Samsung launch event
Samsung will use augmented reality in launching its Galaxy S9 flagship smartphone. Reuters/Kim Hong-Ji

A report fresh from South Korea is claiming that Samsung Electronics will use augmented reality technology in unveiling its latest Galaxy S installment. This way attendees and non-attendees will have a close-up look at the Galaxy S9 and its different features.

Korea Herald learned from industry sources Thursday that Samsung is unveiling its Galaxy S9 flagship handset using AR technology at its launch event, which is scheduled to take place a day before the kickoff of Mobile World Congress 2018.

Samsung is set to formally introduce the Galaxy S8’s successor at 6.p.m. local time in Barcelona on Sunday, Feb. 25. To ensure that everyone will get to see the S9 clearly, the company is going to provide a visualization of the handset using the Unpacked 2018 app that’s been developed solely for the show.

Registered attendees can use the QR code that Samsung is providing for the event to view the AR program. Those who couldn’t be physically present at the event will also be given the same opportunity through the program.

The new report corroborates what a Reddit user previously shared online about discovering something about an AR program upon decompiling the Unpacked 2018 app. The Redditor claimed that he stumbled upon images of the Galaxy S9 in the hidden AR feature.

As previously reported, Samsung has scheduled its new Android handsets — the Galaxy S9 and the Galaxy S9+ — to hit global market shelves on March 16, which is almost three weeks after the Unpacked event. Meanwhile, preorders in South Korea are expected to open on Feb. 28. It’s not clear if preorders in the U.S. will open on the same day.

Based on previous leaks and reports, the Galaxy S9 will come with a 5.8-inch display while the Galaxy S9+ will sport a bigger 6.2-inch screen. Another key distinction between the two handsets is the fact that the S9 will only come equipped with a single rear camera, while its larger sibling will have dual rear lenses.

Analysts and industry watchers are predicting that the upcoming Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9+ will cost more than their predecessors. Earlier predictions claim the Galaxy S9 could start selling at $850, while the S9+ could start at $950. However, Korea Herald’s latest report says the 64GB variant of the Galaxy S9 could actually cost 957,000 Korean won or U.S.$890.