Samsung Galaxy S9 with an iPhone X-like design and model number SM-8850 to launch in China. (Image source: Sammobile via TENNA.
While we are seeing leaks take place about the Samsung Galaxy Note 9, it looks like the story of the Galaxy S9 is not yet over. Samsung could be planning to launch new Galaxy S9 smartphone specifically for the China market with a design like the iPhone X. It looks like this new Galaxy S9, which has a flat display and a vertically placed rear camera has already been spotted on TENAA, which is China’s certification website.
According to SamMobile, which is known for its reports on Samsung devices, has given details of this new Galaxy S9 variant. The report notes that this particular Galaxy S9 smartphone will be specifically for the China market and that this is not the Galaxy S9 mini as was previously thought. This is a entirely new variant of the Galaxy S9, which will have the model number SM-G8850 with an iPhone-X like camera.
The report points out the phone was spotted earlier on the TENAA website, and is now been listed in full by the Chinese certification authority. Images of the phone along has also been shared by the website. From the back, this looks pretty much like the iPhone X with the vertically placed rear camera on one corner. In comparison, the Galaxy S9 has a single rear camera placed vertically at the back of the device. The S9+ also has a dual rear camera, but it is a bigger module than the one see on this version of Galaxy S9.
SamMobile also points out that this particular Galaxy S9 will have a flat display which will still be 5.8-inches in size. The curved edges which are the highlight of the Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9+ smartphones will be missing from the new variant. The report speculates this could be Samsung’s attempt to gain some ground in China, where it has lost place to Chinese players like Huawei, Oppo, vivo, Xiaomi. The South-Korean technology giant is no longer in the top five smartphone manufacturers in China.There’s also a chance this phone could be exclusive to a China telecom carrier.
Other specifications of the Galaxy S9 SM-G8850 variant are Exynos 9810 processor clocked at 2.8Ghz, 3,000 mAh battery, Android 8.0. It will continue with a 8MP front camera. The rear camera is 12MP+12MP like the bigger Galaxy S9+, but in a design similar to the iPhone X. We will have to wait and see till this phone launches officially to see what the device is called. Samsung could restrict it to the China market and not bring it to other global markets like India.