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Samsung Galaxy S9, S9+ price: how to get the best deal
Qualcomm agrees to negotiate with Broadcom; price remains a sticking point
Nokia 8110 Matrix phone points the way back to the future for smartphones

Samsung Galaxy S9, S9+ price: how to get the best deal

Posted: 26 Feb 2018 07:00 AM PST

The Samsung Galaxy S9 and S9+ have a new camera with Super Slow-mo video, low light capability and AR Emoji for a more personalized way to express yourself. Josmar Taveras

Samsung's new Galaxy S9 and S9+ are official, and now we have the pricing.

More: Samsung Galaxy S9 promises better camera, super slow-mo, and an answer for animojis

While they aren't $1,000 like the iPhone X, the price of either the S9 or S9+ — featuring a radically improved camera, speedier Snapdragon 845 processor and stereo speakers — is not cheap.

All of the main U.S. wireless carriers will offer the phone for pre-order on March 2 before selling them on March 16. But each carrier's pricing is different.

Here's a pricing breakdown and some suggestions on how to save.

AT&T

AT&T is offering the Galaxy S9 for $26.34 per month when purchased on its 30-month installment payment plan. The S9+ will run $30.50 per month over the same the 30-month period.

As of this writing, AT&T has not revealed the monthly installment pricing if purchased on its shorter 18-month or 24-month plan or the full retail price. Though rough math puts the Galaxy S9 at $790.20 and the Galaxy S9+ at $915.

AT&T has also not revealed if it will be offering any special trade-in offers for users looking to upgrade from an older device.

Verizon

Verizon will sell the Galaxy S9 for $33.33 per month when purchased on its 24-month payment plan. The Galaxy S9+ is $38.74 per month for 24 months. The retail price for those looking to pay the full price upfront will be $799.99 for the S9 and $929.99 for the S9+.

This is slightly pricier than what AT&T's charging, but Verizon is offering up to $350 off when you trade in your current device (the exact value will vary based on the device and the condition it's in).

If you're switching to Verizon from a different carrier you'll be able to save an additional $150.

T-Mobile

At launch, the Galaxy S9 will run $30 per month for 24 months on T-Mobile's installment plan. The larger Galaxy S9+ will run the same $30 per month for 24 months but will require you to pay $120 upfront.

This breaks down to $720 for the Galaxy S9 or $840 for the S9+, both sizeable discounts compared to what AT&T and Verizon charge. Those looking to save even more can do so by trading in their current phone for up to an additional $360 off (again, the exact value will vary based on which device it is and the condition it is in).

Sprint

Sprint's pricing for Galaxy S9 and S9+ will be very similar to Verizon and AT&T's. The Galaxy S9 will cost $792, or $33 per month for 24 months on Sprint's installment plan. The Galaxy S9+ will cost $912, or $38 per month for 24 months.

Like Verizon, Sprint customers will be able to save up to $350 off the cost of the S9 if they trade in their current phone.

Beyond the carriers

The wireless carriers won't be the only ones offering deals on the new S9 phones. Best Buy will be offering up to $350 off the price of the Galaxy S9 if you buy it from them and trade in your current phone. The retail giant is also throwing in an extra $100 off for those who pre-order the device on March 2 on an AT&T, Verizon or Sprint plan.

This adds up to a nice $450 discount for those who want to upgrade to Samsung's latest as soon as possible.

Samsung will also be offering its own trade-in deals of up to $350 off the purchase of a new S9 with a trade-in of an older device. The S9 will be $30 per month for 24 months if bought on a payment plan from Samsung or $719.99 if you want to pay the full price upfront. The larger Galaxy S9+ is available for either $35 per month for 24 months or $839.99.

When purchased from Samsung both devices will arrive unlocked, allowing you to use them on any carrier and internationally. Couple that with the cheaper price and trade-in and the Samsung store may be the best place to buy the new Galaxies.

Follow Eli Blumenthal on Twitter @eliblumenthal

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Qualcomm agrees to negotiate with Broadcom; price remains a sticking point

Posted: 26 Feb 2018 07:05 AM PST

Qualcomm's leaders have been living in an "ivory tower," Barish said, and with more imagination and flexibility, they could have found a way to structure the business so the licensing unit didn't upset customers such as Apple. Still, he said, Broadcom's current offer is an attempt to "steal" Qualcomm and he can't support it.

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Nokia 8110 Matrix phone points the way back to the future for smartphones

Posted: 26 Feb 2018 07:41 AM PST

It says a lot about the state of the smartphone industry that one of the devices making the biggest splash at this year's Mobile World Congress is a banana-yellow feature phone paying homage to a 1999 handset.

The Nokia 8110 4G is an updated version of the iconic slider phone that featured in The Matrix. It was dubbed the 'banana phone' because of its unusual shape, and the new model happily plays on that by coming in bright yellow as well as a more Matrix-like black.

The phone packs 4G but runs KaiOS rather than Android (which means that while you'll get Snake you won't get that many other apps on that 2.4-inch screen). It's a fun device and at €79, or about $100, it could be a surprise hit with nostalgia fans and those looking for a basic handset with a little more elegance.

Apart from the rejuvenated Matrix-phone, four other Nokia handsets running Android were unveiled at at MWC: a new flagship, the Nokia 8 Sirocco, and the Nokia 7 Plus, Nokia 6 and entry-level Nokia 1.

Nokia was once a mobile phone titan, not only shipping in vast quantities but also well known for its audacious design. However, the Finnish company never really managed to make the transition to smartphones and was overtaken by faster rivals like Apple and Samsung. Nokia sold its smartphone business to Microsoft, but even the Lumia range of Windows phones couldn't turn the unit's fortunes around, and Microsoft effectively exited the smartphone business after a couple of years.

But there's still a lot of goodwill -- particularly in Europe -- for the Nokia brand, and for the company's approach to industrial design. For Nokia, the hardware was never the problem: it was iOS and Android that it couldn't beat.

Nokia phones are now made under licence by Finnish startup HMD, which continues to put design at the heart of its brand strategy. And with a spread of devices from a €749 flagship to a €79 piece of nostalgia, HMD is serious about covering the market.

High-end Nokia phones run Android, and because HMD is part of Google's Android One programme this means leaving Android pretty much untouched -- no additional design flourishes (which users mostly hate) or additional features (which mostly just eat up battery life).

Despite only starting selling smartphones in the second half of the year, HMD is challenging existing players like HTC. Ian Fogg, senior director at IHS Markit said that given that the company only started shipping models internationally at the very end of Q2, its smartphone volumes in 2017 amounted to more on an annualized basis than brands such as Sony or Lenovo.

Nobody buys an Android phone because of vendors' tweaks to Google's software. That's no longer a competitive differentiator for smartphones: you either buy Android or iOS. The smartphone industry has been running out of ideas for some time, which is exactly why a nostalgia play like the Nokia 8110 4G is working.

Cameras are where the competition is now: nobody wants to waste their time taking bad photos. That's why HMD bringing back the much-loved Pro Camera mode in handsets with Zeiss optics is going to be welcomed by fans.

But I think industrial design is returning as a competitive differentiator too -- especially as curved, then bendy, then foldable screens become a reality. Nokia's banana-phone might be a bit of fun (I can't see many people adopting it as their business device of choice), but as new materials become available we might see that spirit of playfulness returning to smartphones. In which case, HMD could be well positioned to exploit it.

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