The Galaxy S9 series won’t adopt 21:9 displays like some rumors previously claimed, Dutch tech blog Galaxy Club reported Friday, citing insiders with knowledge of the matter. While Samsung’s upcoming Android flagships are expected to sport even smaller bezels than the Galaxy S8 lineup and the South Korean original equipment manufacturer is said to be aiming for a screen-to-body ratio north of 90 percent, it isn’t seeking to accomplish that goal by elongating the display panels of the Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9 Plus even further. The claim is in line with some supposed early sightings of the two handsets which are expected to succeed the 5.8-inch and 6.2-inch screens of the Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8 Plus.
By most accounts, the Infinity Display panels of Samsung’s next pair of high-end mobile devices will offer the same aspect ratio and resolution that their QHD+ predecessors did, though their peak brightness and color reproduction may be improved, with the modules themselves also possibly being even more energy-efficient than what the company implemented into its 2017 flagships. None of the previous rumors claiming the lineup will sport 21:9 screens came from any credible sources and such a move also wouldn’t correspond with Samsung’s own statements on its long-term product strategy, with the company repeatedly saying that the 18.5:9 aspect ratio is here to stay. The bezel-free, Infinity Display-oriented design of Samsung’s premium phones is now expected to trickle down to the company’s mid-range lineup, with the Galaxy A (2018) series being heavily rumored to feature it, so ditching the aesthetic in favor of a new one only a year after introducing it wouldn’t be in line with tech giant’s intentions to eventually transition all of its Android handsets to the new image format.
Speculation of 21:9 displays being the future of the mobile industry has been making the rounds for a while now, albeit concerns about the overall usability of such screens still haven’t been put to rest. Even Samsung’s 18.5:9 format is pushing the envelope in this regard, with some consumers finding the Galaxy S8 Plus and Galaxy Note 8 plus to be hardly usable when held in one hand. Samsung’s one-handed mode was meant to alleviate these issues but critics remain insistent that such a solution partially defeats the purpose of buying a large-screen device in the first place. The Galaxy S9 series should launch around MWC 2018 which is kicking off in late February and is unlikely to make an appearance at CES, as Samsung said earlier this week.