. So we started looking for ways to bring out more character and personality in emojis.

02. The Goal

We thought in an ideal world, you would be able to teleport yourself and share how you feel with others then and there. So we wanted to come up with a way to replicate that experience but with the simplest tools possible, having seen so many people use messaging apps to communicate even with people right next to them and rely heavily on emojis rather than text. The focus quickly became how to create an image of the user and deliver multiple facial expressions and emotions along with that.

03. The Idea

To accomplish this, we decided to leverage the Galaxy S9/S9+’s camera technology. We thought, if users could take a selfie and transform it into a custom avatar and emoji, it would add something unique to the fun of communicating. In addition, we wanted to find a way to track people’s actual expressions so that they would have at their fingertips emojis that actually felt like their own. It was also important that we give users the best tools to express themselves however they want to look.

04. The Solution

The first step toward this was to use augmented reality to generate an avatar. With facial recognition technology, the Galaxy S9/S9+’s camera starts by producing an initial 3D rendering, using a data-based machine learning algorithm. Next, the camera analyzes the 2D image of the user and pulls information from its deep learning database to create the user’s facial features on the final 3D AR Emoji. To bring people’s unique expressions to life, we decided to include Face Tracking Technology, which tracks over 100 facial features and allows us to capture individual emotions on the spot.

In addition to this, Blend Shape technology helps deliver an even greater range of different facial expressions. Based on 75 basic facial expressions, Blend Shape allows us to reflect a wider set of user emotions by blending multiple expressions together. This is also the technology that has made our Disney emoji offerings possible. Another major step we took was to go through numerous sampling tests. From our labs, we conducted at least 100 tests on a weekly basis to make sure the new feature included enough data to appeal to users regardless of their tastes.

05. The Result

The end product of this is AR Emoji, which among other features offers a realistic or cartoon-like option for creating your own personalized My Emoji. These can be transformed into a set of 18 different expressions – gradually to expand to 54 – which were carefully created as universal visual representations of human emotions like joy, anger, sorrow, and pleasure. We wanted to offer emojis that would be able to deliver the same emotions across the world and went through a lot of research to understand how certain emotions are categorized and expressed on a fundamental level. In addition to the variety of emotions, AR Emoji also comes with a lot of versatility, allowing you to create the 3D avatars, either as a GIF, video or PNG file. Through updates and other developments, we’re continually looking for ways to help you simply be you. Check out some of the latest changes we made on April 23* and keep an eye out for additional improvements throughout the year that will include more hairstyles and other options.

06. A Simple How-to Guide

*Software update availability, functionality, features and schedule may differ by each market and its conditions, and are subject to change without notice or obligation.

Samsung Newsroom recently conducted a series of interviews with various members of the team behind the company’s latest flagship. Check out the roundup of quotes below to learn more about the insights that shaped the Galaxy S9.

Providing a Single, Intuitive Experience

“[When designing the Galaxy S9,] we focused on enhancing the end-to-end user experience. For the camera, that involved ensuring easy-to-use Super Slow-mo video functionality, with immediately accessible videos that could be directly uploaded to social media through one intuitive process.”

Encouraging Self-Expression with AR Emoji

“‘Communication’ today has come to mean ‘self-expression’. We wanted [the AR Emoji feature] to provide the most personal emojis possible, which would capture users’ individuality with innovative AR technology. The My Emoji feature, which resembles the user’s own facial features, allows users to communicate their emotions in a way that’s uniquely personalized.”

Utilizing the Camera to the Fullest

“We will continue to strive for perfect, professional-quality images. But more importantly, our aim is to make it easier for users to fully utilize our sophisticated camera technology. Our goal is to develop a camera that always produces the best pictures for all users, without requiring them to tinker with settings.”

Producing an Exclusive Sound Experience

“Samsung partnered with HARMAN and Dolby Atmos to craft speakers that are richly satisfying in both sound quality and volume. Through our extensive research and development process, we found that immersive sound can bring a whole new experience to smartphone users who frequently view premium content on their devices. The Galaxy S9’s speakers are the culmination of Samsung’s ongoing efforts to foster peerless multimedia experiences.”

Refining Design Based on User Feedback

“The Galaxy S8 was applauded for its smooth, continuous design. When developing the Galaxy S9, we listened closely to input from users on ways to make that design even better. We decided to adjust the placement of the fingerprint sensor and the side buttons, and made the barely there bezels even slimmer. To create a more seamless look, we crafted the bezels and screen in a deep black, which allows them to blend together nicely and helps conceal the iris sensor, and we also equipped the device with thicker, more durable glass.”

Developing an Efficient UX That Empowers
Users’ Self-Expression

“We designed the Galaxy S9’s UX (user experience) with an emphasis on efficiency, because the easier it is to manage your device, the better your experience will be. And because smartphones are a representation of the user’s personality, we strived to make the UX as customizable as possible in order to foster users’ creativity and self-expression – and that includes the device’s wide spectrum of sound effects.”

Partnering to Make AI More Convenient

“We’ve greatly enhanced Bixby through partnerships that have enabled customized services in different countries, and we’re constantly exploring new Bixby features that can help make people’s everyday lives easier.”

Redefining Smartphone ‘Satisfaction’

“The basic features of smartphones have been refined to the point that consumers are largely satisfied. What matters is not how diverse the features offered are, but whether each feature delivers a high level of satisfaction. At this point, we need to think about the next phase for smartphones, which will involve delivering innovations that really resonate with the new generation of users.”

Staying Ahead of the Game

“[Going forward,] it will be important to stay a step ahead in innovative features, as well as time them to the market appropriately to grab consumers’ attention. We plan to continue exploring dynamic visual features, in addition to working on integrating new technologies like AR (augmented reality) and AI (artificial intelligence) into our devices.”

In this article, Samsung Newsroom introduces technologies which Samsung is developing to provide accessibility for “anyone and everyone,” and have the potential to dramatically help those with disabilities, the elderly, and many others.

A Samsung Electronics “Smart Angel” volunteer is guiding a person with an impaired vision how to make better use out of a smartphone.

Galaxy S9 and S9+ adds three new high-contrast keyboards

With mobile devices being essential to so many activities in daily life, Samsung has also focused on equipping its smartphones with more specific accessibility features including high-contrast features for smartphones. Also, this year, Samsung’s new Galaxy S9 and S9+ smartphones have added three new high-contrast keyboards, for a total of four, and also support High Contrast Mode for the Internet App to satisfy the growing needs for accessibility.

Galaxy smartphones provide many accessibility features for visibility, hearing and dexterity. The Voice Assistant describes what you touch, select, and activate through spoken feedback, and allows visually impaired users to edit text or change settings with familiar swipe and tap gestures. The smartphones can also aid those with hearing impairment by catching the sound of a doorbell ringing or a baby crying and notifies the user through visual cues and vibration. Users can access features on their smartphones by giving voice commands or simple motions.

Samsung Galaxy S9’s four different high contrast keyboards (left), and the Samsung Internet App in high contrast mode.

Samsung DeX connects a smartphone to a larger display and provides better navigation for people with limited mobility or vision. Bixby assists even further. Visually impaired people can easily identify an item in front of them with Bixby Vision, which uses the phone’s camera app to relay information about one’s surroundings. Bixby Voice also eliminates the need to go through multiple steps to accomplish a mobile task, allowing users, for instance, to dictate and send a text to a friend or check their daily schedule with a simple voice command.

“Because the Galaxy S9 can transcribe what I would like to say in a message, I can save a lot of time and energy by not having to type it. In this way, Bixby instills in me a sense of confidence when communicating with others,” said Gwangman Moon, who has impaired vision.

Fundación ONCE, the National Organization of the Blind in Spain, recognized the Galaxy S8 as “a device that is properly equipped for visually impaired users” in July last year. Inho Baek Samsung’s Mobile Accessibility UX Designer, received the Human Rights Award 2017 by the Korean government as a recognition of his efforts to provide improved accessibility.

In addition, Samsung’s Creative Lab (C-Lab) is also actively developing practical technologies to help people with disabilities. For instance, Relúmĭno, a visual assistant app that helps visually impaired people see the world more clearly, has been a recent, notable creation.

“SeeColors” breaks down the ‘Color Barrier’ for 300 million around the world

Samsung has already introduced accessibility functions to their TVs, including a high-contrast feature for background and text, and voice feedback of features on the TV and remote control. Thanks to these efforts, Samsung has been awarded CES Innovation Awards in the Accessible Tech category for four consecutive years since 2015.

In 2018, Samsung further upgraded the accessibility functions of its QLED TVs and UHD TVs. Now, users can adjust the colors of the menu in line with their vision, and interchange the color of the text and background between black and white, and use an industry-first function to adjust the location of the subtitles on screen. Another standout feature is the “SeeColors” app designed to help the 300 million people living with color blindness around the world, and developed in collaboration with the Budapest University of Technology and Economics. The app recognizes the color vision deficiency level of a viewer, and then automatically optimizes the colors for the user.

“We will continue our research and development of accessibility features in our TV development, so that everyone can enjoy an optimized viewing experience,” said Jonghee Han, Head of Visual Display Business, Samsung Electronics.

Bixby for easier use of home appliances

This year, Samsung has embedded the Bixby voice recognition feature into its new home appliances, including Family Hub refrigerator in Korea and the U.S. For instance, you can just ask “Hi Bixby, what’s new today?” and the Family Hub will provide a read out of the news, weather and calendar updates specifically tailored to the user.

Samsung also was able to provide 150 washers and dryers, including FlexWash powered by Bixby, to the athlete’s village of the PyeongChang 2018 Paralympic Winter Games in March, to further share its recent innovations in accessibility with the wider public.

A member of the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) is testing out FlexWash that improved accessibility with AI technology at the athlete’s village of the PyeongChang 2018 Paralympic Winter Games.

A visually impaired individual who tested the FlexWash at home during the development process said, “While laundry may be a simple daily task for others, it can be difficult for those with visual impairment. With FlexWash, I was able to do laundry on my own for the first time in my life.”

Samsung’s home appliance technologies hone in on detail to provide greater accessibility. For instance, the Family Hub provides features including Black and White, Menu Color Conversion, and font size adjustment, to cater to those with visual impairments in the U.S. The devices also provide spoken feedback about the features of the device or the buttons on the remote control. This year, the home appliances were also upgraded to produce a different sound effect upon activating each function. For example, now people with vision impairments can monitor the temperature level of the refrigerator, or different laundry cycles of a washing machine through different sound effects.

Samsung will actively apply IoT and Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies in future launches to provide improved accessibility and allow devices to activate the most suitable features for every user.

Focusing on solutions for the real-life inconveniences of people with disabilities

Samsung’ Digital Appliances Division invited a volunteer panel of users with visual impaired people to the HeX Lab* in its Seoul R&D Center, to hear about their inconveniences when they use digital appliances in daily life. The division continues to improve accessibility by engaging and listening to the feedback of organizations supporting those with disabilities every month, and is also undertaking joint research with Korean universities related to development of accessibility.

Every year, Samsung’s TV developers also conduct tests with groups of people with disabilities and experts in order to reflect their opinions during development. Often, Samsung employees with disabilities also participate in development and tests for accessibility features to provide their feedback.

Developers at Samsung Electronics are discussing the Galaxy smartphones’ accessibility features with “Samsung Supporters”.

Since 2016, Samsung’s Mobile Division has also sponsored the “Samsung Supporters” program to communicate with users with disabilities in order to improve accessibility together. In addition, Samsung gives presentations about accessibility feature regularly, and is conducting “Smart Angel” volunteer activities for the fifth year this year to guide visually impaired users how to make better use out of smartphones.

“I feel proud to be able to contribute to the improvement of smart device accessibility,” said an ambassador with impaired hearing. “I’ve learned a lot about accessibility through communicating with Samsung, and now I’m also sharing with others how to better use these features.”

^*The research lab is built similarly to mimic a real home.

^**Disclaimer: The functions or features mentioned in this article may vary according to product type and region.

Samsung has embraced this transformation in Galaxy S9/S9+ with a touch of Disney magic and GIPHY fun. With the roll-out of these all-new AR Emojis – and a range of other new messaging innovations – the Galaxy S9/S9+ makes chatting with friends more fun than ever before. Along with improved hardware, the AR Emojis have turned the camera into a dashboard that makes creating and remixing your shareable moments even easier.

Bring Disney Magic to Life

Have you ever wanted to meet the most famous mouse in the world? Samsung’s latest partnership with Disney is bringing your favorite characters to life with an all-new set of Disney-themed AR Emojis.

Users can now use Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, or Donald Duck AR Emojis by downloading the Disney characters from their camera and hitting record. The new Disney characters add to the variety of AR Emojis already available including your own personal My Emoji avatar and other cartoon characters.

AR Emojis use deep learning and facial recognition technology to map more than 100 facial features to produce a 3D replica, allowing users to create fun, customized messages to send to friends. So, whether you want to make your friends laugh as a silly rabbit, or tell them you love them as Mickey Mouse, there are more options than ever before on the Galaxy S9/S9+. Samsung and Disney plan to continue releasing more classic characters throughout the year, including favorites from The Incredibles, Frozen, and Zootopia.

Share More, Share Easier

Nothing captures a sarcastic quip or reaction like a good emoji or GIF. In fact, they are so good at capturing our emotions we send over 1 billion GIFs every day. With the Galaxy S9/S9+, Samsung has made them more customizable and shareable than ever before. The My Emoji feature automatically generates 18 emotions and saves them as custom stickers that are easily accessible from your Samsung Keyboard, along with other pre-loaded emojis and stickers. For now, there are 18 different custom stickers, but new updates will bring the total to 54. Since they use the AGIF format, you can share them with anyone, no matter what kind of smartphone they have.

Third-party applications also support My Emoji stickers through use of the Samsung Keyboard, so no matter the platform you use, you can send any of your custom emojis to friends and family. Besides the wide variety AR Emoji brings to your chats, Samsung has partnered with GIPHY so that sending your GIFs is even easier. So, if you’re just chatting with friends, or making a sarcastic quip to mom and dad, now you can send GIFs right from your Samsung Keyboard.

The new Samsung Keyboard features 30 categories of GIFs to choose from including happy, fun, thumbs up, and OMG. Whether you’re sassy, silly, or sarcastic, there is a GIF for you.

Choose from More Emojis Than Ever

While the Face with Tears of Joy may have captured the comedic highs and tragic lows of a generation, the time to update our emoji repertoire has come. Samsung has answered that call by adding more than 200 new emojis to the Samsung Keyboard.

In addition to the new emojis, Samsung has also opted for a redesign of the classic icons already available.

Whether you want to cheer up a friend, say “hello” to mom, or reach out to a lost connection, the Galaxy S9/S9+ brings you a plethora of options to express yourself, proving once again that it is built for the way we communicate today.

Lock Screen and AOD

The lock screen is the part of the smartphone we interact with the most. It’s often one of the first things we see when we wake up and check throughout the day. Galaxy S9 and S9+’s lock screen features give you the best platform to tell your own story every day. With the video wallpaper function, you can customize the lock screen to play your favorite images to keep you inspired all day long. The feature even lets you transform your treasured Super Slow-mo videos into lock screen wallpapers. You can also try making the notification bars on the lock screen transparent to see all the things that matter to you more clearly.

Set your favorite Super Slow-mo moment as video wallpaper

Adjust the transparency of notifications in Lock Screen and Security under Settings

Whenever you need to read the time precisely, simply tap the clock on the lock screen and it will tell you the seconds as well as minutes and hours.

Change lock screen time format

Want to keep something that makes you smile close by? Pin one of 20 pre-loaded animated GIFs on your Always on Display so you can be greeted with a dash of delight whenever you check your phone.

How to pin animated GIFs on Always on Display

Edge

There’s nothing more frustrating than trying to find an app quickly only to forget which folder it’s in. The Edge function on the Galaxy S9 and S9+ solves this problem by giving you the option to store your favorite apps and contacts on the side of the Super AMOLED screen. Samsung has improved the function to facilitate quicker access. Simply drag and drop an icon from Apps Edge to a designated box for a pop-up view. The Edge function on Galaxy S9 and S9+ also allows you to quickly reply to messages in a pop-up window.

Drag and drop icons from Apps Edge for pop-up view

You can now switch between Apps Edge, People Edge and Smart Select with a simple swipe. People Edge allows you to easily call or message your frequent contacts, while Smart Select lets you capture an area of your screen as an image or animation.

Swipe to access Apps Edge, People Edge, and Smart Select

App Pair

We’ve all been there. Switching back and forth between different documents and apps to gather all the information while writing an email on the go. The time spent navigating multiple apps could make writing a simple message feel like running a marathon. With App Pair on Galaxy S9 and S9+, you’ll never find yourself in such a situation again. With just one touch, the function launches two apps simultaneously in Multi-Window mode. You can even place the customized App Pair icon on the home screen to ensure easy access all the time.

Create App Pair icons with these simple steps and place App Pair icons on home screen for quick access

Landscape Mode

Most multimedia contents are best experienced in landscape on the smartphone. Using the entirety of the screen, the experience becomes more immersive. But switching from a video stream to other tasks can be cumbersome at times, as the home screen is usually fixed in portrait – until now. The home screen of Galaxy S9 and S9+ can rotate to landscape automatically, which means you don’t have to physically change the phone’s position whenever you transition between multimedia contents and other tasks.

How to enable Landscape Mode

Dedicated Fingerprint

Our phones often hold highly personal information. While it’s important to have such data locked away securely, efficient authentication is equally crucial. Galaxy S9 and S9+ strike the perfect balance between security and usability with Dedicated Fingerprint. The function lets you register two fingerprints to unlock the phone. Your normal fingerprint takes you to the home screen while your dedicated fingerprint gives you access to the Secure Folder directly from the lock screen.

Use Dedicated Fingerprint to securely access personal information

Take a look at some of the places you can spot the billboards here.

A striking billboard above a boulevard near Castel Sant’Angelo in Rome, Italy.

Piazza XXV Aprile – Milan, Italy

A billboard stretches over the side of a building in Paris’ Place de la Concorde, France.

The Galaxy S9 on display at City Palace in Berlin, Germany.

The Galaxy S9 displayed along the famed Canton Road in Hong Kong.

The videos, including the hashtags #withGalaxy and #SuperSlowMo, will show consumers just how easy it is to create and share amazing Super Slow-mo content using the Samsung Galaxy S9 and S9+. These partnerships will result in more than 30 unique pieces of must-see content that will reach BuzzFeed and The Dodo’s massive audiences over the next two months. Fueling the current trend for creating and sharing slow motion content with the Galaxy S9 and S9+, the posts will capture and replay unique moments in everyday life − from compelling short-form content, to entertaining how-to video. BuzzFeed will showcase relatable everyday moments, taking the unique smiles, laughter and grimaces and turning them into epic, shareable moments. The Dodo will feature funny, emotive videos and stories of animals caught in the act – all shot on the Galaxy S9 and S9+ in The Dodo’s authentic style.

“Partnering with BuzzFeed and The Dodo is a natural fit and a great way to showcase how consumers can make everyday moments epic by using the Galaxy S9 and S9+’s Super Slow-mo camera,” said Younghee Lee, CMO and Executive Vice President of Samsung Electronics. “Capturing a moment within a moment has never been easier, and we want these partnerships to inspire more creative Super Slow-mo content.”

The Samsung Galaxy S9 and S9+’s Super Slow-mo camera captures slow motion video at 960 frames per second, revealing a whole new way to relive and share remarkable moments in the everyday. With automatic Motion Detection, users can simply set up the shot and press play. Users can set their video to music by selecting background music from 35 different pre-set options, or by picking a favorite tune from their personal playlist, before instantly sharing with three creative options – video on loop, reverse or swing mode.

“At BuzzFeed we place an emphasis on world class production that gives our content creators the flexibility to shoot content on the go in different locations,” said Ze Frank, Chief Research and Development Officer at BuzzFeed. “With the Galaxy S9 and S9+, we are able to utilize amazing features like slow motion in our production, and at the same time show our audience they no longer need expensive equipment or software to capture their favorite moments in the highest quality and share them with friends.”

Izzie Lerer, founder and Chief Creative Officer of The Dodo added, “We’ve built our audience on the back of our uniquely emotional approach to storytelling − putting animals front and center, and showcasing the delightful, inspiring things they do every day. We’re excited to partner with Samsung to continue to capture animal expression and joy in an exciting new way with Super Slow-mo.”

¹ Ranked #1 animal brand on digital (Source: Tubular, Feb 2018)

² Ranked #1 most loved page/publisher on Facebook (Source: CrowdTangle, April 2018)

Sitting down with three of the flagship smartphone’s designers in the Mobile Communications Business – Dongsoo Kim from the Global Product Planning Group and Jaehyun Kim and Seongkwan Yang from the Audio Group – we took a closer look on how the speakers of the Galaxy S9 and S9+ were optimized for multimedia content.

(from left) Jaehyun Kim from the Audio Group, Dongsoo Kim from the Global Product Planning Group, and Seongkwan Yang also from the Audio Group at Samsung’s Mobile Communications Business

More Speakers, More Sound

Dongsoo Kim reflected on what drove the team to bring the stereo speaker experience to the Galaxy S9: “As more and more people access content through their smartphones, greater emphasis was placed on the screen and creating bigger, higher-quality displays to view content with. Since display technology has already reached this point, we set out to design a high-performing speaker to equal the screen.”

The first step in Samsung’s journey towards stereo sound was equipping the device with two speakers. Whereas previous generations of the smartphone have placed a single speaker at the bottom of the phone, the Galaxy S9 has speakers at both the bottom and the top of the phone, creating a more immersive experience.

“The key was to develop speakers and amplifiers that serve the dual purpose of making phone calls and consuming media,” said Jaehyun Kim. “We poured our efforts into enhancing the quality of the sound and creating greater volume.”

The speaker holes were redesigned to be larger, producing higher quality audio, and the team was also able to increase the device’s volume, making it 1.4 times (3-4 dB) louder than the Galaxy S8.

Over 80 Designs Tested

There are strict procedures to ensure the reliability of Samsung products and multiple stages of testing were involved in designing the speakers of the Galaxy S9.

To achieve greater sound accuracy and precision, the audio designers paid close attention to enhancing the speakers’ dynamic range – the ratio of the quietest to the loudest sounds that the speakers can reproduce – and their frequency range, which controls the pitch.

“Our primary focus was to develop a speaker that is both high performing and stable,” Seongkwan Yang explained. “We carefully examined the quality of the components, testing more than 80 versions of the diaphragm before we were finally satisfied that we had a speaker that functioned seamlessly at both high and low pitches.”

Jaehyun Kim added: “We encountered unexpected challenges as we converted the mono speaker into stereo speakers, so we strived to optimize the device for viewing multimedia content.”

Partnering with Audio Experts

As part of their commitment to create a high-quality sound experience for the Galaxy S9, Samsung joined forces with two global experts in audio technology: premium Harman’s brand AKG, and Dolby.

The developers aimed to achieve high-fidelity sound quality and precision at any volume by leveraging the expertise of Harman’s AKG. Coordinating closely, it took half a year to fine- tune the speakers to meet AKG’s high standards.

“Users with a good ear for sound can immediately appreciate the difference. Samsung’s long dedication in search of enhanced audio, coupled with Harman’s expertise, resulted in the speakers satisfying both sound quality and volume,” commented Jaehyun Kim.

The Galaxy S9 also integrates Dolby Atmos® immersive sound technology, which brings entertainment to life with moving audio that flows all around you, be it over a device’s built-in speakers or through regular stereo headphones. Leveraging Dolby’s deep understanding of what listeners prefer in an audio experience, Dolby Atmos® on the Galaxy S9 makes you feel as if you are inside the action as the sounds of people, places, things, and music come alive with richness and depth and seem to move in three-dimensional space. This feature benefits other types of content in addition to Dolby Atmos® enabled content, through enhancements to sound quality and consistent playback volume across all content.

“During our testing, our results showed that immersive sound could bring a whole new experience to smartphone users,” Dongsoo Kim elaborated. “Since so many people now view premium content on their smartphones, it felt like the right moment to implement Dolby Atmos on our devices.”

Making the Most of an Optimized Audio Experience

The audio developers had plenty of tips about how to enjoy the stereo sounds of the Galaxy S9.

Jaehyun Kim recommended listening to classical music to gain a fuller understanding of the difference: “You can distinguish the individual sounds and characteristics of each instrument. It’s an amazing feeling to hear the audio how it was originally intended, picking out every interaction between soft and loud.”

“Head to the sounds and vibration settings on your phone,” advised Dongsoo Kim. “Take a look at sound quality and effects under the advanced features and turn on Dolby Atmos to enable immersive audio. Users can also enhance their headphone audio experience by turning on the UHQ upscaler and the Adapt Sound feature, taking their listening to a new level.”

Now, one month on from the launch of the Galaxy S9, the team is already carefully considering its next steps in audio design. Dongsoo Kim elaborated: “Our aim will be to create a mobile multimedia experience that is just like holding a cinema in your own hands.”

Tuned by audio experts at AKG, you’ll discover new hidden sounds in your favorite song when you listen to music on the Galaxy S9/S9+. And when combined with Dolby Atmos surround sound, watching movies on your device will be more immersive than ever before, bringing you up close and personal to the action.

How did our team of experts at Samsung manage to build such quality audio capabilities within such a small smartphone? We went straight to the source to get the story behind the supreme sound system.

01. The Problem

If you look at a smartphone, chances are it only has one speaker at the bottom. This means that sound waves can only travel in one direction, restricting the overall listening experience. And since smartphones must fit into our pockets, the speakers tend to be small, which limits their ability to fully produce bass sounds.

02. The Goal

That’s why we set out to develop a smartphone with multiple dynamic speakers that can fit into the palm of your hand. We believed, with sound coming from different areas of the phone and emanating in various directions, watching films on the phone could be as immersive as going to the cinema.

03. The Idea

To turn the Galaxy S9/S9+’s sound quality into a three-dimensional experience, we wanted to place another dynamic speaker in the phone. The top of the phone was the best location as this would allow the device to play sound in stereo. This meant we had to rearrange the internal components, like the front camera and iris scanner, to make room. On top of that, we had to design a speaker that is powerful yet slim enough for the new phones to maintain Samsung’s Infinity Display.

04. The Solution

Engineers from different departments worked together to adjust the location of various components and also increased the size of the existing speaker by 1.5 times. We also spent a year modifying the kinetic structure of the speaker to make sure there was enough room. But due to the shape of the Galaxy S9/S9+, there were still slight differences in the sizes of the two speakers. That’s why we had to tune the speakers to balance the output levels. And finally we reduced interference from other components that also use magnets so that they wouldn’t cause static or noise in the speaker.

05. The Result

With these changes, we were able to produce the Galaxy S9/S9+ sound system, which delivers sound that’s 1.4 times (3-4dB) louder than the Galaxy S8. We also partnered with Dolby Atmos to incorporate Virtual Surround Sound Effect in the smartphone to maximize the stereo speakers’ capability. Instead of mixing by channels, Dolby Atmos places sounds within a three-dimensional audio environment, giving listeners the impression that sounds are coming from everywhere. Audio experts at AKG also fine-tuned the speakers, expanding their bass range while ensuring they can handle high volumes without distortions. Together, these innovations allow the Galaxy S9/S9+ to deliver a unique audio experience.

06. A Simple How-to Guide

Original Sounds of the Galaxy S9

From the short, simple tones of notifications and alerts to the lengthier compositions of ringtones, a whole range of notes, tones and melodies come together to form a unified smartphone sound experience.

In addition to a new arrangement of “Over the Horizon”, the Samsung Galaxy brand sound, ringtones and notifications were also reworked for the Galaxy S9. The sounds of the Galaxy phones were not created isolation, but were composed in harmony with the overall design of the device and its UX, leading to a cohesive experience, however you like to use your smartphone.

As well as the addition of 10 new ringtones and 10 fresh notification sounds for the Galaxy S9, the audio UX team reimagined legacy sounds, evoking the emotions ‘Joy’, ‘Serenity’, ‘Interest’ and ‘Optimism’ and widening the spectrum of the Galaxy sound.

Working in Harmony

To create the new ringtones and notification sounds, Samsung reached out to Suran, a K-pop artist and singer-songwriter known for her unique melodies and artistic worldview. The Galaxy audio UX team wished to capture the dreamlike quality of her music for the newest Galaxy smartphone.

Approaching the collaboration not as a designer, but as a musical artist, Suran was able to cast her enchanting sounds over the Galaxy S9. Inspired by the product’s design and images, she commented that she “wanted [her] sounds to be full of detail and imagination.” She also added: “I was attracted to the challenge of creating a totally new sound while also conveying a short yet precise message. It was not a simple task.”

Finishing Touches

Together the audio UX designers and Suran focused on composing even more mellow, minimalistic sounds that were easy on the ears, with dulcet tones designed to make the user feel relaxed. Sampling Suran’s voice on a couple of the ringtones added an original dimension to the sounds of the new smartphone.

After the sounds had been created, they were mixed to produce a richer tone when played through the Galaxy S9’s stereo speakers. During this optimization phase, every instrument used for editing was tested several times.

In a single day, we might receive several phone calls and hear numerous notifications on our smartphones. The sounds of the Galaxy S9 can be tailored to our moods, so that Galaxy S9 users can feel free to express a range of emotions.

With the new Super Slow-mo feature, which can capture 960fps, Samsung aimed to show new perspectives on the moments you might typically miss. Rather than simply filming videos that will be forgotten in your phone’s gallery, you’re making memories out of hidden moments that you’ll want to share. With endless customization including background music and GIF loop, reverse, and swing, sharing your memories with friends and family is more fun than ever before.

But building these camera features required some incredible feats of engineering. Just how did we create this next-level magic? Let our product creators tell you with notes right from their lab.

01. The Problem

The image sensors we had been using up until the Galaxy Note8 were fantastic and provided us with a great framework to continue to break barriers. Unlike older charge-coupled device (CCD) image sensors, modern complementary metal-oxide semiconductor (CMOS) sensors – like those in our latest phones – expose the image sequentially, leading to distortion. Even though we had been able to improve autofocus and make brighter lenses, we wanted to push the boundaries of our camera sensors to deliver a truly unique user experience.

02. The Goal

When we started designing the Galaxy S9/S9+ camera, we wanted to create something that would, not only improve the overall image sensor, but deliver an entirely new experience. Our ultimate goal was to create a CMOS sensor that would be fast enough to reduce the distortion problems, counter camera shake, and give users the power to explore completely new features.

03. The Idea

What if we could give our users the ability to slow down time? That was the seed that started the design of the Galaxy S9/S9+ camera. If we could make a fast enough sensor, we’d be able to record footage at incredibly fast frame rates that could be slowed down to give users the ability to capture incredible action or extend a funny moment. The Super Slow-mo feature was born, and we set out to figure out how we could engineer a sensor with the necessary power.

04. The Solution

The most difficult part of increasing the frame rate was the sensor technology. The image sensor needed to be four times faster than previous models, and the circuits and pixel technology had to be better. To handle the high frame rates, more bandwidth was also needed for the speed of both the image sensor outputs and the video processing of the Application Processor. Our answer to that problem was a three-layer stack image sensor that includes the CMOS image sensor itself, a fast readout circuit, and a dedicated DRAM memory chip – the secret sauce for making buttery-smooth, Super Slow-mo videos and incredible low light performance.

05. The Result

The Galaxy S9/S9+’s camera is truly like no other. Able to record at 960fps, it’s 32x slower than normal video. When using Super Slow-mo, the camera captures 0.2 seconds of action and stretches it out to approximately 6 seconds to produce a final GIF file that typically ranges from 3-15MBs. The standout feature is that the sensor automatically detects movement and captures it as it’s happening, so there is no need to worry about manual settings. Users can select either a Single-take with one Super Slow-mo capture or do a Multi-take with up to 20 Super Slow-mo segments.

Clockwise from left: Dongsoo Kim, Sungwook Choi, Junmo Kim and Youngmin Nam (below)

A Three-layer Stacked Image Sensor, including the Sensor itself, a Circuit, and a DRAM for Super Slow-mo and Low-light Capabilities

“We were able to achieve a readout speed that is four times faster than conventional cameras thanks to a three-layer stacked image sensor that includes the CMOS image sensor itself, a fast readout circuit, and a dedicated dynamic random-access (DRAM) memory chip, which previously was not added to image sensors,” explained Dongsoo Kim. “Integrating DRAM allowed us to overcome obstacles such as speed limits between the sensor and application processor (AP) in a high-speed camera with 960fps features.”

An enhanced camera sensor delivers useful benefits. The improved image sensor on the Galaxy S9 supports the Super Slow-mo feature in bright environments, and also decreases noise in dark environments. “The Galaxy S9 reduces noise by 30 percent under low light, compared to the previous model. Low noise, coupled with the Dual Aperture lens, which automatically adjusts to lighting conditions just as the human eye would, completes the superb low-light capabilities of the Galaxy S9’s camera,” said Sungwook Choi.

Enhancements to the image sensor, the Dual Aperture lens, and other camera features foster completely new experiences for consumers. For example, users can now capture a 0.2 second moment via the Super Slow-mo feature, and record beautiful scenery that is bright and clear even in low-light conditions.

Getting it Right through the Most Comprehensive Testing

While the Super Slow-mo prototype was already available, the developers continued to work on enhancements as well as subject the prototype to rigorous tests to prepare for commercialization. In the beginning, the function was only available through computers. So, in multiple instances, the team carted two or three laptops around Korean amusement parks in scorching summer heat. There, they tested the function’s Motion Detection feature, which automatically records the fleeting moment that the user wishes to capture.

“It wasn’t easy testing out Motion Detection for Super Slow-mo, especially with people staring at us when we brought our laptops to these amusement parks and took videos of fast-moving rides. However, we were all committed to getting the feature exactly right,” said Dongsoo Kim.

“We also shot for two hours in the middle of a mountain range, on a freezing night, to complete the low-light camera function,” recalled Sungwook Choi.

Enabling Users to Get the Most Out of their Smartphone Camera

With smartphones so intrinsic to people’s everyday lives, developing technologies that enable users to get the most of their camera was key. “The Galaxy S9’s camera focuses on ease of use of the Super Slow-mo function, from simple video generation to seamless sharing; a final GIF file typically ranges from three to 15 MBs, which is approximately six seconds in length and optimized for users to share and enjoy.

In the case of AR Emoji, My Emoji stickers can be shared via various messenger platforms. We’ve also enhanced the front camera, improving the user experience and adding fun features on top of advanced image quality. An example of this is the Selfie Focus function on the front camera, which recognizes faces from scenery based on deep learning features to provide an ideal selfie, and enables a background-blurring effect,” explained Youngmin Nam.

The future of smartphone camera development is headed in the right direction. “We will continue to strive for perfect, professional-quality images. But even more than that, our aim is to make it easier for users to share the results of our sophisticated camera technology. The ultimate goal is to develop a camera that always produces the best pictures for all users without tinkering with settings, allowing them to take photos and videos that satisfy their needs,” said Junmo Kim.

To learn more about this fun and unique new feature, we sat down with members of the AR Emoji’s design team, Wonhyung Cho and Hye-Bong Kim, from the Global Product Planning Group, and Hoik Hwang and Jiyoun Kim, from the UX Design Group.

Hoik Hwang, Hye-Bong Kim, Wonhyung Cho and Jiyoun Kim (from left)

Q. What was the inspiration behind the Galaxy S9’s AR Emoji feature?

Wonhyung Cho: People are communicating more and more through their smartphones, sending messages to each other throughout the day. Many of us are also looking for new ways to express a range of emotions in the short messages we send each other, and in this context, emoticons and emojis have become one of the most popular ways to express ourselves. As a next step, we wanted to go further and blend the emerging technology of AR with emoticon and emoji tools for a new form of visual communication.

Q. What makes the Galaxy S9’s AR Emoji special?

Cho: We thought for a long time about what the word ‘communication’ means today and it became clear that a large part of communication is ‘self-expression’. As a team, we wanted to make the feature as personal as possible by capturing our unique emotions, using an innovative technology like AR. In creating a My Emoji which captures your own distinct facial features, AR Emojis can provide a truer form of self-expression.

Hye-Bong Kim: The camera uses facial recognition technology to analyze a photo of your face and map more than 100 facial features. Using these data points, a 3D modeling form specialized for the contours of the human face creates a 3D My Emoji and 18 My Emoji stickers which reflect your unique facial features.

Q. How have users reacted to the feature?

Cho: AR Emoji has generated a lot of curiosity – it’s such a fun feature and many people want to see how their My Emoji looks.

Hoik Hwang: For everyone, the question is not ‘does this look like me?’, but rather ‘does this look like I want it to?’ AR Emoji actually creates two types of My Emoji: one that is realistic and one that is more like a cartoon. Some people like the first kind, while others prefer the second.

We want AR Emoji to be the best it can be. A close resemblance to the user isn’t the only thing we considered when developing the feature. Our goal was for creators to be able to use the AR Emoji to express themselves, however they want to look.

We’re currently working to allow users to make their My Emojis better express the mood they want them to.

Q. When it came to UX design, what was your key consideration?

Jiyoun Kim: AR Emoji uses the Galaxy S9’s camera, so we wanted to integrate it with the camera’s UX. From start to finish, the user’s journey while creating their My Emoji and My Emoji stickers has to be simple and engaging.

Then we thought about how people might want to use the feature to express themselves in their daily lives. AR Emoji offers a new way tell our stories and because of that we felt that making it available across many platforms was important.

We created 18 stickers, which each communicate a different emotion. They can be stored in your smartphone Gallery application, can be used freely in your different applications and messaging services and are available as both PNG and GIF files.

Q. How did you go about designing the 18 My Emoji stickers?

Hwang: Our goal was to create emoji stickers that would communicate the same emotions across the world – and would mean the same thing in any country. We read a lot of research as we tried to categorize human emotions and to determine what the visual representations of fundamental human feelings – things like joy, anger, sorrow and pleasure – should be.

In time, the number of stickers will increase to 54 so that even more emotions will be expressed using the emoji stickers.

Q. Did you encounter any difficulties while designing AR Emoji?

Hwang: AR is an innovative technology and the AR field is quite new. We collected data from people around the world, interviewing them to discover their needs and ensure that the feature delivered on those needs.

As a team, we continue to collect this data so that we can make AR Emojis even better. User feedback helps us discover not only what consumers really want, but how we can make adjustments to this new technology.

Q. Can you elaborate on your experiences working with Disney to create the Mickey and Minnie Mouse AR Emojis?

Hwang: Like lots of people, I grew up with Mickey Mouse. I never thought that I would be working on a project like this with Disney when I grew up. When we first started I was really excited and couldn’t stop thinking, “Is this really happening?”

Throughout the project, we engaged in a great deal of knowledge sharing with Disney. For example, there’s a feature known as Blend Shape that allows the feature to recreate 75 basic user facial expressions – for example, if you combine two different facial expressions, you will produce a completely new one – explaining how this feature worked was time-intensive. But by working together, we were able to create these unique Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse AR Emojis.

Q. As AR Emoji designers, can you share some tips for creating an AR Emoji?

Jiyoun Kim: First, you need to be in a place with plenty of light – the brighter the better – like when you want to take a selfie. Make sure your face is not hidden by your hair or any other objects. Position your face fully inside the circular frame on the screen and take a photo. Just relax and be natural. After your My Emoji has been created, you can make manual adjustments to skin tone, hair style and color, clothing and other features, to your liking.

Q. Do you have any advice for making the most of the feature?

Hwang: I have seen videos where people create stories by recording their own voice for the dialogue, and use AR Emojis to act out the parts, which are really fun to watch. It’s a new and innovative way to use My Emoji. You can use them to present something your own behalf and remain almost anonymous at the same time.

Hye-Bong Kim: You don’t have to make just one AR Emoji. You can make several characters, as the mood takes you. Give your My Emoji a hairstyle you want try or a funky outfit you would never normally wear. Create AR Emojis of family or friends and share them with each other.

We like to make a game out of changing the hair styles and other features of the My Emojis, then guessing which one belongs to which team member, which is quite amusing.

Q. Can you suggest how users can get the most out characters like Mickey Mouse?

Cho: They are perfect for creating your own cartoon or animation. Since they are designed to mirror human facial expressions, you can make your characters express a range of emotions and make up a whole story using them.

Samsung Newsroom recently sat down with members of Samsung’s Global Product Planning Group – Nayoung Kim, Taihoon Kim, Joohyun Kim and Jonathan Min – who discussed the process of developing a device that’s more powerful, personal and in tune with how we use our smartphones today.

(From left) Taihoon Kim, Jonathan Min, Nayoung Kim and Joohyun Kim, of Samsung’s Global Product Planning Group, helped shape the Galaxy S9’s design.

Q. What inspired you to develop the Galaxy S9’s ‘visual communication’ features?

Nayoung Kim: Current mobile trends are being dictated by Generation Z, but they are very selective. In our research, we took a close look at how Generation Z are communicating, as well as what kind of apps and functionality they most enjoy. We eventually uncovered an increase in the use of visual forms of communication. For example, members of the social media generation will often use emoticons rather than texts, and they enjoy sharing fun images. So, to cater to this preference, we focused on adding new functionalities to the camera.

Q. Could you elaborate on the camera’s development process?

Nayoung Kim: When designing the camera, our team focused on three key points. It needed to be capable of recording dynamic video – the type of content that the younger generation loves to consume; it needed to be able to capture low-light photos, which should be a fundamental feature of any camera; and it needed to be easy to use and offer fun new features, like AR Emoji.

Taihoon Kim: The product development process for the Galaxy S9 was quite different from that of the previous years, as team members with different expertise strived to discover the visual experiences of everyday life through their own eyes, and how that might translate to camera functionality. These diverse insights enabled us to develop a camera catering to wide needs.

Q. How did you refine the Galaxy S9’s user experience?

Taihoon Kim: We focused on enhancing the End-to-End scenario of the user experience. For the camera, that involved ensuring easy-to-use Super Slow-mo video functionality, with immediately accessible videos that could be directly uploaded to social media through one intuitive process.

You see this sort of seamlessness with AR Emoji as well. Once you scan your face, you’re instantly given the option to customize your 3D avatar to your liking, and presented with 18 shareable GIFs encompassing a wide range of expressions.

Nayoung Kim: We tested the device’s usability extensively, and in various contexts, to ensure the processes were intuitive and organic, and could work across all aspects of daily life. As example, I brought a prototype of the phone with me when I went sledding with my children. The first-hand experience of recording a Super Slow-mo video of my children rocketing down the hill gave birth to the idea of an auto motion-detect function able to capture those sorts of fleeting moments.

Q. Which Galaxy S9 feature has received the biggest response from consumers?

Jonathan Min: We’ve found that users are very interested in the AR Emoji feature, which we first started working on in 2016. People are used to expressing themselves with emojis and stickers, but this feature allows them to create and express themselves through emojis that resemble their own faces, in a way that’s much more personal.

When we started it was new, so everything had to be built from the ground up, and it was difficult to predict consumers’ feedback. It was also our development team’s first time working on something like this, so it took a lot of trial and error to bring the function to life.

Nayoung Kim: Our most important goal is to provide users with new experiences by launching the product, enhancing it based on the market’s reactions, and continuing to develop innovative features. AR Emoji will continue to be enhanced in ways that reflect consumers’ needs.

Q. Do you have a favorite feature?

Jonathan Min: I personally use AR Emoji stickers the most, whenever I message my friends and family.

Taihoon Kim: I like the Super Slow-mo function the most. It’s not only great for capturing dynamic actions, but life’s little moments as well, such as the signature facial expression of your loved ones. And the Galaxy S9’s ability to display Super Slow-mo clips on the lock screen creates a touching way to enjoy videos of them.

Joohyun Kim: We redefined the design of the Infinity Display to make it even more beautiful and to minimize any ‘distracting’ elements. Subtle adjustments, such as ensuring that the iris scanner is hidden, and that the bezel and display are the same color, helped us deliver a display that makes it easy for viewers to immerse themselves in their favorite content.

Q. Going forward, how does Samsung plan to ensure that Galaxy smartphones remain among the most innovative in the market?

Taihoon Kim: It will be important to stay a step ahead in innovative features, as well as time them to the market appropriately to grab consumer attention. Consumers can experience visual communications features directly themselves, without an explanation. We plan to continue exploring dynamic visual features, given their unique appeal to the young generation of consumers, as well as integrate new technologies like AR (augmented reality) and AI (artificial intelligence) into our devices.

Nayoung Kim: The basic features of smartphones have been refined to the point that consumers are largely satisfied. What matters is not how diverse the offered features are, but whether the features offered to deliver a high level of satisfaction. At this point, we need to think about the next phase for smartphones, which will involve delivering innovations that really resonate with the new generation of users.

Joohyun Kim: Smartphones have become essential to daily life. As product planners, it’s our duty to constantly look for ways to improve on ‘basic’ features – those that we use every day – while also identifying brand new functions.

The Super Slow-mo video feature of the new Samsung Galaxy S9/S9+ allows people to discover the beauty and joy within even life’s most basic tasks just by slowing things down a few notches.

“My dog drinking water out of a bowl, me jumping into my pool at home or pouring sugar into a coffee [are things I’m capturing with my Galaxy S9],” says social media content creator Sam Evans, who is based in Australia.

was so much fun to experiment with the new super slow-mo on the @samsungau #GalaxyS9 – give me some ideas for what I should shoot in slow-mo in the comments!! – #unpacked / #withgalaxy

A post shared by sam evans – content creator (@samevanslife) on Feb 28, 2018 at 12:17pm PST

He’s also finding the length of the Super Slow-mo videos to be ideal for posting on his social channels.

Sam was one of dozens of influencers who attended a launch event for the Samsung Galaxy S9/S9+ in Barcelona last month and was one of the first to try out the new slow-motion functionality. Whether it was a daring capture of a backflip mid-air or something as simple as recording snow falling, the results were stunning and showcased the funny, moving and often sweet-natured emotions we so often miss.

Have you ever run up to a HeavyWeight World Champion with a straight leg without getting a punch a hit or a k.o back?…..Me and @thebartlife did today! ! @ricoverhoeven is a beasttt!! #samsung #WITHGALAXY

A post shared by Kenzo Alvares (@kenzoalvares) on Feb 27, 2018 at 2:03pm PST

Dancer, rapper and producer Kenzoalvares and pro parkour athlete Bart van der Linden show off their mad Super Slow-mo skills with Glory Heavy Weight World champion Rico Verhoeven at an event in Barcelona.

Niklas Larsen, a Danish YouTube and Instagram influencer, is finding the humor in the most basic activities by slowing them down with his Galaxy S9+.

Endelig kan sneen rent faktisk bruges til noget! #GalaxyS9plus #SuperSlowMo #DoWhatYouCant #GalaxyS9

A post shared by NIKLAS LARSEN (@niklas.larsen) on Mar 4, 2018 at 2:03am PST

Niklas kicks up some Super Slow-mo action: Snow can actually be used for anything!

“I use the Super Slow-mo feature every day – my classmates are kind of tired of me because I want them to drop something [on the floor] or spit water…I am kind of addicted to how cool my shots can get!” he says.

The ability to capture intricate details is also important to landscape and nature photographer Mattias Nutt, who lives in Switzerland. The avid content creator utilizes both modes within the feature to get the exact result he’s looking for.

“With the Galaxy S9+ it’s possible to adjust the recording moment exactly. Also, the possibility to record about 20 sequences is a big advantage. The [ability to] switch between manual and auto function as slow-motion modes is a big plus,” says Mattias.

SuperSloMo mit neuem @Samsung_CH #GalaxyS9 #withGalaxy #unpacked pic.twitter.com/fsCn4qvzgp

— Mattias Nutt (@mattiasnutt) February 27, 2018

Samsung’s latest Super Slow-mo technology slows things down by 4x as much as before, capturing 960 frames per second (fps) up from 240fps – but the fun doesn’t stop there. You can also choose from a variety of music options to add to your video, including a favorite song from your personal collection. You can customize your clip even further by turning it into a GIF that you can save or share with three options: video on loop, in reverse or swing mode.

“I love capturing in Super Slow-mo some of my child’s reactions. Then I show it to him, and we are both delighted with the recording; I also used Super Slow-mo to shoot his first-ever skateboard ride,” said Romanian Instagram influencer Dana Rogoz.

Yeeeey! My first Instagram post with super slow mo on GalaxyS9 #withgalaxy #galaxys9 #withgalaxys9 #dowhatyoucant I looooooove it!!!!!

A post shared by Dana Rogoz (@danarogoz) on Feb 27, 2018 at 9:00am PST

The new functionality also serves another purpose for Dana, as she’s discovered how the feature can elevate and optimize her professional work.

What hidden moments will you capture from your everyday life with the Samsung Galaxy S9/9+ Super Slow-mo feature? There’s only one way to find out – so start shooting and see for yourself!

Samsung Electronics announced today that Samsung Pay is now available in Italy, marking its ongoing commitment to bringing payment innovation to users around the globe. With the addition of Italy, Samsung Pay now enables users in 21 markets to benefit from simple and secure payments almost anywhere¹.

Samsung’s commitment to transforming the mobile industry was recognized at the annual Global Mobile Awards (GLOMO Awards) during Mobile World Congress 2018, which awarded Samsung Pay ‘Best Mobile Innovation for Payment’. The service was praised not only for being innovative, but also for bringing consumers the world’s first integrated rewards program²; each time users purchase with Samsung Pay, they can earn points to be exchanged for a variety of prizes.

“We strive to deliver the best experiences to our customers. The rapid growth of Samsung Pay has been made possible by Samsung’s commitment to an open model of collaboration around the world, resulting in over 1,700 partnerships, including payment providers Visa and Mastercard®,” said Yongje Kim, Executive Vice President of Service Business Office, Mobile Communications Business at Samsung Electronics. “Its continued support for both MST and NFC payments has also enhanced adoption, enabling market access in countries that support either payment option.”

Samsung Pay is a simple and secure mobile payment service that is available almost anywhere you can swipe or tap your eligible payment card³. By combining Near Field Communication (NFC) technology and its proprietary Magnetic Secure Transmission (MST) technology, Samsung Pay is the most widely accepted mobile payment solution on the market.

Samsung Pay operates with three levels of security: fingerprint or iris⁴ authentication, card tokenization and Samsung’s defense-grade mobile security platform, Samsung Knox. Additionally, Samsung Pay makes mobile payments easy – to launch, a user needs to swipe up on an eligible Samsung Galaxy smartphone, select the card, authenticate using a fingerprint, iris scanning or PIN and bring the phone near the point-of-sale terminal.

Starting today, Samsung Pay is available to users in Italy with compatible Samsung devices, including wearables like the Samsung Gear S3 and Gear Sport, and the new Galaxy S9 and S9+⁵. Samsung Pay works at almost all existing payment locations in Italy that accept credit or debit cards. It also expands the digital wallet experience by allowing customers to use membership cards and providing promotional coupons.

Aligned with Samsung’s approach of building tailored products and services customized to meet the needs of users in each market, several value-added features will be available exclusively to consumers in Italy. These include discounts up to 20% on popular brands, including Daybreak Hotel, EF Education, Leroy Merlin and Moleskine.

About Samsung Pay

Samsung Pay, a mobile payment service from Samsung Electronics, is simple, safe and available almost anywhere you can swipe or tap your card. Combining NFC (Near Field Communication) with Samsung’s proprietary MST (Magnetic Secure Transmission) technologies, Samsung Pay provides consumers a way to pay almost anywhere you can swipe or tap a card at millions of merchant locations. Samsung continues to strategically expand its partnership ecosystem for Samsung Pay to provide greater flexibility, access, and choice for customers while enabling an easy and safe payment experience. Samsung Pay is compatible with select cards and Samsung devices, and leading wireless providers. Please visit www.samsung.com/pay to learn more.

¹ Available almost anywhere, subject to Samsung Pay’s compatibility with MST and/or NFC payment terminals. Card readers on certain payment terminals could require a software update to become fully compatible with Samsung Pay.

² Samsung Pay reward program is available in the U.S., Korea, Singapore, Malaysia, Vietnam, Taiwan, Brazil and Spain.

³Applicable card type varies depending upon issuer.

⁴ Iris authentication is available for Galaxy S9 and S9+, Galaxy Note8, Galaxy S8 and S8+

⁵ Other compatible devices include the Galaxy Note8, Galaxy S8 and S8+, Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge, Galaxy A8, Galaxy A5(2017), Galaxy A5(2016), and the Gear S3 and Gear Sport in Italy.

At Galaxy Unpacked 2018, Samsung Newsroom caught up with Gavin and Dan to hear their thoughts on the device’s 960 fps (frames per second) slow-motion capture capability, and to discuss ways to utilize the Super Slow-mo feature to make everyday moments epic.

Q. How did you first get into making slow-mo videos?

Gavin: I used to be a high-speed camera operator for the British film industry, so I was able to play around with these cameras in our off time. Eventually, I got Dan involved because Dan, to me, was the best person I knew to get banter on camera, and we started a YouTube channel with these incredible cameras that not many people had access to at the time.

Dan: I would say that cameras like these, at the time, were very uncommon. There were only a couple in the country. We were so young, and Gavin was so capable of using [the cameras] because of his job, so it was a cool opportunity that led us to what we do.

Q. What makes a great slow-mo video?

Dan: Sometimes our videos are very scientific, and we’ll discover something that might not have been seen before. Sometimes they’re just fun stunts. For instance, banging paint on a drum. It’s not scientific, it just looks cool for that split second – one that you don’t get to see in real life, but that you can see in slow motion.

Gavin: Yeah, we’re lucky enough to be able to do such a wide variety of subjects. There’s no strict rule to our channel besides shooting stuff in slow motion, so we can choose what we want.

Q. What do you think has made your creations resonate so well with viewers?

Gavin: We’re showing the audience something that they’ve seen hundreds of times, something that they can relate to, but at a much, much slower pace. There’s a lot of beauty in the world, even in normal, everyday subjects when they’re slowed down.

Dan: When we slow everyday things down, we’re showing [the audience] something they haven’t seen before. And we’re not just showing them a video; we’re presenting it and going through the experiment with them – showing them the setup, did it go well or did it not, and anything funny that happened. We try to engage people with that as well, so it appeals to a broad audience. So it’s not just footage – it’s more engaging.

Q. What are some good examples of moments in daily life that would look great captured in slow motion with the Galaxy S9?

Gavin: I feel like even before you go to work every day, there are so many moments full of emotion. For instance, if you look at a shower, you see droplets of water turn into a stream and into beads of water. Even putting milk into your coffee or watching TV – there are so many aspects of everyday life that you usually ignore that look completely different when slowed down.

Dan: I like that the Super Slow-mo technology is built into the phone, because you could be on a jog in the park or walking your dog and think “I wonder what that looks like in slow motion,” and just whip out your phone and see for yourself. Usually, we have a huge camera that we have to set up and get everything ready for, whereas with the phone, you can just go about your day and capture slow-mo footage without needing to set anything up.

Q. What were your initial impressions of the camera?

Gavin: I particularly like what the Galaxy S9 does with auto triggering, because with high-speed cameras, even ours, we can’t record for very long because it’s taking so many pictures every second that the recording time is very short. It has auto triggering so that you can put a box on the screen and, if something goes through the box, it automatically knows that that’s your slow-motion moment.

That’s very useful, especially considering that human reaction time isn’t actually very good and that 0.2 seconds goes by very fast, so that’s a great feature. We actually did one shot where we put the phone down on a table and it triggered itself when I threw water over Dan.

Dan: Yeah, there was no one touching it, and that’s a first for us. We just set it up, left it and it triggered automatically, which is really cool. It’s difficult to get [that kind of shot] manually when you don’t know what’s going to happen. So say, for instance, you’re waiting for something to burst or something to be hit or explode. If you place the box where the action is going to happen, you don’t need to worry about it, which is really, really, cool. It removes the human error part.

Q. What inspired the Super Slow-mo videos that you created with the Galaxy S9?

Dan: The idea was to show how easy it is to [film Super Slow-mo videos] in everyday situations, so we thought, what’s around the house? We used popcorn in one of the videos and just about anything else that we could use around the house.

Q. Are there any tips that you could offer users to help them get the most out of the Super Slow-mo feature?

Gavin: I think [users] should be very experimental [with the feature], and make sure that you have a lot of light, since you are taking so many pictures every second. There’s not actually a lot of light hitting the sensor for very long, so a bright environment is very good. And get someone to help you as well.

Dan: I would say that obviously, since it’s a phone, there’s no limit to what you can record in slow motion. You can just record whatever you want around the house, wherever you are. But it’s like Gavin said, it’s all about light. The more light you have, the easier it is.

Samsung Electronics and Disney are bringing beloved Disney characters to life as new AR Emojis for the Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9+. Starting today, Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9+ users will be able to access classic Disney characters – Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse– directly from their phone to create personalized messages. For the first time ever, these Disney characters are coming to life in an augmented reality setting for communications and messaging. Characters from favorite Disney films including The Incredibles, Zootopia, and Frozen will roll out throughout the year.

“By extending our characters and stories to new digital platforms, we are creating daily Disney experiences everywhere our audience goes, and we are able to draw in new generations of fans,” said John Love, Vice President, Apps at Disney Consumer Products and Interactive Media. “The Disney AR Emojis offer an innovative approach to content for the Galaxy S9 and S9+ and a fun way to bring magic to messages.”

“With more than 6 billion emojis sent daily, our goal with developing AR Emoji was to provide a fun, exciting way to communicate and a new way to bring animated images to life,” said Younghee Lee, CMO and Executive Vice President of Samsung Electronics. “We knew there was no one better to partner with than Disney – creator of some of the most beloved characters in history – to make our AR Emojis the happiest faces on earth and give our users access to the most popular characters to share with friends across platforms.”

Beginning on March 16, users with Galaxy S9 and S9+ smartphones can download Disney characters from the AR Emoji mode on their camera.

Launching alongside the Galaxy S9 and S9+, AR Emojis allow users to create fun customized messages to send to friends. The AR Emojis use deep learning and facial recognition technology to map more than 100 facial features to produce a 3D replica, allowing users to create fun, customized messages to send to friends. AR Emojis offer eighteen pre-set stickers using standard AGIF file format, so they can be easily shared with anyone, no matter what kind of smartphone they have.¹ When users find an AR Emoji they love, they can pin it to their Always On Display, so they can enjoy it whenever they look at their phone.

¹ Availability of eighteen pre-set stickers varies by emoji and does not include Disney characters at this time.

Samsung Electronics has officially launched the Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9+ in markets around the world. The company’s latest flagship smartphones will be available in stores today, March 16, in approximately 70 countries, including Korea, the U.S., Canada, China and all of Europe, and will roll out to over 110 markets by the end of the month.

The Galaxy S9 and S9+ introduce an array of innovative features to the Galaxy series, unveiling exciting new ways for users to capture and share special moments, express themselves, and interact with the world around them.

The devices’ redesigned cameras feature a Dual Aperture lens that adapts to its environment to snap stunning shots in any light; an innovative Super Slow-mo video function, which allows users to capture everyday moments in epic detail; and new, customizable AR Emojis. Other enhancements include immersive, AKG-tuned stereo speakers, which complement the refined Infinity Display, and deeper integration with Samsung’s intelligence platform, Bixby.

For more information on the Galaxy S9 and S9+, please visit news.samsung.com/galaxy.

At a series of booths set up near the iconic Burj Khalifa, tourists and spectators who came to watch the light show were able to experience the latest flagship devices up close and personal, while taking photos and creating special emojis on site.

Both the Burj Khalifa event and the Galaxy S9 and S9+ reflect Samsung’s commitment to its brand philosophy. By reimagining the entire camera experience, the new flagship devices speak to consumer needs, giving them a more creative and fun way to express themselves through visuals and audio. To match this spirit of defying barriers, the spectacular Burj Khalifa featured a first-of-its-kind LED light show to highlight how Samsung is evolving with the way people communicate with one another.

The iconic Burj Khalifa lights up with a spectacular LED light show to celebrate the launch of the Galaxy S9/S9+

At each immersive experience booth at the event, Samsung gave visitors a chance to discover the hidden moments in their lives and find creative new ways to communicate and express their thoughts and feelings. From creating their own personalized AR Emoji, to taking a picture among the stars in a dark room, the Burj Khalifa event was full of multi-sensory experiences that demonstrated the company’s philosophy of “turning can’t into can.”

Following the Dubai showcase, Samsung will hold events in other cities and at landmarks yet to be announced. So, if you missed the fun, check out the photos from the event and stay tuned for more chances to experience the action firsthand.

Coloring with Sound

Painting with music might sound impossible, but a splash of paint brought color to the beat at the Paint Beat Box experience station – the perfect place to test drive the Galaxy S9 and S9+’s Super Slow-mo feature.

Visitors capture liquid paint bouncing up and down on speakers with the Galaxy S9/S9+’s Super Slow-mo

Visitors watch liquid paint jumping from speakers in a Super Slow-mo video captured on the Galaxy S9/S9+

Slowing Down for Science

Ever wonder what a water balloon looks like when it pops? Conjuring the whimsical nature of 8th-grade science experiments, the Water Balloon Wall gave people a chance to experience the Super Slow-mo feature’s automatic Motion Detection. Visitors could capture the exact moment their balloon burst, then watch the action in mind-blowingly smooth slow motion.

The Galaxy S9/S9+’s automatic Motion Detection knows exactly when to start recording in Super Slow-mo so that people don’t miss a single moment

Visitors try to pop water balloons at the Water Balloon Wall to experience the Galaxy S9/S9+’s Super Slow-mo

Creating a New, Digital You

Samsung made the virtually impossible a virtual reality with the Galaxy S9 and S9+’s AR Emoji. Visitors could be transformed into an animated character and play with the emoji versions of themselves at the My Avatar experience.

At My Avatar, visitors create an emoji that looks just like them with the Galaxy S9/S9+’s AR Emoji

Visitors create emojis with the Galaxy S9/S9+’s intelligent AR Emoji, which uses facial recognition technology

Floating with the Stars

Reaching the stars was almost possible at the Seeing Through the Lights experience, where visitors entered a mirrored room full of low illuminate lights to test out the Galaxy S9 and S9+’s low-light photography capability. With the all-new Dual Aperture feature and fast readout image sensor, the new devices can take tack-sharp photos even in poor lighting conditions.

Visitors enter a dark mirrored room with low illuminate lights to get a look at the Galaxy S9/S9+’s all-new low light camera

The Burj Khalifa, a global icon, garners attention as a popular gathering place and for its amazing LED display, which has been the center of attraction of the ‘Light Up 2018’ spectacle. Samsung will project its Galaxy S9 and S9+ campaign, The Camera.Reimagined on the iconic landmark five times from March 2-3. The company will also host an on-the-ground consumer event with Product Experience Zones that allow consumers to explore new advanced visual and audio capabilities of the Galaxy S9 and S9+ first-hand. At activation stands, consumers can create their own personalized AR Emoji, test out the low-light functionality of the Galaxy’s reimagined camera in a mirrored room and capture the celebration with Super Slow-mo video capabilities at Samsung’s confetti booth.

The campaign embraces the spirit of Samsung’s brand manifesto, “Do What You Can’t” (DWYC)—a call to defy barriers and do what can’t be done – and introduces consumers to the Galaxy S9 and S9+ through immersive experiences, media, TV commercials and digital content. Samsung is creating products, services and experiences that are made for the way consumers express themselves and discover hidden moments.

“Staying true to our heritage of relentless innovation, this campaign is another example of how Samsung is continuously pushing the boundaries of what’s possible – just like we do with our products and services,” said YH Lee, Global Chief Marketing Officer of Samsung Electronics. “Through the spectacular Burj Khalifa ‘Light Up’ show, multi-sensory engagement experiences, and the new Galaxy S9 and S9+, we are tapping in to the way consumers communicate, engage and experience the world today.”

In addition to the takeover in Dubai, Samsung will launch OOH activations at landmarks and high-traffic areas in major global markets, where consumers can experience the Galaxy S9 and S9+, including the advanced camera features that can catch a fleeting moment, high-quality audio and intelligent connectivity that allows users to seamlessly manage all facets of their social lifestyle.

Spectacular Showcase Schedule

Samsung will project its Galaxy S9 and S9+ campaign on the iconic landmark five times from 19:57 GST on March 2 through 20:27 GST on March 3.

The Burj Khalifa lights up with a spectacular LED lightshow to celebrate the launch of the Galaxy S9/S9+

Visitors check out the Galaxy S9/S9+’s Super Slow-mo feature at a designated booth in Dubai

People take turns creating their own AR Emoji that just looks like them

Visitors stop by various consumer experience booths showcasing the new Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9+ devices

For more information about the Galaxy S9 and the OOH campaign, visit http://www.samsungmobilepress.com, news.samsung.com/galaxy or www.samsung.com/galaxy.

And now DxOMark—the trusted industry standard for camera and lens image quality measurements and ratings—has just announced that the Galaxy S9+ has earned the top spot in their mobile camera rankings. With a score of 99 points, we’ve earned DxOMark’s highest-ever combined photo and video rating for a smartphone camera. The Galaxy S9+ photo score from DxOMark is 104 points – the highest ever photo score from the organization.

Among all the exciting innovations, two technical innovations did more than any others to push the Galaxy S9+ to the top of the DxOMark rankings:  the Dual Aperture¹ and the Super Speed Dual Pixel Sensor. They work together to help you take amazing photos in any lighting condition and capture everyday epic moments.

If you’ve ever taken a grainy photo at a dimly lit birthday dinner or frowned as your friend’s smile got washed out by bright sunlight, then you know that most of the time we take photos in imperfect light. The Dual Aperture lens automatically adapts like the human eye, and with an F stop of 1.5 it’s the widest lens of any smartphone—delivering the brightest possible pictures in extreme low-light environments. Meanwhile, the Super Speed Dual Pixel sensor goes to work, using its dedicated processing power and memory to combine up to 12 distinct images into one amazing, high-quality photo.

DxOMark’s ranking affirmed the value of these camera innovations with every photo we take—from midnight to high noon. But they’re not the only reasons you’ll want to experience for yourself what the Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9+ camera does to reimagine the way you communicate, share and experience the world.

In Super Slow-mo mode, the Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9+ lets you capture 960 frames per second—four times more than the Galaxy S8. While manual capture gives you complete control of the shot, the new Automatic Motion Detection mode will start recording as soon as it senses movement in the frame,. After capturing the shot, music is added automatically and instantly creates three shareable GIFs  to easily share with friends and family.

There are even more ways to personalize what you create and share with the new camera with augmented reality (AR) technology. Using advanced AR technology, the Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9+ analyze a 2D image of you and creates a 3D animated AR Emoji, a personalized emoji that’s uniquely you.

AR Emoji messages are saved in a standard AGIF file format, so you can send them to anyone using your favorite messaging app. To create one, it’s as easy as taking a selfie.

The Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9+ AR technology also reimagines the way you interact with the world around you. Bixby, Samsung’s intelligence platform, is integrated into the camera and automatically overlays information directly on top of the image the camera is pointing at. With new Bixby features² built right within the camera, you don’t have to go through several steps or applications to get information about local landmarks, read a foreign menu or street sign in 54 different languages with Live Translation³, or shop⁴. If you see a cool product, Bixby will show you shopping options from retailers such as Walmart and Sam’s Club. The new Makeup feature lets you try on different looks and shop for your favorites. You can even point the camera at the meal in front of you, and in conjunction with AI, Bixby can estimate the calories and track them in Samsung Health.

As I hope you can see, we did more than design a new smartphone camera. We reimagined it so you can capture the perfect image in almost any light, capture moments and tell stories in new, creative ways.

¹ Rear camera F1.5 lens. Dual aperture (F2.4/F1.5) on rear wide-angle lens only. Light comparison based on the Galaxy S8.

² Voice command works with a select, growing number of third-party apps; see Apps with Voice in Bixby for a list of compatible apps. Service ability may vary by country. Instant access to Bixby not available while in: video and voice recording, call, Ultra Power Saving Mode, Emergency Mode, Kids Mode, DeX, DeX Station, and Car Mode.

³ Samsung Account log-in and data network (wifi or internet connection) required. Translation speed may vary depending on internet connection and word count. This function is limited to selected languages. For the full list of languages please visit www.samsung.com/galaxy

⁴ Feature limited to select retail partners.

Samsung Electronics is pleased to announce that it received over 30 awards at Mobile World Congress 2018, including “Best New Connected Device” at the annual Global Mobile Awards (GLOMO Awards) for the Galaxy S9+. The Galaxy S9+ was selected for its refined design, advanced camera and outstanding performance. The Galaxy S9+ reimagines the way people communicate, share and experience the world.

“Congratulations to all of the winners and nominees of the 2018 GLOMO Awards,” said Michael O’Hara, Chief Marketing Officer, GSMA. “The GLOMOs recognize the best of the best in mobile, highlighting the technologies, products, companies and individuals that are pushing the boundaries of ingenuity and innovation and creating a better future for all of us. We thank all of our entrants, judges, sponsors and partners for supporting the 2018 GLOMOs.”

The Galaxy S9+ also received recognition from TechRadar, Android Authority, Alphr and PC Mag, and the Galaxy S9 was awarded by organizations such as PhoneArena, Android Central, Expert Reviews, Android Police, T3 and Ubergizmo.

Several of Samsung’s innovative technologies and devices were also recognized, including:

• Samsung Pay was awarded “Best Mobile Innovation for Payment” at the GLOMO Awards for its industry-leading mobile payment service that is simple, safe and available almost anywhere you can swipe or tap your card.

• Gear VR with Controller was recognized as “Best Mobile VR or AR” at the GLOMO Awards for setting and exceeding the standard for VR experiences.

• Samsung DeX was awarded “Best of MWC 2018” by ITPro, and best accessory by Tom’s Guide and Digital Trends for its ability to empower a mobile lifestyle by bringing an easy-to-use, full-screen experience to the mobile handset.

“We are honored to be recognized by the GSMA and many organizations for our mobile technologies,” said Younghee Lee, Chief Marketing Officer and Head of Global Marketing, Mobile Communications Business at Samsung Electronics. “The way people use their devices and what they want from technology is changing. At Samsung, we remain committed to listening to our customers and pushing ourselves to deliver not just the best products and services, but ways to make their experiences better.”

Form that is Perfected through Perpetual Refinement

The Galaxy S9 has been carefully and delicately shaped to preserve the bare essence of design. With attention to detail and precise technology, the Galaxy S9 showcases a perfectly singular form.

Experiencing Unity through Curves

To establish a visual sense of unity in their form, the display and body come together to create a single silhouette. The Galaxy S9 boasts an enhanced design quality by adjusting the curvatures of the body and display to swerve together. Users can experience oneness from the harmonious curves that connect the body and display.

A Visually and Functionally Enhanced Metal Frame

The metal frame uses an upgraded aluminum material with improved resistance to scratches. The frame is also slightly more protruded than the glass for an increase in durability. Samsung added a Satin Gloss finish to the metallic material to give a soft and glossy shine and established unity between the body and the frame by applying the same color to the frame and body.

Visually Experiencing Oneness

The front surface of the Galaxy S9 features a shortened length on the top and bottom part with a reduced bezel for deeper visual immersion. Furthermore, it concealed the hole used by various sensors on the top to minimize visual distraction.

Understanding Value through Usage

Some values cannot be understood by simple observation. The Galaxy S9 understands the nuances of a user’s experience and provides an optimized design.

Heartfelt Considerations and Detail in the Palm of Your Hand

The delicately crafted design of the Galaxy S9 is based on profound consideration for its users. The height and width of the Physical Key on the side has been adjusted for easier use with just one hand. The curves of the device’s sides have been gracefully reduced to allow for a much more stable and comfortable grip.

The two camera holes on the back are vertically aligned to create a slimmer and more stable look to the rear design. The camera and rear sensors are designed to blend even more harmoniously with the body. User’s comfort is further enhanced by the fingerprint sensor placed in the center to make it easier to reach with either the right and left hand.

Completing the Display Design

The all-new AOD (Always On Display) features 20 different GIF animations that are offered by default. Users can personally pick and choose images to put on display to reflect the user’s mood. The Lock Screen, which users see countless times throughout the day, has been designed to bring a sense of visual completeness. The various components of the Lock Screen, such as the text used for the clock and date, automatically change in color to adjust and blend to the background that has been set by the user to complete a wholesome and adaptable Lock Screen.

Relishing the Richness of Sound

The Galaxy S9 has changed to enrich our lives with the richness of sound. The dual speaker’s surrounding effect emits wide and far-reaching sound. The speaker hole on the bottom of the device has been combined into a single hole to orchestrate a much more natural sound.

Colors that Embody Light, Accessories that Embody Lifestyle

Samsung instilled the sensibilities and familiarities of everyday life into the smartphone, the one device users spend the most time with throughout the day.

With refined colors and a wide selection of accessories, the Galaxy S9 harmonizes more naturally with our daily lives and surrounding environments.

The Galaxy S9’s Colors that Capture the Course of a Day

The Galaxy S9’s four colors were created from the shades of light that change throughout the day. Black is inspired by the darkness of night just before dawn; Gray portrays the soft glow of light that passes through a frosty, foggy morning; Blue is the color of water when a warm ray of morning sun shines through; and Purple embodies the colorful palette of a sunset that spreads throughout the evening sky. Through the Galaxy S9, users can witness the perfect impressions of light as it travels the course of daily lives.

Accessories Instilled with Familiar Materials and Colors

The accessory cover comfortably and delicately fits the device, while reflecting users’ taste and lifestyle. On top of the previous clear cover and silicon cover, Samsung has ramped up the selection with new materials and colors. The Weaving is an exquisite cover that sports a fabric-based weaving pattern; the Hyper Knit uses materials from sneakers to give a boost to youthful and sports-like feel; the Rugged is a witty design that looks like a mini carrier; and the Alcantara demonstrates the high-quality finish of the fine leather. With this wide array of materials and designs for the accessories, the Galaxy S9 becomes a tool to express a user’s unique taste and style.

*Covers and other accessories are sold separately.

The delicately refined design of the Galaxy S9 accompanies the user in all moments, by gently permeating into the details of everyday lives to unveil its unique value more powerfully.

To see more Samsung Electronics design stories, please visit design.samsung.com.

To introduce the Galaxy S9, Samsung installed an eye-catching four-sided display above the stage and utilized immersive augmented reality to offer guests a hands-on look at the device.

After the presentation, attendees were invited to test out the Galaxy S9’s innovative features in the on-site Experience Zone, which allowed them to learn more about how the camera’s Super Slow-mo function makes everyday moments epic.

Check out the highlights of the event below!

Approximately 5,500 media representatives, partners and invitees gather at Fira Barcelona MontjuÏc to attend Galaxy Unpacked 2018.

Attendees take their seats beneath expansive screens that will soon reveal the newest additions to the Galaxy lineup.

DJ Koh, President and Head of Samsung’s IT and Mobile Communications Division, unveils the Galaxy S9 and S9+, which he describes as smartphones “with the power to help you reimagine how you’ll experience the world tomorrow.”

Justin Denison, Samsung Electronics America’s Senior Vice President of Product Strategy and Marketing, introduces Galaxy S9 features that enable users to slow down and relive fleeting moments, interact with the world intuitively, and enjoy a much more personalized mobile experience.

Attendees are introduced to the new smartphone through the lens of augmented reality, which transforms their badges into virtual Galaxy S9s, allowing them to enjoy a “hands-on” look at the device before its official release.

Jonathan Wong, Director of Product Marketing at Samsung Electronics America, discusses the features and functions of the smartphones’ new cameras, including a Dual Aperture lens that supports crisp and clear low-light photos, and new Super Slow-mo videos.

Samsung dims the lights and snaps a photo of the crowd using the Galaxy S9 to demonstrate the camera’s ability to produce bright, detailed images in low-light settings.

Wong tries his hand at recording an epic Super Slow-mo video with the Galaxy S9.

Erin Willis, Senior Manager of Channel Marketing at Samsung Electronics U.K., offers the audience a first look at the Galaxy S9’s advanced Bixby integration and AR Emoji feature.

Wong and Denison show off their unique ‘My Emoji’, which they created using the Galaxy S9’s AR Emoji feature.

Willis offers attendees a taste of Bixby Vision’s Live Translation feature, which allows the Galaxy S9 to instantly translate the delectable dishes listed on a local restaurant’s menu.

Mark Notton, Samsung’s Director of Product Portfolio, explains how the Galaxy S9’s enhanced Infinity Display and stereo speakers provide immersive viewing and listening experiences.

ES Chung, Samsung’s EVP and Head of Software and AI, discusses the innovative technologies inside the Galaxy S9. “Our aim has always been to provide the best possible experience,” explained Chung. “Combining the best hardware with the most advanced software.”

DJ Koh announces that the Galaxy S9 and S9+ will be released on March 16, and that consumers who upgrade will receive high trade-in values for their current devices.

Event attendees get an up-close look at the Galaxy S9 and S9+ in the Experience Zone.

The Galaxy S9 records unforgettable Super Slow-mo videos of a bursting balloon (above) and an explosion of confetti (below).

An attendee puts the Galaxy S9’s low light camera to the test by snapping a selfie by the venue’s majestically illuminated Dandelion Park.

Attendees create and customize their own personal My Emoji to share with their friends and family.

Attendees take part in an interactive workshop hosted by The Slow Mo Guys on creating incredible slow-motion videos with the Galaxy S9.