Two rumoured features of the Galaxy S9 prove Samsung is playing catchup on the iPhone X

Despite years of leading the smartphone industry with the newest and most innovative technology, Samsung has always been lukewarm about one feature.

Stereo speakers and improved acoustics are becoming a standard addition to smartphones leading into 2018. Apple unveiled the technology on the iPhone 7 back in 2016. Despite having one speaker facing sideways and one front-facing, it made for vastly improved sound - and twice as loud.

The Google Pixel 2 phones launched with front-facing stereo speakers at the end of 2017, and it has been lauded as one of the best sounding smartphones on the market. Even HTC has had front-facing stereo speakers with "Boomsound" for years.

According to Korean site ETNews, Samsung will install two speakers on the Galaxy S9 - one at the top and another at the bottom - for stereo sound. Sam Mobile is reporting that the speakers will even be tuned by AKG, which is owned by Samsung.

If true, the sound quality of the Samsung Galaxy S9 could see it quickly eclipse the iPhone X and Google Pixel 2 XL.

Also in the new leaks were rumours that Samsung will introduce its own version of 3D touch, which allows pressure sensitivity for onscreen buttons. Apple revealed the feature on its iPhone 6s in 2015.

Samsung has confirmed it will unveil the new Galaxy S9 at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona at the end of February (25). A major design overhaul is not expected, however, Samsung is likely to upgrade the internals with a Snapdragon 845 processor and improved camera.

The fingerprint scanner will also be moved to below the camera after users complained of smudging their camera lens on the Galaxy S8 (the scanner was to the right of the lens).

The only negative leak to come out of the Galaxy S9 is the launch price, which will reportedly be about $130 (£94) extra for the base model.

And in case you are not yet excited, Samsung has confirmed it will use foldable OLED screens in a smartphone in 2018. It is almost certain this will not be for the Galaxy S9. It could either debut on the Galaxy Note 9 or a new Galaxy X model.