Samsung's much-touted Galaxy A smartphones are finally official, as the company has unveiled its new Galaxy A3 and Galaxy A5 handsets with full-metal unibody designs.
As previously rumored, the two handsets come with mid-range specifications on board, but the new metallic design lends them a premium look that Samsung fans have long been waiting for. Otherwise, the smartphones aim to appeal to the younger crowd, as they are selfie-friendly and designed with social networking in mind.
"The Galaxy A5 and A3 offer a beautifully crafted full metal unibody, slim design, superior hardware and the best possible social media experience," Samsung CEO and Head of IT & Mobile Communication at Samsung Electronics JK Shin said in the press release on Friday, Oct. 31. "These devices make our advanced Galaxy experience even more accessible to young and trend conscious consumers."
Both smartphones boast full-metal designs and the same appearance overall, albeit the Galaxy A5 is larger and with higher-end specs. The Galaxy A5 is also the thinner of the two, despite its larger display, sporting a 6.7-mm thin profile.
As previously-mentioned, the Samsung Galaxy A5 and Galaxy A3 are both selfie-friendly, boasting 5-megapixel front shooters and a number of specific features such as Wide Selfie, Rear-cam Selfie, and Beauty Face Features. The smartphones will also be able to automatically focus on someone's face, and also come with an animated gif mode.
Furthermore, both handsets come with Ultra Power Saving Mode, Private Mode, Multiscreen, and more. Also on the software side, both run Android 4.4 KitKat. When it comes to hardware specs, meanwhile, the two smartphones are no longer identical.
The Galaxy A5 sports a 5-inch Super AMOLED display with an HD resolution at 294 pixels per inch (ppi), a 1.2GHz quad-core processor, 2GB of RAM, 16GB of internal storage capacity, microSD support for additional memory of up to 64GB, a 13-megapixel rear camera with auto-focus and LED flash, a 5-megapixel front shooter, and a 2,300 mAh battery. Connectivity options include Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n, 4G LTE, 3G HSPA+, NFC (but only for the LTE model), and Bluetooth 4.0.
The Samsung Galaxy A3, meanwhile, comes with a smaller 4.5-inch qHD AMOLED display, a 1.2GHz quad-core processor, 1GB of RAM, 16GB of internal storage capacity, microSD support for additional storage of up to 64GB, an 8-megapixel rear camera with auto-focus and LED flash, and a 5-megapixel front camera. Connectivity options consist of 4G LTE, 3G HSPA+, Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n, NFC for the LTE model, and Bluetooth 4.0.
In terms of options and availability, the Samsung Galaxy A3 and Galaxy A5 will launch in Pearl White, Midnight Black, Platinum Silver, Soft Pink, Light Blue, and Champagne Gold, and will hit "select markets" starting in November. Samsung has yet to disclose the exact markets, launch dates or pricing details, but will likely more information closer to launch. In the meantime, check out the video below to learn more about Samsung's new Galaxy A series.
