Samsung Galaxy S9

Samsung released its latest flagship smartphones known as the Galaxy S9 and S9+ on March 11, 2018. The Galaxy S9 is considered an incremental upgrade from the Galaxy S8, but consumers that buy the newer device will especially notice that the cameras have been substantially upgraded.

The most notable specifications in the Galaxy S9 and S9+ include a dual aperture camera, AR Emoji, a change in the fingerprint reader positioning and a second camera lens on the S9+. And as a follow up to my Galaxy S8 tips from 2017, Galaxy S7 tips from 2016 and Galaxy S6 tips from 2015, here are some of the best Samsung Galaxy S9 and S9+ tips that you should know about.
1.) AR Emoji

One of the best Galaxy S9 and S9+ features is AR Emoji. The AR Emoji feature can create an avatar version of yourself and it can be modified with different attributes like the expressions, hair color and glasses style. You can set up AR Emoji by opening the camera app, switching to the front-facing camera and tapping AR Emoji from the selections at the top. After you take the photo, then tap through the options that pop up.
2.) Adjust Screen Resolution

Change screen resolution on the Galaxy S9 and S9+Samsung

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The Galaxy S9 has the same 5.8-inch size 3K Quad HD+ OLED Infinity Display and resolution (2960 x 1440) as last year’s Galaxy S8. However, the Galaxy S9 is superior to its predecessor when considering the color accuracy, the brightness, outdoor visibility and reflectivity.
The Galaxy S9 resolution defaults to the lower 2220 x 1080 pixels (FHD+) resolution in order to conserve battery life. If you are constantly charging your device, then I recommend changing your screen resolution to the higher WQHD+ at 2960 x 1440. Or you can reduce the resolution to HD+ at 1480 x 720. You can control this by going to Settings > Display > Screen resolution.
3.) Adjust Touch Sensitivity

A Galaxy S9 user touching the screenSamsung

In case you have a screen protector on your device, you can increase the touch sensitivity of your device. This can be done by going to Settings > Advanced features > Touch Sensitivity.
4.) Bixby Brings Insights To Your Surroundings

The Samsung Bixby digital assistant has been deeply integrated into the Galaxy S9 camera. And it utilizes augmented reality and deep learning to offer users real-time information about the world.
As users point their camera at objects, Bixby will recognize what you are looking at and show information layered on top of it. This includes a Live Translation function within the Bixby Text mode. Bixby instantly translates signs and menus written in foreign languages and currencies.
When you have the camera app open, tap the Bixby Vision button in the lower-left corner. Then hold the phone up to the text that you want to translate and tap the T button. This will convert the foreign language into English or the other default language that your S9 is set to.
You can control this feature by going to More Options under Bixby Home > My Bixby.
5.) Control The Screen Color Balance

Galaxy S9 screenSamsung

There are four different screen modes for controlling the Galaxy S9 and S9+ display. This includes an adaptive display, AMOLED cinema, AMOLED photo and Basic. And you can also control the temperature by activating the advanced options and adjusting the RGB spectrum. This feature is located under Settings > Display > Screen mode.
6.) Conserve Your Battery

Galaxy S9 battery conservationSamsung

You can use the Device Maintenance features in the Galaxy S9 and S9+ to prevent your battery from quickly draining. There are a few ways to control the battery settings in order to optimize the battery life by going to Settings > Device maintenance > Battery.
The Battery Usage section allows you to view details of the battery usage by item. For example, the Power saving mode allows you to extend battery life by selecting a power saving mode (OFF/MID/MAX). And the estimated remaining battery life for each mode is shown.
The App Power Monitor feature puts apps to sleep so they do not use battery power when it is not being used.
And Unmonitored apps allow you to select apps to exclude from being put to sleep by the App power monitor. And you can configure the advanced battery settings under More Options > Advanced settings.
7.) Create Secure Folders

Creating secure folders on the Galaxy S9Samsung

With the Galaxy S9 and S9+, you can create Secure Folders for apps that contain sensitive information. To set up a Secure Folder, you can go to Settings > Lock screen and security > Secure Folder.
Then you would have to access the secure folder with your PIN number, pattern or password. The iris and fingerprint scanner can also be used for opening the folder.
8.) Customizing The Messages App

Custom Messages appSamsung

Samsung allows you to customize the Messages display. Specifically, you can customize the way Messages appear by changing the theme on your phone and adjusting the font settings.
To change the Themes on your phone, touch and hold an empty area from a Home screen. And then you can view all the themes by tapping on “View All.” Then select the theme of your choice and touch Apply.
And to download themes, touch and hold an empty area from the Home screen and then tap on Themes. Then swipe up to view the available themes and select the one you want to download and tap on "Download."
9.) Dual Bluetooth

Dual BluetoothSamsung

The Galaxy S9 and S9+ have Bluetooth 5.0 as a specification. So this means that you can pair two Bluetooth headsets at a time to it. This makes it easier to watch movies or listen to music at the same time. You can pair the two sets of headphones in the Bluetooth settings and activate “Dual Audio.”
10.) Dual Messenger

If you have multiple accounts on Facebook, Messenger, WhatsApp, Skype, Viber, WhatsApp and Snapchat, then you might find the Dual Messenger feature in the Galaxy S9 useful. You can a download a second version of the same app so you can easily switch between your accounts. This can be set up by going to Settings > Advanced features > Dual Messenger. You may have also seen this feature on the Note8.
11.) Heart Load Factor

Samsung Health appSamsung

Samsung first added a heart rate monitor to its Galaxy flagships when it introduced the Galaxy S5 a few years ago. And the Galaxy S9 has a blood pressure reading known as the “heart load factor.”
The heart load factor is a wellness feature that provides insights about your blood pressure. Samsung also shows your stress levels so you can make decisions to lower your blood pressure. Plus Samsung has partnered with UCSF to share blood pressure information. This feature is located in the Samsung app folder > Samsung Health > HLF.
12.) Home Screen In Horizontal Mode

Home Screen in horizontal modeSamsung

Now you can view your Home screen, app icons and app drawer in a horizontal mode. You can turn this on or off by going to Settings > Display > Home screen > Portrait mode only.
13.) Live Focus And Background Blur

The Galaxy S9+ Dual Camera has a pair of 12-megapixel cameras: one with a f/1.5 wide-angle lens with Super Speed Dual Pixel image sensor and the other with a f/2.4 telephoto lens. Plus the Dual Camera system has dual optical image stabilization (OIS). This camera hardware facilitates two notable features in the Galaxy S9+, which are Live Focus and Background Blur.
The Live Focus feature allows users to adjust the depth of field at any point in the photo-taking process. And the Background Blur feature also allows users to apply shapes like hearts, stars and twinkles to the photo background.
14.) Managing The Biometrics

Samsung has more biometrics than other devices as it supports facial recognition (Intelligent Scan), fingerprint reading and iris scanning. To manage all of them, go to the Intelligent Scan under Settings > Lock screen and security > Screen lock type.
15.) Manually Control The Camera Aperture

One of the signature features in the Galaxy S9 and S9+ is the Dual Aperture cameras, which can adapt to the environment you are in whether it is very sunny or very dark. However, you can manually control the aperture setting by switching to the Pro mode, swiping left twice and tapping on the aperture icon.
When using the camera in landscape mode, you will notice a button at the bottom of the screen that tells you which aperture setting is currently active. This area also allows you to switch back and forth between f/1.5 and f/2.4.
16.) Multitasking With Split Screen

Multi Window feature on the Galaxy S9Samsung

In the Galaxy S9 and S9+, you can split the screen in order to use two apps at the same time. First, you will have to make sure that the “Pop-up view action” is enabled in the Multi-Window menu.
Then you will have to tap on the “View recently used apps” button. Swipe upwards or downwards and select the multi-window icon on the recent app window. That app will launch in the upper window. And then select you would select another app to open in the lower window.
17.) Respond To Text Messages Without Leaving An App

Samsung's Messages appSamsung

Samsung added the ability to respond to text messages without leaving the app you are currently viewing. When you receive a text message, you simply have to swipe down to expand the window. And after responding, you simply close the window. The edge of the phone will light up when you receive the message.
18.) Selfie Focus

Samsung's Jonathan Wong using the selfie mode on the Galaxy S9 event at MWCSamsung

The Galaxy S9 has a Selfie Focus mode, which uses software to blur the background. This feature is similar to the Portrait Mode on the iPhone X. You can set this feature up on the Galaxy S9 by opening the selfie camera and tapping on “Selfie Focus.”
19.) Setting Up One-Handed Mode

One-Handed ModeSamsung

With the Galaxy S9 and S9+, you can set up One-Handed Mode. This feature makes the display smaller so that you can use one hand to get things done. This can be done by going to Settings > Advanced Features > One Handed Mode.
20.) Super Slow Motion

The Galaxy S9 and S9+ enables users to record videos in Super Slow Motion so you can capture moments that are fun to watch at different speeds. The Super Slow Motion feature increases the camera shutter speed to 960 fps (frames per second) and can record video four times slower than other slow-motion mobile technology. After the slow-mo video is recorded, you can save it as a GIF, add music to it and display it as a wallpaper on the Home and lock screen.
21.) Turn Dolby Atmos On And Off

The Samsung Galaxy S9 has Dolby Atmos technology that offers 360-degree sound, but it is turned off by default. And you can turn it on by pulling down the quick notification settings. This feature is powered by AKG-tuned stereo speakers at the bottom of the device.
Within the Dolby Atmos menu, there are four modes. There is an Auto mode that optimizes the sound for whatever you are listening to; a Movie mode to deliver the best audio for films, shows and videos; a Music mode that makes “your music sound richer, fuller and more balanced”; and Voice to make voices loud and clear.
22.) Use Samsung DeX For Larger Displays

Another useful feature on the Galaxy S9 and S9+ is Samsung DeX. Samsung DeX allows users to set up a full-screen desktop experience using your Galaxy S9 and S9+ via the DeX platform. Samsung DeX transforms the Galaxy S9 display into a Touch Keyboard and Touch Pad.

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