26/11/2018
Samsung is ready to bring the Galaxy A9 (2018) to India this month. The company has sent out invites for the launch of the mid-range smartphone on Tuesday, November 20. The Galaxy A9 comes a few weeks after the Galaxy A7 (2018), which is the company’s first phone with a triple camera setup. The Galaxy A9 is perhaps even more attention-grabbing as it is the world’s first smartphone with four rear cameras. The Galaxy A9 was first announced in Malaysia last month at 599 euros (approx Rs 51,300).
When the Galaxy A9 comes to India, we expect the price tag to be well below the Rs 50,000 mark. Reports from earlier this month suggest the device could come at a price of Rs 39,999 or even lower, which would help it compete against other mid-range phones like the OnePlus 6T and Honor 10, among others. Samsung knows the competition is pretty stiff, and so the company will hope some of the Galaxy A9's unique features will help it stand out from the crowd.
Quad cameras
Undoubtedly, the biggest highlight about the Galaxy A9 (2018) is the array of four cameras vertically set on the rear panel. This is the world’s first phone to come with a quad-camera setup, so expectations are pretty high. Samsung has been introducing new and unique features on its Galaxy A series phones to help it stand out in a competitive market and improve its sales. It is important that the cameras deliver their potential and aren’t simply there as a gimmick.
The Galaxy A9’s quad camera system includes a 24MP main sensor with f/1.7 aperture, an 8MP 120-degree ultra wide-angle lens with f/2.4 aperture, a 10MP telephoto lens with 2x optical zoom and a 5MP depth sensor. Most of the cameras here are similar to what you get on the Galaxy A7 (2018). The zoom lens is the addition here that will allow for sharper zoomed in photos.
I briefly checked out the cameras of the Galaxy A9 last month during the launch event and found photos to look pretty sharp and bright in indoor settings. The camera app is loaded with features Live Focus, Beauty, Super Slow-Mo and Scene Optimiser, among others. It also allows you to quickly switch between standard lens, wide-angle lens and 2X optical zoom by tapping the appropriate leaf icon on the bottom.
Gradient design
The quad-camera setup isn’t the only new feature Samsung is trying out. The new Galaxy A9 also comes with a fresh gradient colour scheme on the back that is offered in Bubblegum Pink and Lemonade Blue. It makes the device looks a lot different than what we have come to expect from a Samsung phone. In fact, the gradient colours reminds us of phones like the Huawei Mate 20 Pro or Honor 10. It is no doubt Samsung’s way to attract a more youthful demographic that have been accustomed to gradient designs from competition brands.
The new design language does make the Galaxy A9 (2018) look attractive. Add to that, the glass on the back curves around the edges and into the metal frame, giving it a Galaxy S9-like comfortable and premium in-hand feel. It’s not uncommon to find these design elements on premium mid-range phones. The Honor 10 and OnePlus 6T both offer all-glass bodies with gradient colours, so it will be interesting to see how consumers react to the Galaxy A9.
Octa-core chipset
The Galaxy A9 (2018) was announced last month with an octa-core Snapdragon 660 chipset. This is a terrific mid-range chipset and we have seen it power and run smoothly on devices like the Nokia 7 Plus, Xiaomi Mi A2 and the Realme 2 Pro. Unless Samsung decides to go with an Exxon’s chip for the Indian market, the Snapdragon 660 SoC should help the Galaxy A9 offer a snappy experience all around.
The counter argument here is that the Galaxy A9 (2018) will be a pretty expensive SD660 phone even if Samsung manages to bring its price down to Rs 35,999. In this price segment, you have phones like the OnePlus 6T running a flagship Snapdragon 845 chip. Even cheaper phones like the Asus ZenFone 5Z and Poco F1 run Qualcomm’s 2018 flagship processor, and this is something Samsung is well aware of.
The company has been losing its ground in emerging markets like India because it is unable to competitively price its devices. This is why Samsung is trying to introduce unique features like a quad-camera system on the Galaxy A9 (2018). Everything really hinges on how good the four cameras on the Galaxy A9 are compared to typical dual camera phones or even Samsung’s own triple-camera Galaxy A7 (2018).
