Phone

Well, we have only been able to confirm that Samsung is offering a case in the box with the Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9+ in one market, but it's likely it's the case (pun intended) in a few other markets as well. Samsung India seems to have kicked off this trend, no doubt to compete with some Chinese OEMs who have also been offering free cases with smartphones in the country for a long time. The Galaxy Note 8 was the first to come with a case in the box, followed by devices like the Galaxy A8+ (2018) and the Galaxy On7 Prime, and there's a case in the Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9+ box as well.

Galaxy S9 and S9+ come with a free case in the box in some markets

The Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9+ haven't started shipping in India and many other markets, but once you do get your device, don't forget to check the document holder to see if there's a case inside. Samsung has switched to folder-style document holders for its phones in recent months, and those who upgrade their devices often probably just remove the handy SIM ejector tool and throw the rest away, before diving in further in the box to remove the charger, USB cable, and headphones. But if you've purchased an S9 or S9+, be sure to take a peek. The case is a basic plastic one that isn't very sturdy, but it can be enough for protecting the device in the early days before you decide what kind of case you want to buy.

We can also confirm that there's no free case on offer for European customers, and we're guessing it's mostly for emerging markets where paying the entire cost of a premium smartphone upfront can already be a daunting task, let alone buying a case for the said device. Yes, it's unfair that the practice isn't being followed in every country, but like software updates, this seems to be another one of those things that Samsung Korea allows its regional arms to do on their own terms.

Don't Miss: Samsung Galaxy S9 review

Abhijeet Mishra - Executive Editor

am@sammobile.com

First Samsung device: SGH-D500

Abhijeet's writing career started with custom ROM guides for Samsung devices (including the original Galaxy S), and he moved to SamMobile in mid-2013 and worked up the ranks to Editor-in-chief. His first Samsung phone was the D500

Phone Galaxy S9 Plus India Samsung Galaxy S9

PSA: Galaxy S9 and S9+ come with a free case in the box in some markets

Galaxy S9 and S9+ come with a free case in the box in some markets

Abhijeet Mishra - Executive Editor

am@sammobile.com

First Samsung device: SGH-D500

You might also like

iPhone 17 camera to use feature Samsung abandoned years ago

Four-year-old Galaxy S9 gets a new software update in the US

Samsung Galaxy S9 trade-in values help you ditch your outdated phone

Samsung officially pulls update support for the Galaxy S9 series