Samsung Galaxy S9 Release Date News Suggests Firmware Development For Two Models

Murmurs about the Galaxy S9 have been circulating for some time, but the most recent reports indicate Samsung has begun development on firmware for two models of its 2018 flagship, SamMobile reported Friday.

The firmware numbers G960FXXU0AQI5 and G965FXXU0AQI5 hint that Samsung will once again release two Galaxy S smartphones in 2018, likely the Galaxy S9 and the Galaxy S9+. The firmware Samsung is reportedly developing would likely be a new version of its Samsung Experience UI, which would be custom for the Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9+.

The firmware numbers also reveal the model numbers of the devices as SM-G960 and SM-G965. These numbers fall in step with model numbers for older S line devices. The Galaxy S8 has the model number SM-G950 and the Galaxy S8+ has the model number SM-G955, for example.

While no details about the Galaxy S9 are confirmed by Samsung, several reports have suggested some interesting specs for the device. Another recent report claims the Galaxy S9 may feature a camera sensor that can shoot up to 1,000 frames per second, which would enable high-quality slow-motion video capture on the device.

Recent news also indicates Samsung may soon begin producing AI chips to advance the Bixby technology on the Galaxy S8 and Galaxy Note 8. In turn, the Galaxy S9 may also benefit from advanced AI features.

It is possible the Galaxy S9 may feature a Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 chip, rear-facing fingerprint sensor and Android 8.0 Oreo out of the box.

Early rumors played with the idea of Samsung releasing the Galaxy S9 as early as January during CES; however, this is unlikely. There is no release date pegged for the device at this time, but the Galaxy S9 may have a release cycle similar to the Galaxy S8, which was announced March 29 and released to market April 21.