We have obtained some information about Samsung’s next flagship smartphone. The company has started Galaxy S9 firmware development. The version numbers confirm that there will be two models, which means that we can expect a Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9+ to be released in 2018.

Galaxy S9 firmware development begins

Two separate Galaxy S9 firmware are being developed, G960FXXU0AQI5 and G965FXXU0AQI5. The model numbers of Samsung’s next flagship smartphones have therefore been confirmed as well. The Galaxy S9 will be SM-G960 while the Galaxy S9+ will be SM-G965.

That’s not surprising, given that the Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8+ have model numbers SM-G950 and SM-G955 respectively. It’s interesting to note that the Galaxy S9 firmware development has started two weeks earlier than it did for the Galaxy S8 last year.

Galaxy S9 expected release date

As you can probably imagine, there will soon be a lot of rumors about the Galaxy S9 being launched ahead of schedule. While that might be the impression you get from the early Galaxy S9 firmware development, it’s just as likely that the Galaxy S9 release will take place around the same time as the Galaxy S8.

Samsung unveiled the Galaxy S8 at a dedicated event in New York City on March 29 this year. It was released in a handful of markets across the globe on April 21. Samsung might stick with the same timeframe for the Galaxy S9 release next year.

As we continue to keep an eye on the Galaxy S9 firmware development, expect more information about Samsung’s next flagship smartphones to surface in the coming weeks.