The smartphone competition is getting tighter by the minute, with Apple recently unveiling the powerful iPhone 8 and iPhone X handsets. As for Samsung, they will be given another time to shine early next year with the launch of the Galaxy S9. However, if the rumors are anything to go by, the public can expect an earlier release of the top-end mobile device.

According to Tech Radar, the Samsung Galaxy S9 might be released as early as January 2018. The smartphone is expected to be released around two months earlier than usual, given that this year's Samsung Galaxy S8 and S8+ smartphones were revealed in March.

The reason behind the early release of Samsung Galaxy S9 is the reported shipping of organic light-emitting diode (OLED) displays for the device this November. Based on the production schedule of Galaxy S8, the OLED displays were only shipped in January, thus having a two-month interval until the smartphone launch in March. With the Galaxy S9, it is estimated that the device will be ready by January next year.

Meanwhile, BGR stated that the Samsung Galaxy S9 might have a problem standing out when it is finally released. For one, the Galaxy S8 already introduced some of the most groundbreaking features from the South Korean tech company, including the Infinite Display feature.

Although, the Galaxy S9 is expected to outclass its predecessor with its powerful chipset, the Snapdragon 845 system-on-chip (SoC). The upcoming processor from Qualcomm is said to be faster and more power-efficient than the current Snapdragon 835.

For now, it appears that the biggest rival of Samsung Galaxy S9 next year would be the iPhone X. Taking the spotlight away from Apple's 10th-anniversary flagship phone will be quite of a challenge, but there is hope that the Galaxy S9 will create a huge impact as well.

Blasting News reported that Samsung is targeting to launch their first foldable smartphone next year. The company plans to introduce the bendable handset under the Galaxy Note brand, although there is a chance that this feature might also be applied to the new S-series model.