Samsung Turns to Gold to Get You to Buy a Galaxy S9

If you've been holding out on buying a Galaxy S9 since that phone debuted in March, Samsung hopes the glitter of gold will be enough for you to finally commit to the new phone.

(Image credit: The Galaxy S9 in Sunrise Gold (Credit: Samsung))

A Sunrise Gold version of the Galaxy S9 and S9+ debuts this Sunday (June 24). The newest color will be available only at Samsung.com and Best Buy.

The Sunrise Gold S9 brings the number of available colors to four. Previously, the S9 had been available in Midnight Black, Coral Blue and Lilac Purple.

(Image credit: Galaxy S9 lineup (Credit: Samsung))

This is the second time since the S9's initial debut that Samsung has tinkered with the flagship phone's lineup. In April, Samsung announced 128GB and 256GB versions of the S9 and S9+ after the phones had launched with just 64GB of on-board capacity.

The Sunrise Gold version will be available in 64GB, 128GB and 256GB capacities. It also costs the same as the other S9 colors: $720 for the 64GB version, $770 for the 128GB model and $840 for the 256GB phone. The S9+ in Sunrise Gold starts at $840 for the 64GB version, with the 128GB and 256GB configurations available for $890 and $960, respectively.

Samsung says that people who buy the unlocked Sunrise Gold S9 will be able to knock up to $400 off the price if they trade-in their current phone; the credit appears at time of trade-in. Details about which specific phones are eligible for trade-in aren't available, though Samsung says phones should be able to power up and hold a charge. Their screens also need to be free of cracks to fetch a higher trade-in value. Samsung also says that you'll be able to save up to $300 on select carrier models of the Sunrise Gold S9 at Best Buy, but was mum on specifics.

The Galaxy S9 reportedly got off to a slow sales start, which could explain why Samsung keeps introducing new models to the lineup. We were impressed by the S9 when we reviewed it, though Galaxy S8 owners have very little reason to upgrade, outside of the camera improvements, higher capacity and, now, the added variety of colors. For owners of older Galaxy models or other Android phones, it's an easier call, especially if gold happens to be your color.

Updated at 3:45 p.m. ET with additional info on Samsung's trade-in program.

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Philip Michaels is a Managing Editor at Tom's Guide. He's been covering personal technology since 1999 and was in the building when Steve Jobs showed off the iPhone for the first time. He's been evaluating smartphones since that first iPhone debuted in 2007, and he's been following phone carriers and smartphone plans since 2015. He has strong opinions about Apple, the Oakland Athletics, old movies and proper butchery techniques. Follow him at @PhilipMichaels.