Say hello to the Samsung Galaxy S9 in Ice Blue

Even though the Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9 Plus are a few months away from their first birthdays, Samsung quietly rolled out a new Ice Blue color option for both phones.

What is nice about the Ice Blue option is that it is a color gradient, the first time a Samsung flagship smartphone offers such a color scheme. The color goes from white at the bottom to blue at the top, though the front of the Galaxy S9 remains black.

This is a nice change of pace for Samsung, which expanded the color choices for its flagship smartphones in recent years. Ice Blue also compares favorably to the other color choices, which do not feature gradients.

Unfortunately, only Chinese residents can buy the Ice Blue Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9 Plus. The Ice Blue Galaxy S9 will go for 5,499 yuan ($790), while the Ice Blue Galaxy S9 Plus will sell for 6,499 yuan (~$934). Both phones include a wireless charging pad and will be available starting tomorrow, November 14.

We do not know if Samsung will offer the new color in other regions, though the company is known to offer new colors after a phone’s release. Samsung previously offered the Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8 Plus in a stunning Burgundy Red seven months after the pair of phones launched. Samsung also released a red color for the Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9 Plus in May.

Also, color gradients seem to be growing in popularity and implementation. Companies like Huawei, Vivo, and OnePlus offer their smartphones with color gradients, so it makes sense for Samsung to try and keep up.

It is a bit strange for Samsung to announce a new color for the Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9 Plus at this point. Both phones are eight months old, with the Galaxy S10 announcement possibly coming as early as MWC 2019. Maybe Samsung wants to cover additional ground due to disappointing Galaxy S9 sales.