Just three days after officially launching the new Samsung Galaxy A5 and the Samsung Galaxy A3, the Korean giant has set the ball in motion for the Alpha series phones’ launch in India.
The Samsung Galaxy A5 will be priced around Rs 27,000, while the Samsung Galaxy A3 will be priced around Rs 20,000, according to sources in the know.
The launches are expected to take place in the next 10-14 days.
On October 31, Samsung announced the two new Alpha series devices in a press release from Seoul, Korea.
Though not officially called Alpha, they have the same new metallic, iPhone-like look of the already launched Samsung Alpha, which costs about Rs 39,000 in India at present.
One more phone is expected, the Galaxy A7, but there is no word of when that phone is expected in India.
Before you rejoice, please note that it is not clear whether the specifications outlined in the press release will be applicable to the A3 and A5 being launched in India.
There is a very high probability that at least a key feature, the availability of 4G LTE, may not be available in India. According to our source, the Indian versions of the two new models are unlikely to support LTE.
The USP of the Alpha series is their ultra-slim, new look. Pricing will not be cheaper than what we have seen in models lke the Samsung Grand, Mega and so on.
Going by the pricing of the already launched Alpha, in fact, Samsung may try to charge a premium for the stylish looking phones.
The Galaxy A5 has a 5-inch HD Super Amoled display, while the A3 has a rather humble quarter-HD display, though this too is based on Super Amoled technology, which should make the colors more vivid.
As you might have guessed, the specifications are not outstanding. For example, quarter HD displays are almost out of the Indian market right now, and are found only in phones costing less than Rs 7,500 or so.
Samsung A3, which comes with the qHD display, is going to be priced between Rs 19,000-21,000.
Similarly, the 720p HD display-enabled Samsung Galaxy A5 will be priced in the Rs 26,000-29,000 range. Of course, that is still much cheaper than the first Alpha that the Korean company launched a couple of weeks ago at Rs 41,000. The Rs 41,000-model also has a 720p display, though it has an octa-core processor.
In contrast, both the A3 and the A5 have relatively modest 1.2 GHz quad-core processors, which betrays their placement as lower-price devices.
“The Galaxy A5 and A3 offer a beautifully crafted full metal unibody, slim design, superior hardware and the best possible social media experience,” said JK Shin, CEO and Head of IT & Mobile Communication at Samsung Electronics. “These devices make our advanced Galaxy experience even more accessible to young and trend conscious consumers.”
The Galaxy A5 will come with 2 GB of RAM, while the A3 will have 1 GB of RAM. Internal memory in both cases is 16 GB, and both models come with Android KitKat out of the box.
The A3 has a 1.9 Ah battery while the A5 has a 2.3 Ah battery. Similarly, the smaller phone comes with an 8 MP camera at the back and the A5 with a 13 MP camera. Front cameras in both cases are 5 MP.
“The Galaxy A5 and A3 are Samsung’s slimmest smartphones to date, featuring refined full metal unibody designs that are 6.7mm and 6.9mm thin, respectively,” Samsung added.
Frankly, we believe the two phones are likely to make sense at slightly lower price points. However, those who are willing to shell out around Rs 18,000 or so for buying Grand, can consider spending an extra Rs 7,000 or so for the superior looks.
However, we believe the price of both phones should decline to the Rs 18,000 and Rs 25,000 marks without too much delay after launch.
At present, the phones are not available in any stores in India. It is expected to be available in online and offline stores by the middle of this month.