Samsung's next big smartphone release is the subject of countless rumors. But some critical details might have just been revealed.
Alleged schematics for Samsung's upcoming Galaxy S9 have been leaked on Chinese microblogging site Weibo, according to TechRadar, which obtained a copy of them. And if the schematics are real, there's a chance that Samsung's Galaxy S9 might not be as different from the Galaxy S8 as previous believed.
For one, the Galaxy S9 in the schematics shows a slimmed-down bezel that should allow for more screen real estate. It also comes with a curved display and a fingerprint sensor that's been moved from next to the rear camera to below it. Speaking of the rear camera, the schematics suggest Samsung's Galaxy S9 will have a single rear-facing camera lens. That lines up with reports that the Galaxy S9+ would offer a dual-lens array and not the Galaxy S9.
MORE: Samsung Galaxy S9 Rumors: Everything You Need to Know
On the sizing front, not much has changed. However, because the Galaxy S9 has slimmer bezels than the Galaxy S8, the upcoming handset is slightly shorter than this year's model, according to the report.
Beyond that, not much has changed. If these schematics are real, it would suggest that Samsung would use about the same design as what it offers in the Galaxy S8, but would deliver slight refinement to make its screen front and center.
Notably, the schematics don't suggest that Samsung is planning a virtual fingerprint sensor, despite reports that an in-screen sensor will land on at least one flagship in 2018. There's also no detail on whether the face scanner would be of the 3D variety that would help it compete with Apple's Face ID or something closer to this year's 2D face scanner in the Galaxy S8.
Ultimately, we don't know for sure whether the schematics are real, and it's not hard to fake them and throw rumormongers offer the scent. But the details tend to line up with many of the Galaxy S9 rumors we've been hearing in recent weeks, and with Samsung reportedly planning to offer the device in early 2018, we'll know soon enough whether this is the real deal.
