When Microsoft revealed a replacement to Windows 8, it skipped the number 9 and went straight to Windows 10. Apple's iPhone 8 was followed by the iPhone X (pronounced "ten"). But Samsung refused to follow: The successor to its Galaxy S8 is the Galaxy S9 (and a larger S9 Plus), and it's coming out in March.
The phone is critical for the company. Samsung needs to show it has the hardware and software chops to maintain its leadership in the Android market, while proving Apple isn't king of smartphone design. Then there's fending off rising Chinese competition from Huawei and reassuring investors that Vice Chairman Jay Y. Lee has the company's future under control since his legal woes commanded global headlines.
But above all, Samsung needs to be better than the iPhone X in the eyes of consumers. Here's how they compare.