Last year's Galaxy S8 and Note8 were beautiful devices with exceptional cameras, and the kind of fit and finish that keeps Samsung devices the stand out choice among Android phones. Samsung's AMOLED screens are simply the best in the business, and the seamless way the screen blends into the aluminium case feels better in the hand than any other phone. All of this is true again with the S9 and S9+.

But all this was let down by Samsung's biometric security in last year's phones; perhaps not a deal breaker for the average consumer, even though it should be. The fingerprint reader right beside the camera lens was an awful spot for two reasons; one, it was so high up on the device it was unreachable, and two, more often than not you'd smudge the camera lens trying to feel for the reader.

Samsung introduced iris and face scanning last year too, but neither were reliable enough to unlock your phone, a task that needs to be performed often and fast.

Sadly, they're still not reliable enough. The iris reader requires you peel back your eyelids, like you're re-enacting that scene from A Clockwork Orange, while face scanning is still confused by glasses, stubble, or anything but perfect lightning conditions. But it doesn't matter, because on the S9 Samsung has moved the fingerprint reader back to a sensible, reachable spot, and all's right with the world.

The back and forth between Apple and Samsung over who has the best camera in a smartphone continues with the S9. After Apple stole the crown with the iPhone X, Samsung is back to challenge, banking on the low-light performance of the S9 and S9+.