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This might be the first leaked image of Samsung’s Galaxy S9

Published Dec 14th, 2017 9:21AM EST
Galaxy S9 Release Date
Image: Zach Epstein, BGR

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The Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9+ will be the first flagship phones Samsung launches in response to Apple’s iPhone X. But the two devices seem to be iPhone 8 competitors rather than true iPhone X killers. The Galaxy S9 is described as an “S” generation of the Galaxy S8, a phone that will be quite similar to 2017’s Galaxy S phones when it comes to overall design and features.

The Galaxy S9 will get various hardware improvements, just like the iPhone 8 did compared to the iPhone 7, including better cameras. Samsung is also about to copy Apple’s strategy when it comes to phone differentiation, by equipping only the Galaxy S9+ with a dual-lens camera and encouraging users to buy the pricier model. The Galaxy S9, meanwhile, will have a single-lens camera on the back — and that handset may have just leaked for the first time.

A Weibo user posted the following image that shows the back of an unreleased Samsung device. The image has been blurred intentionally to hide identifying markings — or it’s a fake meant to pass as the real thing.

Image source: Weibo

The phone has a Samsung logo on the back right where we’d expect to find it. The camera has just one lens, as expected for the smaller Galaxy S9. Under the camera, there’s the relocated fingerprint sensor. To the right, we have the flash and heartbeat sensor. If that sounds familiar, it’s because we just saw purported Galaxy S9 schematics and user interface screenshots that showed the same design for the phone’s rear side.

Again, with all that information available online, someone could attempt to create a fake Galaxy S9 just for the sake of getting some attention. The leaker did not share the origin of the photo. The image could very well be genuine though, showing either a Galaxy S9 prototype or some other Samsung phone. Given that Samsung is expected to unveil the phone soon, we’ll probably see more image leaks that will show us whether or not today’s new rumor is the real deal.

Chris Smith Senior Writer

Chris Smith has been covering consumer electronics ever since the iPhone revolutionized the industry in 2008. When he’s not writing about the most recent tech news for BGR, he brings his entertainment expertise to Marvel’s Cinematic Universe and other blockbuster franchises.

Outside of work, you’ll catch him streaming almost every new movie and TV show release as soon as it's available.