While LG has stated that it's going to drop the yearly refresh cycle, we can still expect the regular updates from the majority of other smartphone companies out there. They are set in their ways, after all, and we've all basically come to expect to see a new flagship model on a regular basis. But I think we can also agree that updates for our smartphones are pretty minimal, especially year-to-year.

The leaps and bounds aren't even that groundbreaking every other year anymore.

That's not a bad thing. Not at all. It means our smartphones are powerhouses with a ridiculous amount of power under the hood, and plenty of hardware and software features to stand the test of time (in most cases). The argument that we might not need to have a new phone every year is a sound one, but probably won't get its day in court anytime soon.

That being said, it's that time of year where Samsung is launching its first of two flagship devices. The Galaxy S9 (and the Galaxy S9+) appear to be doing well for themselves, and, as I've noted previously, they appear to get the important things right. The fingerprint reader on the back has been moved, thankfully, and improvements in other key areas are worthwhile as we should all expect.

But one of the other common elements from the majority of Galaxy S9 reviews has been that it's definitely an evolutionary update. "If you look at the Galaxy S9 and think it's a Galaxy S8, that's understandable" sort of situation. Samsung isn't alone in this by any means. We've seen basically every company enact this same sort of plan.

And now that bezels are getting reduced, we might be looking at more familiar designs from companies for longer stretches of time.

So, I can't help but wonder for the Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8+ owners out there -- are you considering upgrading to the Galaxy S9 or Galaxy S9+? If you are, what about the new handset(s) have you interested in upgrading after a year's worth (or even sooner) of ownership? Is it the new position of the fingerprint reader? The color options for the Galaxy S9? Or is it something else entirely? And if you aren't upgrading, why not? Let me know!