Samsung has officially unveiled its new Galaxy A (2017) series of midrangers, introducing upgraded Galaxy A3, Galaxy A5 and Galaxy A7 smartphones.
The new handsets borrow a number of features from the higher-end Galaxy S7 lineup, now boasting water and dust resistance, 16-megapixel cameras on both the front and back, microSD card support, and more.
Advanced Products With A Unique Approach
Samsung boasts that it always strives to offer its customers "the most advanced products on the market," delivering quality features and design while also ensuring smooth performance.
"The latest Galaxy A series is a testament to this," says DJ Koh, president of Samsung's Mobile Communications Business. "We integrated our unique approach to design as well as the features Galaxy customers have come to love to provide added performance without compromising on style."
Samsung Galaxy A (2017) Series Specs
The latest smartphones in the Galaxy A series all sport IP68 certification, the same as for the Galaxy S7 flagship, which ensures they can withstand ingress, dust, and being submerged in up to 5 feet of water for up to 30 minutes.
The handsets also rock 16-megapixel front and rear cameras (except for the entry-level Galaxy A3) with improved autofocus and better performance in low-light conditions, according to Samsung. Special software allows users to set a floating camera shutter button to take selfies with more ease. Speaking of selfies, the display will also light itself up to serve as a flash module so that users can get better-lit selfies.
The 2017 Galaxy A smartphones further pack USB Type-C ports with Fast Charging, NFC connectivity with Samsung Pay support, microSD support for additional storage, and an always-on display mode for checking the time and calendar without switching the display on. The latter should allow for notable battery savings.
In terms of software, the handsets will hit the scene with Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow on board, not the latest Android 7 Nougat.
When it comes to design, the 2017 Galaxy A series smartphones feature a glass and metal design, but the rear 3D glass is now curvier than on previous models. The new handsets also have a relocated speaker grille, now found on the right side.
That said, let's have a closer look at the new Galaxy A (2017) smartphones and see what each has to offer.
Samsung Galaxy A3 (2017) Specs
The entry-level Galaxy A (2017) comes with a 4.7-inch display with 720p resolution and packs an octa-core processor clocked at 1.6 GHz, coupled with 2 GB of RAM. Other specs include 16GB of internal storage, a 13-megapixel rear camera, an 8-megapixel front shooter, and a 2,350 mAh battery.
Samsung Galaxy A5 (2017) Specs
Coming between the entry-level Galaxy A3 and the higher-end Galaxy A7, the new Galaxy A5 (2017) features a 5.2-inch full HD display with an 1080p resolution and packs a 1.9 GHz octa-core processor with 3 GB of RAM. Other specs include 32 GB of native storage space, 16-megapixel front and rear cameras, and a 3,000 mAh battery.
Samsung Galaxy A7 (2017) Specs
Lastly, the highest-end of the trio is the Galaxy A7 (2017), which mainly sports the same specifications as the Galaxy A5 (2017) with two differences: a larger 5.7-inch full HD display and a more powerful 3,600 mAh battery.
Moreover, the new Galaxy A (2017) trio also borrow a feature from the ill-fated and now-defunct Galaxy Note 7: Secure Folders. With this feature, users can compartmentalize their apps and files and secure them with a PIN, pattern. or biometric authentication system so no one else can access them. Secure Folders is suitable copies of one's passport and other government-issued IDs, financial apps, and other files containing sensitive information. This seems to be the first time Samsung extends Secure Folders to non-Note Galaxy devices, as VentureBeat points out.
Samsung Galaxy A Series (2017) Availability
The new Galaxy A smartphones will first go on sale in Russia this month, with other markets to follow soon after. Samsung has yet to offer any pricing details for the handsets, but notes that four color options will be available: Black Sky, Gold Sand, Peach Cloud, and Blue Mist.
