Samsung Galaxy S9, S9+ release date news, specs rumors: Next flagship smartphone to boast major rear panel revamp

Promotional ad poster for the new Samsung Galaxy S8Facebook/SamsungMobile

The Samsung Galaxy S8 and S8+ have been in the global market for months, and it is high time for rumors about the flagship smartphone's next iteration to surface. The South Korean tech giant has not yet officially announced the details regarding the Galaxy S9 and S9+ handsets, but according to the latest reports, users should brace for a major makeover for the devices' rear panel.

As reported by Phone Arena, big change is coming for the Samsung Galaxy S9 and S9+. The news about the premium handsets' rear getting a major overhaul was first tipped by a Chinese tech insider with a Twitter handle @Universelce. This rumor is welcomed by current Galaxy S8 and S8+ users, as they are also hoping that Samsung will change the current configuration of the back panel.

To note, the Galaxy S8 and S8+ were well-received by both tech critics and regular users upon their launch earlier this year. However, many people were concerned about the new location of the fingerprint scanner, which is now mounted at the back of the device. According to Gizbot, users have been complaining that the fingerprint reader was placed too high for their index finger to reach. They still have to exert a bit of effort on their grip for the scanner to read their fingerprint. Another issue is the fingerprint scanner being placed so close to the dual camera module, as people might mistakenly touch on the lens to unlock their phone.

The full details about the rumored major revamp of the Samsung Galaxy S9 and S9+ rear panel have not been fully disclosed, although the leading guess for now is that the fingerprint reader will be removed. It is likely that the next flagship model will feature the biometric scanner's return to the front display, Value Walk reported. However, it is not expected that the scanner will be embedded right under the screen. The in-display scanner feature will only be developed by mid-2018, which is way past the Galaxy S9's early 2018 launch.

Other rumors show that top-tier Samsung Galaxy S9 and S9+ variants will receive a bump to 6GB RAM. Both devices are still expected to get the standard 128GB internal memory. The storage capacity could still be expanded by putting in a microSD card.