42 Percent Of Voice Assistant Users Favor Their Smartphone

Despite the growth in adoption of voice-activated smart speakers this year, it appears that consumers still prefer to issue commands via the personal device they're most accustomed to: Of those who use voice-activated assistants, 42 percent do so via their smartphone, according to a study from Pew Research Center cited by eMarketer.

Significantly fewer used a virtual assistant on a PC or tablet (14 percent) or a standalone device like Amazon Echo or Google Home (8 percent) to interact via voice this year.

That doesn't mean that adoption of these devices has slowed or ceased: In October 2017, comScore reported that smart speakers had hit a "critical adoption threshold" in the US. But these findings underscore the fact that consumers are still most comfortable with their long-held most personal device — and reminds marketers that thinking about "mobile" now inherently means thinking about voice.

Mobile Voice Search: Answering Users' Questions

eMarketer reports that 60 percent of respondents said they preferred using spoken language because it is a "more natural way to interact with services than physical typing." This corresponds with J. Walter Thompson and Mindshare's findings earlier this year proving that voice is cognitively simpler for people than swipe/text.

With this in mind, it's easy to see why a mass shift from typing on smartphones to talking to them is underway. And it means that marketers need to prioritize ranking in the kind of searches users make on mobile via voice — as well as thinking about how to become a voice assistant's preferred answer.

As Hilton's director of global SEO, Melissa Walner, put it earlier this year, "the challenge… is making sure that [you] have the content on your website that is answering the questions that customers are actually looking for. This means making sure you know exactly what your customers are searching for: Looking at different types of search query data is very helpful. A lot of times, people will think they know what their customer is looking for, but then you find out later on — especially when it comes to using voice search — that they didn't know the intent [behind the query.]"

Essentially, marketers need to make sure they know exactly what their customers are asking for — knowing the intent behind it, and then making sure they have content on their site that specifically addresses and answers it in order to rank in these search results.

Yext VP of Industry Insights Duane Forrester echoed this sentiment in a discussion following the release of his book, Voice Search Changes Everything: "Marketers… have to adopt that long-tail, conversational phrase approach to targeting what to produce content around. You do need to build the detailed answers. You have to think about this in terms of the common and uncommon questions that are related to your product and services. Let's use an example: If a person buys a "red widget," inevitably, they're going to need a widget polishing cloth, and you sell a widget polishing cloth. Well, that means you have to talk about red widgets. That's an easy win for you."

Source: 42 Percent Of Voice Assistant Users Favor Their Smartphone

A practical, stylish and convenient smartphone series with serious attitude

Korea – WEBWIRE – Wednesday, December 20, 2017

Samsung Electronics today announced the latest additions to the Galaxy A series: the Galaxy A8(2018) and A8+(2018).

The Galaxy A8(2018) and A8+(2018) feature a Dual Front Camera, a large Infinity Display and stunning ergonomic design that draws on Samsung's flagship design heritage and experience. With additional everyday features, the Galaxy A series is more stylish, practical and convenient than ever before.

"With the release of the Galaxy A8(2018) and A8+(2018), we're bringing our customers' favorite features from our flagship smartphones, such as the Infinity Display and our first Dual Front Camera with Live Focus, to our Galaxy A series, which is already known for its premium design," said Junho Park, Vice President of Global Product Planning, Mobile Communications Business at Samsung Electronics. "The Galaxy A8(2018) and A8+(2018) exemplify our continued dedication to meeting the needs of our consumers by providing them with greater choice and convenience."

Snap bright, clear selfies with the 16MP F1.7 rear camera and 16MP+8MP F1.9Dual Front Camera, no matter where you are or what you're doing. The Dual Front Camera is made up of two separate cameras so you can switch between the two to take the type of selfie you want – from close-ups with the background to portrait shots with a clear and crisp background. And with the advanced Live Focus feature, you can easily adjust the bokeh effect before or after you take the picture to create high-quality images.

From day to night, the advanced camera makes sure you capture sharp images, even in low-light conditions. The new devices also allow you to customize your photos with fun options, from adding stickers to your selfie or highlighting a culinary extravaganza with Food Mode.

Shaky video footage will be a thing of the past with video digital image stabilisation (VDis) technology, and with an added hyperlapse feature, you can now create time-lapse videos that let you record, tell and share even longer stories.

When watching movies or playing games, the latest Galaxy A devices set a new standard for uninterrupted, immersive viewing experiences. The Infinity Display goes beyond the bezel with an immersive 18.5:9 display ratio1, so that you can view the whole scene across your screen for the ultimate cinematic experience. The large screen is supported with ergonomic curved glass on the back and front. Its sleek glass and metal frame, smooth curves and comfortable grip make it even easier to watch or interact with content on your phone. The Galaxy A8(2018) and A8+(2018) are available in four colors including black, orchid grey, gold and blue to suit your personal style2.

Both devices will continually keep you informed with the Always On Display, meaning you can get information at a glance without unlocking your phone. With Samsung Pay3, there's no need to bring your wallet with you every time you go out. Supporting Magnetic Secure Transmission (MST) and Near Field Communication (NFC), the Galaxy A8(2018) and A8+(2018) can be used virtually anywhere you can tap or swipe your card. Every transaction via Samsung Pay is secure, yet very simple. All it takes is one swipe and one fingerprint scan.

Offering IP68 water and dust resistance4, the Galaxy A8(2018) and A8+(2018) can withstand the elements, including sweat, rain, sand and dust, making it suitable for nearly any activity or situation. The Galaxy A8(2018) and A8+(2018) support microSD cards so you can expand your storage capacity by as much as 256GB, and are the first in the A series to support Samsung's Gear VR.

The Galaxy A8(2018) and A8+(2018) will be available in early January 2018.

--------

* Features and functions will vary by market and mobile operator

* All functionality, features, specifications and other product information provided in this document

including, but not limited to, the benefits, design, pricing, components, performance, availability,

and capabilities of the product are subject to change without notice or obligation.

1 Screen measured diagonally as a full rectangle without accounting for the rounded corners

2 Color availability may vary by country

3 Availability of service may vary by country

4 Carrying an IP68 dust and water resistance rating. Based on test conditions of submersion in up to 1.5 meters of fresh water for up to 30 minutes

( Press Release Image: https://photos.webwire.com/prmedia/6/218183/218183-1.jpg )

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Source: A practical, stylish and convenient smartphone series with serious attitude

Samsung to Release New Mid-Range Smartphones

Samsung will roll out its new mid-range Galaxy A smartphones in January, the company said on Tuesday.

The Galaxy A8 and A8 Plus will be the first Samsung handsets equipped with front-facing dual cameras. The main 16-megapixel camera shoots selfies and the secondary 8-megapixel captures depth-of-field data.

They have wide 5.6-inch and 6-inch screens with a minimal bezel and have water and dust resistance levels similar to the Galaxy S8. 

The new phones are expected to be priced at around W600,000, up to W100,000 higher than its predecessors (US$1=W1,084). 

Copyright © Chosunilbo & Chosun.com

Source: Samsung to Release New Mid-Range Smartphones

Microsoft Surface Phone CONFIRMED as code hidden in new app hints at FOLDING smartphone

Surface Phone - Leaked photos, concept images, and renders Thu, May 4, 2017

CASMIR VALERI • BEHANCE

1 of 17

Microsoft CEO hinted it could be 'ultimate mobile device'

Surface Phone rumours are back, thanks to a morsel of code buried in the latest version of Microsoft's Whiteboard desktop app.

Whispers of a premium smartphone designed by Panos Panay and the team behind the likes of the Surface Pro and Surface Laptop had died down following the demise of Windows 10 Mobile.

Of course, Microsoft never confirmed it was building a flagship Windows 10 smartphone.

However, a number of prominent figures had teased the development of a productivity-focused mobile phone.

CEO Satya Nadella raised hopes amongst Microsoft fans earlier this year when he claimed that a smartphone from the company could be "the ultimate mobile device".

And now, code buried within Microsoft's Whiteboard app hints at a foldable Surface Phone.

RYAN SMALLEY • BEHANCE.NET

Code within the new Microsoft software points to a Surface Phone with folding screens

One of the most persistent rumours about the so-called Surface Phone was that the smartphone would include a hinge, enabling owners to increase the size of the display by folding opening the device and increasing productivity.

Code within the Microsoft software points directly to a device with this design.

According to a reliable Windows tipster, known as WalkingCat online, the Whiteboard app includes references to "Journal; app' left and right page references."

This is a clear hint that Microsoft is working on a device with a separate left and right interface.

The Journal app referred to within the code could be designed for said hardware.

WalkingCat detailed another reference within the Whiteboard app.

"This is the accessibility title for the whiteboard application which is a single large canvas for creation with a chrome toolbar at the bottom," the leakster tweeted.

Earlier this year, a user claiming to be a former employee of a Microsoft contractor posted on Reddit, stating the Surface Phone wouldn't launch for at least another year.

The source – who shared the news under the handle zombieacc – said the device would "probably" be released in late 2018 or 2019.

The source went on to claim that despite this delay, Microsoft is not giving up on the Surface Phone, which is set to be one of the most powerful devices launched by the company.

"Nobody knows what they are working on right now, but they don't seem to be giving up," the user added. 

"Some special phone-PC-like Windows 10 ARM device will probably arrive in late 2018 or 2019. I have no more info on that, but I think Windows 10 ARM is much further away than some of us hope."

Related articles
Source: Microsoft Surface Phone CONFIRMED as code hidden in new app hints at FOLDING smartphone

Galaxy S9 and S9 Plus Launching in February (Report)

Samsung will release its next flagship phones sooner than expected, according to a report from Bloomberg. The company will reportedly introduce the Galaxy S9 and S9 Plus in late February and release them in March.

The new phones will allegedly look a lot like the current Galaxy S8 and S8 Plus, but may have far better cameras to take on the iPhone 8 and iPhone X. The release would come just months after the September release of the Note 8.

Bloomberg's report is otherwise light on specs and other information. Other rumors we've heard before include a fingerprint reader under the screen, a Snapdragon 845 CPU and a dual-lens camera.

The phone would be in hot competition with Apple's $999 iPhone X, which was released this fall for $999.

Source: Galaxy S9 and S9 Plus Launching in February (Report)

Recent Samsung patent reveals smartphone with a double-sided display

Samsung has long-since been rumored to be releasing a foldable smartphone, but that might not be the only innovative handset it has in the works: the South Korean giant may also be developing on a device with a double-sided display.

This speculation arrives from LetsGoDigital (via The Korea Herald), who recently picked up a Samsung Display patent application which revealed a device with such a design. This was originally submitted in 2015 in Korea and in 2016 in the US, before being published by the US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) yesterday.

The patent application, a sample from which you can see above, pertains to a smartphone with a display that would wrap around the side of the phone and cover part of the rear. This, presumably, would have touchscreen capabilities on the front and back, given that system icons can be seen on both sides.

It's a similar setup to what Meizu recently delivered with the Meizu Pro 7 Plus, though that device had a completely separate rear display, while Samsung's would feature a single screen (whether that would be an advantage or disadvantage we can't say). Samsung does have previous experience with smartphones that have curved displays and additional functionality on their edges, so this product wouldn't be a world away from what the company has already produced.

Editor's Pick

Samsung Galaxy S9 and S9 Plus: Everything we know so far (Updated)

Update, 12/11/2017: The Korea Herald has added to the speculation of the Galaxy S9's improved iris scanning technology with some new details. According to the website, citing a source familiar with the matter, the Galaxy S9's …

As with any smartphone patent application, don't expect to see a device rocking this design appear anytime soon, however; Samsung and other tech companies submit regular patents as part of their business operations, it's not necessarily an indication that it is actively working on this type of product.

While we liked the rear display feature on the Meizu Pro 7 Plus from an innovation standpoint, we didn't think it added anything interesting to the handset in terms of functionality (it can show notifications, time, and weather information, just like the front display). Should Samsung release a device with this design, we would hope it has something more to offer.

Tell us what you think of the potential for this device in the comments.

Source: Recent Samsung patent reveals smartphone with a double-sided display

Galaxy S9 price, release date and specs: Leaked schematics reveal new-look back panel and slimmed-down bezels

THE GALAXY S8 may have arrived on shelves mere months ago, but reports claim that Samsung has already started production of next year's flagship: the Galaxy S9. 

We've done some digging, and this isn't all we know about the so-called Galaxy S9, so we've rounded up everything we know about the handset so far. 

Specs- 5.8in / 6.2in QHD+ Super AMOLED curved display (570ppi / 529ppi)- Android 8.0 'O'- Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 (US) / Samsung Exynos (UK)- Cat 18 LTE support (1.2Gbps download speeds)- Display embedded fingerprint scanner- Dual rear-facing camera- Bixby AI assistant with dedicated button- USB-C

Release dateWith reports claiming that Samsung will start production of the Galaxy S9 and S9 Plus this year, it's likely that the handsets will debut earlier in the year than the Galaxy S8, and hints that Samsung could be planning a launch at next year's MWC.

This has been further fuelled as the displays look set to arrive in November, which puts the final delivery date, based on previous timings, in January.

PriceThere's no word yet on pricing for the Galaxy S9 and S9 Plus. If anything like the S8, expect handsets to fetch around £689 and £779 SIM-free.

Latest news 14/12/17: Schematic drawings of the Galaxy S9 (above) have appeared on Chinese social network Weibo and 'confirm' that the upcoming flagship will sport a new-look back panel. The drawings show that the phone will feature a vertically-aligned camera, with what looks like a fingerprint scanner underneath and a heart rate monitor on the right-hand side. Around the front, the Galaxy S9 looks set to sport a slimmed-down bezel that should allow for more screen real estate.  

11/12/17: A purported image of the Galaxy S9 (below), obtained by Android Headlines, shows that the Samsung flagship will likely pack a single lens rear-facing camera, despite earlier speculation of a dual lens upgrade.

However, the report notes that the bigger Galaxy S9 Plus will sport a dual lens set-up, similar to that seen on the Galaxy Note 8. The image doesn't give much else away but does appear to confirm that the fingerprint scanner will sit underneath the camera sensor, while a sticker on the rear of the phone points to a variant with 64GB internal storage. 

7/12/17: Qualcomm this week revealed the Snapdragon 845 SoC, which is expected to debut inside the Galaxy S9.

The chipmaker is promising more power than before, with the 845's high-power cores offering a 25-30 per cent boost in performance, while the low power cores offer a 15 per cent improvement. Better battery life is also touted, with the Snapdragon 845 promising 30 per cent better battery efficiency, along with faster LTE speeds with Qualcomm's new X20 LTE modem offer Cat 18 speeds of over 1Gbps. The chip will also support the capture of Ultra HD Premium footage at 60fps, and comes with a new  Secure Processing Unit (SPU) that claims to offer "vault-like security."

6/12/17: Samsung has denied rumours that the Galaxy S9 will launch in January, telling the Korea Herald that it's "unlikely" that its next flagship smartphone will make an appearance at next year's CES. However, the firm's long-rumoured Galaxy X could make its debut at the Las Vegas tech show, the SamMobile reporting that Samsung will be showing off the foldable smartphone behind closed doors. 

5/12/17: Samsung has announced that it's started production of the 'world's first' 512GB embedded Universal Flash Storage (eUFS). The chip, Samsung claims, boasts sequential read speeds of 860 MB/s and sequential writes of 255 MB/s, and the firm says it's intended for "next generation" mobile devices, likely a sign that it'll debut inside next year's Galaxy S9. 

4/12/17: Ever-reliable Samsung blog SamMobile is claiming that the Galaxy S9 will be made available in four different colour options: black, gold, blue and purple. Last year, speculation had claimed that the Galaxy S8 would also launch in a purple variant, but this rumour never came to fruition. 

SamMobile notes, however, that there's a "high chance" this isn't the final list of colours, adding that Orchid Gray and Arctic Silver could also turn out to be a part of the lineup.

1/12/17: The Leaker is reporting that while some models of the Galaxy S9 will pack Qualcomm's 10nm Snapdragon 845 processor, others will feature an Exynos 9th series CPU, which will be "15 per cent more efficient" than the Exynos chip found in the Galaxy S8. This, according to the report, comes as Samsung looks to challenge Apple's A11 Bionic CPU, and could make for "staggering" battery life on next year's flagship.

29/11/17: ET News has debunked rumours that the Galaxy S9 will feature souped-up facial recognition technology similar to the iPhone X's Face ID, and has claimed that, instead, it'll feature the same iris scanning tech as the Galaxy S9. Don't expect an under screen fingerprint sensor, either, as the report notes that the S9 will feature a scanner on its rear.

There's some good news, though. ET News adds weight to rumours that next year's Samsung flagship will launch earlier than usual with its claims that mass production will begin in January. 

27/11/17: According to a report at SamMobile, the Galaxy S9 will boast less bezel than its S8 predecessor. A tipster told the website that there could be a 90 per cent screen-to-body ratio on Samsung's upcoming flagship, up from around 84 per cent on the Galaxy S8. According to the report, this will mean that the bottom bezel is almost non-existent, potentially giving Samsung room to squeeze a large screen into the device.

24/11/17: Accessory maker Ghostek has leaked renders (below) of the Galaxy S9 to BGR, confirming the smartphone's full-screen design, dual cameras and rear-facing fingerprint scanner, However, BGR notes that while the renders are "mostly accurate", another source said that the bezel above the phone's display will be a bit narrower, and the speaker at the top looks a bit different.

23/11/17: The Galaxy S9 and S9 Plus will make their first public appearance at next year's CES, according to a report at VentureBeat. The report claims, having spoken to someone 'briefed on the company's plans', that Samsung will give a sneak peak of the devices at the January tech show before a full unveiling takes place in March next year.

The report also claims that the S9 will arrive as an iterative update, featuring a 'near identical' design to the last year's Galaxy S8.  What's more, it's tipped to feature the same 5.8in screen as the S8, while the S9 Plus will sport the same 6.2in Infinity display as its predecessor.

Under the hood, both phones are expected to Qualcomm's upcoming 10nm Snapdragon 845 CPU. The S9+ will reportedly offer more RAM (6GB vs 4GB) and a second rear camera, similar to that seen on the Galaxy Note 8. Elsewhere, expect both the S9 and S9 Plus to pack a microSD slot, 3.5mm headphone jack and AKG stereo speakers

20/11/17: Samsung plans to equip the Galaxy S9 with souped-up iris and face recognition tools, according to a report at ET News. The report claims that the firm is "developing software to increase the face recognition rate of the Galaxy S9 front iris recognition sensor." Industry insiders claim that these improvements come as Samsung looks to take on Face ID, which Apple is touting as the most secure face-scanning tech on the market today.

17/11/17: New benchmark results for a Samsung smartphone with the model number SM-G960F - widely expected to the global version of the Galaxy S9 - have appeared on the Geekbench website. The handset, which likely will come powered by Samsung's new Exynos 9 Series 9810 processor, scored 2680 on the single-core Geekbench 4 test and a 7787 on the multi-core test. While impressive, this puts the device far behind the iPhone X, which scored a single-core score of 4197 and multi-core score of 10051.

15/11/17:  Just a day after rumours claimed that Apple was planning to launch three new iPhones in 2018, Ice Universe (via ValueWalk) claims that Samsung is going to beat the firm to it by reviving its 'mini'' line next year. The tipster claims that the so-called Galaxy S9 Mini will launch alongside the S9 and S9+, and will tout a 5in(ish) Infinity display. 

14/11/17: SlashLeaks has posted CAD drawings supposedly belonging to the Galaxy S9, which 'confirms' that the smartphone will be a full-screen device with far slimmer bezels than those seen on the Galaxy S8. The image also confirms that the smartphone will sport Samsung's signature curved edges, while a second CAD render shows a vertically-aligned dual camera setup on its backside and a rear-facing fingerprint scanner. However, we'd advise taking this latest leak with a pinch of salt, as reputable tipster @OnLeaks has tweeted that the images are "very likely fake, or at least inaccurate."

9/11/17: South Korea's The Investor reports that, due to "technical difficulties" in developing an under-screen fingerprint sensor, Samsung will stick the scanner on the back of its Galaxy S9 and S9+ handsets. This rumour comes amid speculation that Samsung could ditch the sensor altogether in favour of Face ID-style face recognition technology, but an industry source debunked this to The Investor, saying: "Samsung won't get rid of fingerprint sensors in its handsets, as there many services and platforms run based on the technology."

3/11/17: Samsung has launched a public beta for Experience 9.0, its take on Android Oreo that will show up on 'the next Galaxy flagship', no doubt the Galaxy S9. As of 2 November, some Galaxy S8 and S8 Plus owners in the UK, US and South Korea will get to try out the next-gen UI, which comes complete with a GIF keyboard, a game mode for DeX and more flexible Samsung Cloud file storage

31/10/17: Face ID-style tech isn't the only feature the Galaxy S9 will borrow from the iPhone, as a new leak suggests that Samsung's upcoming flagship will be the first to ditch the headphone jack. TechDroider has posted sketches (below) of the upcoming smartphone, which as well as reigniting speculation that Samsung is testing an under-screen fingerprint sensor, 'confirms'' that the 3.5mm jack will be ditched.

30/10/17: The Galaxy S9's rear panel will "change a lot", according to Twitter tipster Ice Universe, who failed to elaborate on his claims. However, it's expected that Samsung will ditch the rear-facing fingerprint sensor, and there's also talk that the S9 and S9 Plus will feature a dual camera setup similar to that seen on the Galaxy Note 8. 

27/10/17: We've already heard that the Galaxy S9 likely will follow the iPhone X with baked-in Face ID-style tech, and now new rumours are claiming that the firm will also, like Apple, ditch the fingerprint scanner altogether. Reliable tipster Ice Universe has tweeted that he's "100 per cent sure" that the S9 won't have a fingerprint scanner, despite earlier speculation that the handset would be the first to feature a screen-embedded sensor. 

26/10/17: Samsung will reportedly integrate its own neural engine into the Exynos version of the Galaxy S9. The Korea Herald writes that Samsung has ploughed money into DeePhi Tech, a startup from China that specialises in neural network compression technology. Samsung is said to be interested in using this technology, which allows for instantaneous speech recognition, neural language processing and other recognition tasks on smartphones, into its upcoming flagship in a bid to improve its AI capabilities.

13/10/17: While Samsung's current Galaxy S8 and Note 8 both feature built-in iris scanners, rumours claim that Samsung will adopt iPhone X-style Face ID tech on next year's Galaxy S9. A tweet from Ice Universe, via SamMobile, claims that the firm will equip its upcoming flagship with a 3D image mapping sensor, which will be capable of scanning users' faces from all angle. There's no word yet as to whether the firm will also ditch the fingerprint scanner found on current models. 

10/10/17: Russian tipster Elder Murtazin has 'confirmed' previous rumours that Samsung will have first dibs on Qualcomm's upcoming Snapdragon 845 CPU. He said on Twitter (below, er, in Russian) that the entire first production run of the new chipset will be sold to Samsung, with other OEMs getting access to the 845 at a later date. 

4/10/17: In a hardly surprising development, SamMobile has confirmed that there will be two versions of the Galaxy S9. The site discovered two model numbers for the handset - G960FXXU0AQI5 and G965FXXU0AQI5 - the first of which allegedly belongs to the Galaxy S9, and the latter to the Galaxy S9 Plus. The report doesn't reveal much else about the upcoming flagships, but it does add weight to rumours of an early-2018 launch. 

26/9/17: Samsung is reportedly planning to follow in the footsteps of Huawei by developing a dedicated artificial intelligence (AI) chip, which could make its debut inside the Galaxy S9. The Korea Herald reports that "[Samsung] is in the middle of developing several types of chips that will be capable of processing massive data from AI applications on devices, eliminating the need to communicate with cloud servers."

19/9/17: The Galaxy S9 could pack a camera sensor capable of shooting 'super slow motion' footage at 1,000fps, according to ETNews. It reports that the camera sensor will use stacked image sensing tech similar to the Sony Xperia XZ1, with the ability to temporarily store captured images on a DRAM chip in one of the layers. Samsung will start mass producing the '3-layered image sensor' in November, according to the report. 

6/9/17: A patent (below), which has recently been approved by Korean Intellectual Property Rights Information Service, suggests that the Galaxy S9 could feature a cutout at the top of its display, similar to that expected to feature on the iPhone 8. Alternatively, the firm could be planning to introduce a notched display on a new smartphone altogether. 

18/8/17: Just days before Samsung unveils its next flagship, the Galaxy Note 8, a help load of information about the Galaxy S9 has appeared online. The first rumour comes via well-known tipster Elder Murtazin, who claims that the 2018 flagship could feature a 'MotoMod' style modular design, allowing users attach external modules via magnetic pins on the rear of the phone. Separately, a post over at Weibo claims that Samsung will be 'hoarding' 2018's initial supply of Snapdragon 835 chips for ahead of the Galaxy S9 launch.

31/7/17: Samsung has announced the 'industry's first' Cat 18 LTE modem with 6CA support, and it'll probably make its debut inside the Galaxy S9. The modem, set to go into production earlier this year, can reach download speeds of 1.2Mbps, a 20 per cent increase compared to the 1Gbps modem inside the Galaxy S8.

18/7/17: Korean news outlet The Investor is reporting that the Samsung Galaxy S9 will feature the same 5.8in display as the Galaxy S9, while the bigger S9+ will feature the same 6.2in screen as the current Galaxy S8+. The report notes that Samsung 'is likely to attempt again to feature on-screen fingerprint scanning that is missing from the S8 due to technical immaturity.'

28/6/17: Despite recent chatter that Samsung wouldn't offer a Snapdragon variant, new rumours suggest that the Galaxy S9 will use both its own 8nm Exynos chips and an as-yet-unannounced 7nm processor out of Qualcomm. The same report claims that TSMC will make the upcoming Snapdragon chip, rather than Samsung.

23/6/17: Speculation over at Weibo claims that the Galaxy S9 might not come in a Snapdragon variant, with the smartphone instead shipping only with Samsung's own Exynos 9810 processor, complete with CDMA network support. If this rumour is legit, it would mean that Qualcomm and Samsung have reached an agreement in relation to a CDMA patents issue.

12/6/17: The Galaxy S9 will be the first Samsung smartphone to boast new AMOLED screen tech codenamed 'Sunflower', according to a report at Android Headlines. Tech specs haven't yet been confirmed, but it's likely Samsung is looking to improve the display fidelity.

24/5/17: The Bell reports that production of the Galaxy S9 will likely start as soon as this year, with Samsung having settled on the codenames Star and Star 2 for the Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9+ smartphones. The report also notes that S9 and S9 Plus will have "similar specs" to the Galaxy S8 and S8 Plus, and won't feature Samsung's foldable display tech. 

21/4/17: Reports claim that Samsung and Qualcomm have started developing the so-called Snapdragon 845 processor - based on the second-gen 10nm manufacturing process - which is tipped to debut inside the Galaxy S9. 

1/4/17: Korean publication The Bell claims that Samsung has  started work on the display panel for the Galaxy S9 and S9 Pus. It doesn't say much else, but notes that the screen will be similar to that found on the Galaxy S8, and will be made available in the same 5.8in and 6.2in sizes. µ 

Source: Galaxy S9 price, release date and specs: Leaked schematics reveal new-look back panel and slimmed-down bezels