Samsung to unveil next Galaxy smartphones at MWC

SEOUL, Feb. 25 (Yonhap) -- Samsung Electronics Co. is set to unveil its next flagship smartphones, the Galaxy S9 and the Galaxy S9 Plus, in Barcelona, Spain, on Sunday (local time), the eve of the Mobile World Congress (MWC). The next Galaxy is likely to feature an improved "Infinity Display" and a camera that can shoot DSLR-level pictures. An invitation released to the media for the launch ceremony shows the number "9" and the phrase, "The Camera. Reimagined," suggesting huge improvements in the camera department. The new smartphone reportedly has a camera with a variable aperture arrangement that can allow users to take pictures at a very fast f/1.5 to a slightly slower f/2.4, depending on conditions. A lower f-stop translates into more light hitting the sensor, resulting in better low-light performance. A better aperture on a lens can permit higher shutter speeds and the kind of out-of-focus blur that is favored for portrait shots by many photographers. While the Galaxy S9 Plus will feature dual 12-megapixel rear cameras -- a first for the Galaxy S lineup -- with optical zoom functionality, the smaller Galaxy S9 is forecast to have just a single module. Media leaks regarding the upcoming smartphone also suggest that the new camera will carry Samsung's latest ISOCELL mobile imaging sensor, which permits more shots to be processed more rapidly by the smartphone. For the first time, the new models are widely expected to ship with the newest Infinity Display, which curves around the edges of the smartphone and gives the device an almost bezel-less appearance. A 93 percent screen-to-body ratio is expected from the upcoming Galaxy S9, an improvement from the 83 percent ratio featured by its predecessor, the Galaxy S8. It is also reported that the Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9 Plus will retain the current screen sizes of 5.8 inches and 6.2 inches, respectively. Such curved screens have been the trademark of the company's past flagships like the Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8 Plus. Media reports also suggest the S9 will pack the so-called "3D emoji" feature similar to Apple Inc.'s Animoji on the iPhone X. 3D faces will map users' expressions to emoji and create animated characters. The upcoming model will also reportedly feature a kind of facial recognition system that uses advanced camera sensors, similar to the TrueDepth system found on the iPhone X from Apple Inc. An improved biometric authentication system called "Intelligent Scan" will reportedly combine iris scanning technology from Samsung's previous models, as well as face recognition. Samsung will also reportedly equip the Galaxy S9 with 4 gigabytes (GB) of memory and the S9 Plus with 6 GB of memory and 128 GB of storage. Samsung is widely forecast to launch the Galaxy S9 and S9 Plus in lilac purple, midnight black, titanium grey and blue coral, although these colors may not hit the market at the same time, and some may not be available in certain countries. Samsung said that it is unveiling lilac purple on its flagship for the first time. The sources predict preorders will kick off in late February and the launch will be held on March 9 in South Korea. Prices are expected to be around 1 million won (US$920), higher than last year's Galaxy S8. khj@yna.co.kr (END)