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Samsung Launches Galaxy S9 with Focus on Social Media
Samsung Electronics unveiled its flagship Galaxy S9 smartphone on Sunday with an emphasis on visual applications for social media, hoping to attract tech savvy young consumers to weather a market slowdown.
A hostess shows up Samsung’s new S9 (R) and S9 Plus devices after a presentation ceremony at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona,
With the global smartphone market set to stay flat or even shrink after meagre growth of one percent last year, vendors are focusing on features designed to encourage consumers to ditch their old phones earlier than they would have previously.
Samsung launched the S9 at the mobile gadget fair in Barcelona, attracting thousands of reporters to see how the world’s biggest smartphone maker could innovate in a category in which the big players are technologically closer than ever.
DJ Koh, Samsung’s president of IT and mobile communications, said the most important function of a phone today was “visual communication”, and the Galaxy S9 had been designed for the visual and social generation.
It features improved cameras, an artificial intelligence-powered voice tool, and social media functions that are easier to deploy than previous offerings.
New features include an automatic super-slow motion camera setting that looks primed to show up on Instagram feeds soon, and software that turns selfies into instant emojis.
nalyst Ben Wood from CCS Insight said the S9 and larger screened S9 Plus were all about incremental gains over the S8.
“The S9 underlines the dilemma all leading smartphone makers are facing. Innovation in smartphones has plateaued and now it is all about marginal gains be that screen technology, camera features and processing power,” he said.
“This is potentially a tough sell for Samsung but the real goal of the S9 is making an already good product even better as Samsung takes the fight to Apple,” he said.
Huawei Technologies, Samsung’s Chinese rival which ranked third globally in sales last year, launched a notebook PC and two Android tablets earlier on Sunday. It is launching its new flagship in Paris next month.
“With the absence of any flagship smartphone announcement from any of its major competitors, Samsung had a great marketing window of opportunity to claim leadership in the high-end smartphone market, coming back in the race with Apple’s iPhone X,” said Forrester analyst Thomas Husson.
But he expected Huawei to launch a highly competitive new smartphone differentiated by the use of more advanced Artificial Intelligence technologies and more aggressive pricing.
“To truly lead the space, I continue to believe Samsung must accelerate its transition towards more content, services, software innovation and partnerships,” he said.
Samsung’s AI-powered Bixby service allows S9 users to point its camera to translate a foreign-language sign, without having to swipe through menus or choose settings every time.
Samsung also plans to boost smartphone accessories such as wireless chargers and mobile docking station that allows smartphone features on desktop, a senior Samsung executive said.
Younghee Lee, head of Samsung’s Marketing for the Mobile Business, declined to provide a sales forecast for the S9.
Research firm Counterpoint forecasts it will sell 43 million sets in 2018, 23 percent more than the 35 million S8 models shipped last year.
Global smartphone sales saw an unprecedented decline of 9 percent in the fourth quarter, averaging 2017 growth to just 1 percent, a far cry from growth of about 40 percent between 2011 and 2015, according to research provider Strategy Analytics.
While Samsung kept its supremacy over Apple Inc (AAPL.O) with about 21 percent of market share, Counterpoint says, it faces tough competition after it lost ground in markets such as India, China and Western Europe in the fourth quarter.
Chinese rivals such as Huawei and Xiaomi Inc are making major inroads in these markets, aided by strong sales of affordable products that boast many high-end features and sturdy design.
Lee said Samsung’s huge scale and its “agility to listen and learn” ensured it would continue to grow in China and India.
The two versions of the Galaxy S9 have 6.2-inch (15.8 cm) and 5.8-inch wrap-around screens, and will go on sale on March 16 in most countries.
MTN Champs Season 3 Lagos Continental Relays concluded on April 12, 2025, with a vibrant closing ceremony at the Yabatech Sports Complex.
This event marked a historic moment in Nigerian athletics, featuring the debut of the Olympics-approved mixed relays and showcasing exceptional talent across various track and field events.
The final day was a blend of intense competition and entertainment, drawing families, friends, and MTN Nigeria staff to the stands. Guests enjoyed music, games, and the much-anticipated MTN Staff Relays, where teams from different departments competed for medals and bragging rights. The Innovators emerged victorious, clinching gold in both male and female categories.
MTN executives also joined the fun, participating in 50m sprints and emphasizing the importance of physical activity. Chief Human Resources Officer, Esther Akinnukawe, highlighted the company’s Go M.A.D (Make A Difference) campaign, encouraging individuals to stay active and impactful in their fields.
The Lagos Continental Relays attracted over 2,500 entries from 155 schools, with participants competing in four age categories: Cadet (U-14), Youth (U-17), Junior (U-20), and Senior. The event not only celebrated athletic excellence but also reinforced MTN’s commitment to nurturing future Olympians and building a legacy of sports development in Nigeria.
Season 3 of MTN Champs continues with the grand finale scheduled to take place in Uyo at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium from April 30 to May 3.
MTN Group, Africa’s leading telecommunications provider, has joined forces with Meta to improve the quality and reliability of voice and video calls on real-time calling applications such as WhatsApp across 12 MTN markets.
The collaboration, which began at the Mobile World Congress (MWC) 2024, focuses on optimizing application-aware networks and network-aware applications to deliver a seamless and high-quality user experience. By leveraging data analytics and conducting comprehensive testing, MTN and Meta have successfully developed solutions that enhance the interaction between mobile networks and real-time calling applications.
Nigeria, MTN’s largest market, was the first to implement these enhancements. Early results indicate a remarkable 50% improvement in key performance indicators (KPIs), significantly enhancing the user experience for MTN Nigeria mobile users.
“This implementation further demonstrates our commitment to enhancing our customers’ digital experience.
“We’re pleased with the remarkable improvement in our real-time communication services, reflecting our commitment to innovative customer solutions,” said Yahaya Ibrahim, Chief Technology Officer (CTO) at MTN Nigeria.
Diego Marí, Head of Network Ecosystems Engineering at Meta, added, “The collaboration allows us to deploy advanced solutions for an unparalleled real-time experience in Nigeria and showcases our dedication to elevating service quality and improving user experience, while striving for continued efficiency in traffic delivery.”
The partnership underscores MTN and Meta’s shared vision of delivering cutting-edge solutions to enhance digital communication across Africa.
Rack Centre, West Africa’s premier Tier III carrier and cloud-neutral data centre, has unveiled its state-of-the-art 12MW IT Load Data Centre, the LGS2, in Lagos, Nigeria.
This innovative facility is set to redefine the digital landscape of Nigeria, offering unparalleled infrastructure, scalability, and reliability.
Speaking at the official commissioning on April 10, 2025, Rack Centre’s Chairman, Maher Jarmakani, emphasized the company’s dedication to innovation and sustainability.
He highlighted the LGS2 facility’s role in providing uninterrupted, energy-efficient solutions for enterprises, cloud providers, and financial institutions, reinforcing Rack Centre’s pivotal role in Nigeria’s digital transformation.
“This facility exemplifies our commitment to powering the nation’s digital future,” Jarmakani stated.
Governor of Lagos State, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, represented by his Deputy Chief of Staff, Sam Egube, praised the milestone during his keynote address.
He described the LGS2 facility as a cornerstone in Lagos’s journey toward becoming a globally competitive digital hub.
Sanwo-Olu also commended Rack Centre for prioritizing sustainability and energy efficiency in the centre’s design.
Rack Centre’s CEO, Lars Johannisson, expressed gratitude to the Lagos State Government for fostering an enabling environment to support the company’s vision.
Johannisson described the facility as a symbol of Nigeria’s commitment to cutting-edge technology, sustainable digitisation, and artificial intelligence.
He noted that with the LGS2 operational, Rack Centre’s data centre capacity would increase eightfold, solidifying its leadership in sub-Saharan Africa’s digital infrastructure space.
As a key player in Nigeria’s digital ecosystem, Rack Centre continues to connect people, businesses, and ideas, driving technological progress and cementing its legacy as a trailblazer in Africa’s digital economy.
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