New Samsung phone: Nicer camera, static design, higher price

Samsung unveiled new smartphones with largely unchanged designs and incremental improvements such as a better camera — accompanied by a second annual price increase for many customers.

This Wednesday Feb, 21, 2018, photo shows the camera lens of a Samsung Galaxy S9 mobile phone during a product preview in New York. The Galaxy S9 phones were unveiled Sunday, Feb. 25, in Barcelona, Spain, and will be available March 16.  (AP Photo/Richard Drew)

The static design of the new Galaxy S9 underscores both the slowing pace of smartphone innovation and the extent to which other manufacturers, particularly Apple, have caught up with Samsung features that once stood out. That includes everything from edge-to-edge screens to facial recognition to a water-resistant body.

The new phone's biggest selling point is a collection of minor improvements to its camera, which is already among the best in the smartphone business . The S9 promises even better low-light shots, while offering a video mode that appears to freeze fast-moving objects, matching a feature in some Sony phones. The S9 can automatically detect when there's high-speed motion to record, such as a cork popping off a bottle of champagne. A fifth of a second of video gets stretched out into six seconds.

This Wednesday, Feb. 21, 2018, photo shows the Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus, left, and back of a Galaxy S9 mobile phone, during a product preview in New York.  (AP Photo/Richard Drew)

While single features like this aren't likely to drive buying decisions, the slow-motion effect could be "the kind of thing that will get a lot of attention," said Bob O'Donnell of the research firm Technalysis.

For the first time in a major phone, the S9 will let you change the camera's aperture to let in more light, making for better images in dark settings.

This Wednesday, Feb. 21, 2018, photo shows the Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus, left, and Galaxy S9 mobile phones are shown in this photo during a product preview in New York. The Galaxy S9 phones were unveiled Sunday, Feb. 25, in Barcelona, Spain, and will be available March 16. Advance orders begin this Friday. (AP Photo/Richard Drew)

But analyst Carolina Milanesi of Creative Strategies warns that despite the improvements, the new camera is competing with already good cameras in earlier Samsung phones.

Nonetheless, you may have to pay more, though nothing quite at the level of last year's $100 price hikes for the Galaxy S8. In the U.S., Verizon, AT&T and Sprint are raising prices from what the S8 cost at launch — to nearly $800 for the regular-size S9 and more than $900 for the larger S9 Plus. As people hold onto phones longer before upgrading, price hikes let manufacturers and carriers make up for lost revenue.

In this Wednesday, Feb. 21, 2018, photo the Bixby virtual assistant software of a Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus mobile phone identifies food and displays its calorie content during a product preview in New York. The Galaxy S9 phones were unveiled Sunday, Feb. 25, in Barcelona, Spain, and will be available March 16. Advance orders begin this Friday. (AP Photo/Richard Drew)

Some of the increases will be offset with promotions. And T-Mobile will cut prices from last year's models. You can also buy unlocked versions more cheaply directly from Samsung — $720 for the S9 and $840 for the S9 Plus — though most people in the U.S. buy through their carriers.

The new phones were unveiled Sunday in Barcelona, Spain, and will be available March 16. Advance orders begin this Friday.

This Wednesday, Feb. 21, 2018, photo shows an Apple iPhone X, left, and a Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus mobile phone during a preview in New York. The Galaxy S9 phones were unveiled Sunday, Feb. 25, in Barcelona, Spain, and will be available March 16. Advance orders begin this Friday. (AP Photo/Richard Drew)

Here are some additional things to know:

— UNCHANGED: The S9 features the same screen, same virtual home button and same battery capacity as the S8. Samsung did move the fingerprint sensor on the back to reduce smears on the camera lens.

In this Wednesday, Feb. 21, 2018, photo, the Bixby virtual assistant software of a Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus mobile phone translates a foreign language sign during a product preview in New York. The Galaxy S9 phones were unveiled Sunday, Feb. 25, in Barcelona, Spain, and will be available March 16. Advance orders begin this Friday. (AP Photo/Richard Drew)

— A SECOND LENS: The camera on the Plus model now has a second lens with twice the magnification, a feature already available in Samsung's Galaxy Note 8 and some iPhones. This means sharper close-ups.

— FUN WITH SELFIES: Snap a selfie, and Samsung's software will turn that into an emoji version of you for sharing. It's usually a static image, though you can produce an animated version — much like the iPhone X's Animoji feature.

In this Wednesday, Feb. 21, 2018, photo, Samsung's Aaron Baker demonstrates the AR Emoji feature on a Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus mobile phone during a product preview in New York. The Galaxy S9 phones were unveiled Sunday, Feb. 25, in Barcelona, Spain, and will be available March 16. Advance orders begin this Friday. (AP Photo/Richard Drew)

— VISUAL ASSISTANT: Samsung's Bixby digital assistant mimics a similar Google feature that pulls up information on landmarks or other items you've just photographed. New Bixby capabilities let it instantly translate signs (point the camera, and the phone replaces the sign's text in a matching color and font) and provide nutritional info for that restaurant meal you're splurging on.

TORONTO (AP) — Justin Turner hit two home runs, Danny Jansen added a solo homer and the Toronto Blue Jays held on to beat the Kansas City Royals 6-5 on Monday night.

Turner hit a two-run home run in the first inning and had a leadoff homer in the third. The homers were his third and fourth. It was the 16th multihomer game of his career.

Jansen also connected in the third, his second.

The Blue Jays scored more than five runs for the first time in 21 games, ending a streak that dated back to a 9-8 loss at Yankee Stadium on April 6.

“The best sign was the quality of contact and the amount of balls we kept off the ground,” Turner said. “We’ve been hitting a lot of hard balls but beating them into the ground and not getting any results. I think tonight was probably our best game of the year of having quality contact. That was good to see.”

Vladimir Guerrero Jr. had two hits and drove in a run as Toronto won back-to-back games after losing the previous five.

The Blue Jays won for the first time in 12 games this season when their opponent scores at least five runs.

Royals catcher Salvador Perez was scratched from the starting lineup because of a tight back but delivered a pinch-hit single with two out in the ninth. Dairon Blanco ran for Perez, who hit for DH Nelson Velázquez

“His back tightened up a little bit earlier in the day, but he worked on it throughout the game and he said he was 100% there at the end,” Royals manager Matt Quatraro said of Perez.

Toronto’s Nate Pearson struck out Kansas City’s Michael Massey to end it, stranding the tying run at third base.

The save was Pearson’s first of the season. He finished for Toronto on a night that regular closer Jordan Romano and fellow right-hander Yimi Garcia were both unavailable.

“They have power arms throughout,” Quatraro said of Toronto’s deep bullpen. “I mean, Pearson is not a bad option throwing 100 miles per hour coming in in the ninth inning.”

Kyle Isbel homered and drove in two runs but the Royals lost their third straight. Freddy Fermin also homered for Kansas City, his first.

Recalled from Triple-A Omaha to make his second career start, Royals right-hander Jonathan Bowlan (0-1) allowed four runs and six hits in 2 2/3 innings, including three home runs.

“The mistakes got hit at the end of the day,” Bowlan said. “I wasn’t pounding the zone how I would have liked and when you fall behind, stuff like this happens.”

Blue Jays right-hander Yariel Rodríguez allowed three runs and six hits in 3 2/3 innings but left with the bases loaded. Génesis Cabrera came on and retired Vinnie Pasquantino to escape the jam.

Cabrera (1-0) got four outs for the victory.

Isbel’s homer, his third, came off right-hander Trevor Richards in the sixth.

Fermin made it 6-5 with a leadoff homer off righty Erik Swanson in the eighth.

Blue Jays rookie Addison Barger got his first major league hit, a leadoff single in the sixth.

“It looked like a giant weight lifted off his shoulders,” Turner said. “He’s been taking great at-bats. He’s been hitting balls hard all over the place and hadn’t been rewarded yet.”

ROSTER MOVES

Kansas City optioned RHP Will Klein to Triple-A to make room for Bowlan.

UP NEXT

RHP José Berríos (4-1, 1.23 ERA) is scheduled to start for the Blue Jays on Tuesday night against Kansas City LHP Cole Ragans (1-2, 3.90).

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb

Toronto Blue Jays first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr., left, dumps water on Blue Jays designated Hitter Justin Turner, right, after they defeated the Kansas City Royals in baseball game action in Toronto, Monday, April 29, 2024. (Nathan Denette/The Canadian Press via AP)

Kansas City Royals outfielder Adam Frazier misses a diving catch on a hit by Toronto Blue Jays' George Springer during eighth-inning baseball game action in Toronto, Monday, April 29, 2024. (Nathan Denette/The Canadian Press via AP)

Toronto Blue Jays second baseman Cavan Biggio, right, forces out Kansas City Royals' Maikel Garcia, left, at second but cannot turn a double play during ninth-inning baseball game action in Toronto, Monday, April 29, 2024. (Nathan Denette/The Canadian Press via AP)

Kansas City Royals pitcher Tyler Duffey (21) gets pulled by Royals manager Matt Quatraro (33) as Royals first baseman Vinnie Pasquantino (9) looks on while playing against the Toronto Blue Jays during the fifth inning of baseball game in Toronto on Monday, April 29, 2024. (Nathan Denette/The Canadian Press via AP)

Toronto Blue Jays' Addison Barger, right, watches his single as Kansas City Royals catcher Freddy Fermin, center, looks on during sixth -inning baseball game action in Toronto, Monday, April 29, 2024. (Nathan Denette/The Canadian Press via AP)

Toronto Blue Jays' Addison Barger, right, slides past Kansas City Royals catcher Freddy Fermin, left, to score during sixth -inning baseball game action in Toronto, Monday, April 29, 2024. (Nathan Denette/The Canadian Press via AP)

Toronto Blue Jays designated hitter Justin Turner, right, celebrates after his solo home run with third base coach Carlos Febles (51) while playing against the Kansas City Royals during third-inning baseball game action in Toronto, Monday, April 29, 2024. (Nathan Denette/The Canadian Press via AP)

Toronto Blue Jays' Vladimir Guerrero Jr. watches his RBI double against the Kansas City Royals during sixth-inning baseball game action in Toronto, Monday, April 29, 2024. (Nathan Denette/The Canadian Press via AP)

Kansas City Royals second baseman Michael Massey (19) forces out Toronto Blue Jays second baseman Cavan Biggio (8) at second base, then turns the double play over to first base to out Blue Jays shortstop Isiah Kiner-Falefa during the fifth inning of a baseball game in Toronto on Monday, April 29, 2024. (Nathan Denette/The Canadian Press via AP)

Toronto Blue Jays' Vladimir Guerrero Jr. hits an RBI double against the Kansas City Royals during sixth-inning baseball game action in Toronto, Monday, April 29, 2024. (Nathan Denette/The Canadian Press via AP)

Toronto Blue Jays' Danny Jansen hits a solo home run against the Kansas City Royals during third-inning baseball game action in Toronto, Monday, April 29, 2024. (Nathan Denette/The Canadian Press via AP)

Toronto Blue Jays' Isiah Kiner-Falefa hits a single against the Kansas City Royals during third-inning baseball game action in Toronto, Monday, April 29, 2024. (Nathan Denette/The Canadian Press via AP)

Toronto Blue Jays designated hitter Justin Turner, right, celebrates after his solo home run with third base coach Carlos Febles (51) while playing against the Kansas City Royals during third-inning baseball game action in Toronto, Monday, April 29, 2024. (Nathan Denette/The Canadian Press via AP)