Samsung Galaxy Note 9 is official: Here's what's new Watch Now Apple set the bar for high-priced smartphones last year with the iPhone X starting at $999. This year's Samsung Galaxy Note 9 pushed that by 99 cents to a starting price of $999.99, followed soon after by Apple's even higher priced iPhone XS Max starting at $1,099. If you want either of these new smartphones, prepare to put down more than $1,000 or else finance it through the manufacturer or your local carrier to spread the pain out over two years. The iPhone Xs Max and Galaxy Note 9 are both extremely powerful smartphones with today's highest specifications, advanced dual rear cameras, battery life that will last you at least a day, and a size that pushes the limits and requires two hands to comfortably navigate. While they may look similar on paper, they each have a slightly different focus too and you may come to prefer one over the other like I have. Also: iPhone XS Max review: The iPhone's future is big and bright Tale of the tape Specifications don't provide the complete picture regarding the capabilities of a smartphone, but they are useful for comparison purposes and to provide you with an indication on what each manufacturer is providing. Feature Apple iPhone XS Max Samsung Galaxy Note 9 Display size 6.5 inches 6.4 inches Notch Yes No Screen-to-body ratio 84.4% 83.4% Dimensions 157.5 x 77.4 x 7.7 mm 161.9 x 76.4 x 8.8 mm Weight 208 grams 201 grams Internal storage 64/256/512 GB 128/512 GB Removable storage No Yes Battery capacity 3174 mAh 4000 mAh 3.5mm headset jack No Yes Stereo speakers Yes Yes Dual rear cameras Yes, both 12 megapixel Yes, both 12 megapixel Other FaceID, dual SIM S Pen, FM radio, ANT+, heart rate sensor, iris sensor Assistant Siri Bixby and Google Assistant Both devices are great for business with large displays, excellent cameras, long battery life, and secure lock options. They also both have an IP68 dust and water resistant rating with a vast case and accessory market ready to outfit and protect your new expensive smartphone. Due to my role here at ZDNet to test out and write about various smartphones, I currently own both of these flagship smartphones and both are being paid via monthly payment plans. I'm on the Samsung Galaxy Upgrade program for the Note 9 and using T-Mobile Jump On Demand for the Apple iPhone XS Max. However, most people will only choose one of these devices so let's look a bit closer at what makes each different from the other to see if there is one that fits your needs better. If I did have to choose just one, then it would be the Galaxy Note 9 as you can see below. Also: Samsung Galaxy Note 9 review: Big battery and superb S Pen experience power productivity Why pick the Samsung Galaxy Note 9? My 10 best smartphones list will be updated as soon as we see what LG, Google, and Huawei have to announce in the next couple of weeks. Until then, the Galaxy Note 9 lives at the top of that list and it is going to take something special to knock it from that spot. The Galaxy Note 9 has been in my hands now for more than a month. Here are features of the Note 9 that make it a compelling choice for business: S Pen : I use the S Pen every single day and as I get older it becomes even more valuable to improving my productivity. A coworker just moved from years of using the iPhone to the Note 9 after trying mine out and seeing that Apple did not announce Pencil support for the iPhone XS Max. He is a creative person and loves to doodle and write with a stylus/pen so he bought the Note 9 primarily for the S Pen functionality. The S Pen is a true differentiator in the smartphone market. : I use the S Pen every single day and as I get older it becomes even more valuable to improving my productivity. A coworker just moved from years of using the iPhone to the Note 9 after trying mine out and seeing that Apple did not announce Pencil support for the iPhone XS Max. He is a creative person and loves to doodle and write with a stylus/pen so he bought the Note 9 primarily for the S Pen functionality. The S Pen is a true differentiator in the smartphone market. Samsung DeX : Samsung DeX -- see our Executive Guide -- has been greatly improved on the Note 9 and you can truly use it as your phone and computer with very little compromise. A separate dock is no longer needed and when you plug in an external monitor a full desktop experience appears. The potential for DeX is huge and while it may not be used much by consumers, it makes sense for many businesses looking to maintain a secure environment with lower cost for IT management. : Samsung DeX -- see our Executive Guide -- has been greatly improved on the Note 9 and you can truly use it as your phone and computer with very little compromise. A separate dock is no longer needed and when you plug in an external monitor a full desktop experience appears. The potential for DeX is huge and while it may not be used much by consumers, it makes sense for many businesses looking to maintain a secure environment with lower cost for IT management. Samsung Bixby : Samsung includes a hardware button to launch Bixby and if you truly spend time with it you may find it to be quite compelling thanks in large part to Quick Commands. Bixby works with many third party apps while Siri is often limited to Apple's own apps and ecosystem. : Samsung includes a hardware button to launch Bixby and if you truly spend time with it you may find it to be quite compelling thanks in large part to Quick Commands.<doc-sep>With a bunch of improvements to the camera in the iPhone XS comes improvements in video capture as well. AppleInsider shoots some footage, and pits the iPhone XS Max against the Samsung Galaxy Note 9. Apple says that the new iPhone XS and XS Max get better low-light performance while recording video, as well as extended dynamic range while shooting up to 30 frames per second. Both new phones can now record audio in stereo, as well as record video in 1080P at 60 frames per second with the selfie camera The Samsung Galaxy Note 9 camera has similar 12MP sensors behind the telephoto and wide lenses. It can shoot 4K in 60 frames per second, but unfortunately, it's limited to 5 minutes of recording per clip at that resolution. If the user cuts that back to 1080p at 60 frames per second, the limit is increased to 10 minutes — still far short of the iPhone. The iPhone XS Max, and basically every other iPhone is only limited by the available storage space, no matter what quality or settings you choose. We went out to Coeur d'Alene, Idaho and recorded a bunch of video footage so we could see how Apple's new iPhone XS Max performs compares to the Samsung Galaxy Note 9. Selfie camera recording The Note 9 can shoot in QHD (1440x2560) with the selfie camera, which looks more detailed than the iPhone XS Max 1080p selfie recording. However, video stabilization gets turned off on the Note 9 while recording in QHD, and the difference is noticeable. We also saw a pretty substantial difference in dynamic range. The iPhone XS Max does much better in this regard, maintaining the sky's color and detail. Samsung Galaxy Note 9 versus iPhone XS Max selfie Dynamic range With the wide lens on the rear-facing camera, the iPhone XS Max did a lot better than the Note 9 in terms of video stabilization. By looking at the darkest areas of the trees in the background, we noticed better dynamic range on the iPhone XS Max. Not only that, but the sky retained more of its blue color, even though the Galaxy Note 9 image is obviously more saturated. The only complaint with the iPhone XS Max footage is the lack of contrast, making it look less detailed than the Galaxy Note 9's footage. Samsung Galaxy Note 9 versus iPhone XS Max With the telephoto lenses, both phones have a similar level of detail, but the extra contrast on the Note 9 looks better. We see pretty much the same results as with the wide lens in a telephoto test. Samsung Galaxy Note 9 versus iPhone XS Max Both phones do pretty well at dynamic range. However, if we take a look a the boats in the shade on the left side of the frame, the iPhone XS Max is able to lighten up the shadows better than the Note 9. Samsung Galaxy Note 9 versus iPhone XS Max 4K Video stabilization One thing we noticed is that if you turn on AF Tracking on the Galaxy Note 9, video stabilization gets turned off automatically, making the Note 9's footage look substantially more shaky compared to the iPhone XS Max. On the iPhone, autofocus performance is exceptional, without needed to use a feature like AF Tracking. There's also no cases of certain features being disabled while using other features. Back to the test, the stabilization on the iPhone XS Max was outstanding. Doing the same stabilization test except recording in 4K at 60 frames per second, the Galaxy Note 9 performs noticeably better than the iPhone XS Max. We think it's because the AF Tracking mode is unavailable while shooting in 4K at 60 frames per second, so video stabilization may have automatically turned back on. Samsung Galaxy Note 9 versus iPhone XS Max stabilization Autofocus performance While testing the stabilization, we noticed some autofocusing issues on the Galaxy Note 9. Occasionally, it would decide to focus on the background, even with a face right in front of it. The iPhone XS Max never lost focus on the subject. Samsung Galaxy Note 9 versus iPhone XS Max face detection We then tested the autofocus by getting very close to a display case. Both phones tracked focus very well. When we backed up the cameras, the Note 9 went out of focus for a second, while the XS Max kept the focus locked in during any movements. Samsung Galaxy Note 9 versus iPhone XS Max autofocus We tested the dynamic range again, by filming the underneath of a patio umbrella against the side of a building which was in direct sunlight. For this test, we used the telephoto lenses and noticed more stabilization issues while shooting in 4K at 30 frames per second. The building was a bit blown out on the Galaxy Note 9, and the umbrella was darker than on the iPhone. So the iPhone XS Max was able to retain the highlight details, have brighter low-light details and it showed much more color in the sky compared to the Galaxy Note 9. Samsung Galaxy Note 9 versus iPhone XS Max high dynamic range Next up, we tested autofocus speed by placing a hand in front of the cameras. Here, the Galaxy Note 9 auto-focused quicker than the iPhone XS Max. Samsung Galaxy Note 9 versus iPhone XS Max autofocus We then decided to run the same test, except by quickly panning between trees in the background and a face in the foreground. At normal speed, it's hard to tell what's going on, but if you look at the individual frames, the iPhone XS Max was focusing on the face the instant it came into the frame. The Note 9 had quite a bit of lag adjusting the focus when compared to the iPhone. Slow-motion video We first compared video quality while shooting in 1080p at 240 frames per second by kicking some sand into the air. We instantly noticed that the Note 9's image was extremely dark compared to the iPhone XS Max.<doc-sep>Samsung Galaxy Note 9 is official: Here's what's new Watch Now Samsung launched its S Pen software developer kit for the Galaxy Note 9 in a bid to get third party software providers to buy into the stylus and enterprise possibilities. The company tipped its plans for the S Pen SDK when it launched the Note9. As a refresher the S Pen for the Galaxy Note 9 uses Bluetooth Low-Energy so the stylus can be used as a remote control for presentations and operating the camera. For Samsung's Galaxy Note 9, the S Pen game plan revolves around making the stylus a more natural and meaningful to interact with apps and the smartphone. Samsung's S Pen also has an opportunity given that Apple didn't add Apple Pencil support to its latest line of iPhones--XS, XS Max and XR. Also: iPhone XS Max review: The iPhone's future is big and bright | iPhone XS Max vs Samsung Galaxy Note 9: We compare the big phones | CNET Note 9 review and where to buy vs. iPhone XS Max and where to buy The SDK documentation highlights how the S Pen's remote control functions can work and be implemented. Samsung noted that the SDK can add S Pen functionality to "as many app features as you want." According to Samsung, the framework is that S Pen's BLE transmits to the S Pen Framework that'll produce an event for an application. BLE events are not sent directly to the app, but are converted to events by the S Pen Framework. Here's a look at how the framework works and all the documentation for developers. Previous and related coverage: Want a new iPhone or Android smartphone? Here's how to sell or trade The new Samsung Galaxy Note 9 was just announced and we expect three new iPhones and two Google Pixel phones to launch soon. Now is the time to consider selling your current one before market prices drop or plan to participate in a trade-in program. 10 best smartphones of 2018 he major smartphone launch season is upon us and one of the first out of the gates is the Samsung Galaxy Note 9, immediately taking over the top spot in our list of best smartphones. Best Wearable Tech for 2018 CNET Our editors hand-picked these products based on our tests and reviews. If you use our links to buy, we may get a commission. The best tablets for 2018: Our top picks TechRepublic Tablet sales may be declining, but there are still plenty of viable use cases and many models to choose from. Here's our pick of the best. Related stories:<doc-sep>Respected consumer testing publication Consumer Reports has released its full review of the iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max. While neither Apple handset quite dethrones Samsung’s Galaxy Note 9 as the group’s top-rated smartphone, the testing results do highlight multiple improvements from previous iPhones. Building on solid foundations The review suggests that, other than the 6.5-inch display for the iPhone XS Max, there is little change from last year’s iPhone X. However, it continues that: “The most noticeable improvement is in battery life. Previous iPhones have typically lagged the competition in this area, but the new models have a lot more staying power, now rating among the industry’s leaders. Apple also managed to make its already top-rated cameras just a bit better, and boost the phones’ overall performance with a new, faster processor.” Putting the handset through its rigorous lab-based testing, Consumer Reports says that the new, more efficient A12 Bionic processor lives up to Apple’s promise of longer battery life. Specifically, the XS can last 24.5 hours, half an hour longer than last year’s iPhone X, while the XS Max can last 26 hours, up to 90 minutes longer than the iPhone X. This was based on getting a robotic finger to put the handset through the rigors of an average day, including browsing the internet, taking pictures, using GPS navigation, and making phone calls. All this was carried out on 100 percent screen brightness. As far as the camera goes, the improvement is only slight, but still remains one of the best smartphone cameras around. It’s even better than the iPhone, which racked up the highest rating of any smartphone camera Consumer Reports has tested. “The Samsung Galaxy phones lag behind a little,” Richard Fisco, who heads CR’s smartphone testing program, said. “But that doesn’t mean by any stretch of the imagination that their image quality is poor.” But don’t drop it One area where the iPhone XS and XS Max could do with improvement is on their overall toughness. They were tested in a tumbler rotating chamber, which repeatedly drops the handsets from 2.5 feet. Two of the three iPhone XS sample units were damaged after 50 drops, although one iPhone XS Max model made it through all 100 drops without breaking. This makes the handsets slightly more delicate than Samsung’s Note 9. As a result, Consumer Reports says that users, “should probably consider investing in a sturdy protective case if you purchase an iPhone XS or XS Max.” In total, the report gives both handsets an overall score of 82. That’s one better than the Galaxy S9’s 81, but a single point behind the Note 9’s 83. Source: Consumer Reports<doc-sep>
Samsung and Apple are longtime rivals in the mobile industry. Every year it’s always exciting to see how their smartphones stack up against one another. The Galaxy Note 9 and iPhone XS Max are two of the biggest, most powerful, and most expensive mainstream smartphones we’ve ever seen. Let’s find out which one is the better thousand-dollar smartphone in our full Samsung Galaxy Note 9 vs iPhone XS Max comparison. Design When it comes to design, Samsung and Apple are at the top of the class. The Note 9 and iPhone XS Max offer attractive designs with superb build quality. Both use a glass sandwich design held together by a metal frame, which is a fairly common design formula in today’s smartphone world. The metal used on the iPhone XS Max, however, is stainless steel whereas the Note 9 uses the more typical aluminum. Both feel equally as durable. Don’t miss: Samsung Galaxy Note 9 review | Everything you need to know about the iPhone XS Max Although the Note 9 and XS Max use similar materials, they feel very different. The Note 9 is more boxy and rectangular and features chamfered edges, making for a much more industrial look. The iPhone XS Max goes for a sleeker appearance with rounded corners and curved edges all around. Because of this, the iPhone XS Max feels more comfortable. The Note 9 is slightly bigger than the XS Max, but this difference is negligible — neither device is great for one-handed use. Display The Galaxy Note 9 and iPhone XS Max both offer big, bright, vibrant AMOLED displays. There’s no denying they’re two of the best smartphone displays on the market. They both have very thin bezels, giving you a nearly edge-to-edge experience. Samsung manages to do it without the use of a notch. I prefer the notch-free look of the Note 9’s display, but the notch on the XS Max isn’t as bothersome as you might think. If you’re an Apple enthusiast you’ve also more than likely adjusted to it by now. The displays are fairly close in size. The Note 9 measures 6.4 inches, with the XS Max at 6.5 inches. The Note 9’s display does pack more resolution at 2,960 x 1,440 versus the odd 2,688 x 1,242 resolution of the iPhone, but they’re both so incredibly sharp it’s hard to spot any differences between the two. Content such as mobile games, movies, and YouTube videos still look amazing but Apple is currently not taking full advantage of the XS Max’s display size. The biggest problem I have with the large display on the XS Max is you don’t get to see more content like on the Note 9. Instead, you see the same amount of content as you would on the regular XS, just bigger. Mobile games, movies, and YouTube videos still look amazing, but Apple is currently not taking full advantage of the XS Max’s display size. It’d be great if I could see more of my Twitter feed or more of a web page at a single glance. You can change the size of the text but the difference in visible content is minimal and only works in apps that support it. Performance The Note 9 and iPhone XS Max are the best smartphones each respective company has to offer, which means they are no performance slouches. The Galaxy Note 9 features Qualcomm’s powerful Snapdragon 845 with 6 or 8 gigabytes of RAM depending on the storage configuration you choose. The iPhone XS Max features Apple’s proprietary A12 Bionic chipset, its most powerful chipset to date. Although the Note 9 keeps up with the XS Max extremely well, Apple’s touch response is still second to none. In daily use, both devices are extremely fast and fluid. They never showed any signs of slowing down regardless of what I threw at them. Launching applications, multitasking, browsing the web, and gaming are fantastic. Although the Note 9 keeps up with the XS Max extremely well, I have to admit Apple’s touch response is still second to none. Swiping, scrolling, tapping, and pinching to zoom feels much smoother and more instantaneous than any Android phone I’ve tried. This speaks volumes about how much of an advantage Apple has with the vertical integration of its hardware and software. Battery life on the Note 9 and XS Max are very good.