The Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9 Plus aren’t compatible with SideSync, Samsung’s solution for synchronizing its mobile devices with personal computers so as to allow users to access their messages, phonebooks, and notifications on desktops. Originally released in early 2014 as a service for Galaxy smartphones and tablets running Android 4.4 KitKat, SideSync is now being phased out of the company’s lineup and is likely to be entirely discontinued going forward, as suggested by its official listing on the firm’s website which specifically states the software is not compatible with the Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9 Plus.
The Seoul-based tech giant is planning to replace SideSync with Samsung Flow, a modernized take on the same PC-mobile synchronization concept which the company launched on a global level in early 2017, according to several users who claim to have discussed the matter with Samsung’s customer support services. Samsung Flow is now expected to add a screen mirroring option and other features for the Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9 Plus in the near future but no more details on the matter have been provided by the firm. The current version of the app supports the Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S7 lineups but can’t be downloaded on the Galaxy S9-series flagships, as seen in the screenshot below. Samsung’s latest high-end phablets also lack some other software support elements that they’re expected to receive in the coming weeks, with ARCore compatibility being one of the most prominent omissions as Google’s mobile augmented reality platform still can’t be installed on either device, at least not directly from the Play Store.
The Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9 Plus officially went on sale last Friday following a two-week pre-order period, having been commercialized in around 70 countries, whereas the two handsets are also planned to be released in 40 additional markets by the end of the month, according to Samsung. While the flagships still lack an official PC-mobile synchronization solution, they’re already capable of delivering a desktop experience via the Samsung DeX service that’s also compatible with the second-generation DeX Pad which allows them to double as touchpads while being used in that mode.