Samsung Galaxy A series: Budget smartphone with advanced features

Samsung Electronics Co. has unveiled two new Galaxy A series models, targeting price-conscious customers looking for affordable smartphones packed with advanced features.

The Galaxy A53 and A33 are both 5G-enabled, powered by a brand new 5-nanometer processor and fitted with artificial intelligence cameras for improved night and portrait mode pictures and videos, the company said on Thursday.

“With the latest Galaxy A series release, we’re making it easier than ever to enjoy Galaxy’s advanced, innovative mobile experience at a great value,” Roh Tae-moon, president and head of Samsung’s MX (Mobile eXperience) division, said at an online launch event.

Packed with many of the powerful and fun features from the high-end Galaxy S series, the Galaxy A53 boasts of a 64-megapixel main camera and rear quad-camera system that takes crisp and steady shots, according to Samsung.

Fueled by Samsung’s 5 nm processor, the smartphone’s improved night mode automatically synthesizes up to 12 images at once, allowing for night photos to look bright with less noise, it said.

The A53 and A33, equipped with 6.5-inch and 6.4-inch Super AMOLED displays, respectively, have two-day battery life and can be fully charged in about an hour.

COMPETING WITH APPLE, HUAWEI, MOTOROLA

Samsung, the world’s top mobile phone manufacturer, is unveiling the budget smartphones as it faces growing competition from Apple Inc. and Chinese rivals such as Huawei Technologies Co. in the low-end segment.

Earlier this month, Apple launched its latest version of the iPhone SE, the equivalent to Samsung’s Galaxy A series. The new iPhone SE is priced at $429.

Samsung’s latest budget smartphones will also compete with Huawei’s P50 and Motorola’s Edge X30.

The Galaxy A53, priced at 599,500 won ($494), will be available in select markets, including Korea, beginning April 1. The Galaxy A33, whose price has yet to be set, will be available from April 22 in select markets.

Samsung said the Galaxy A73 5G will also be launched in some markets on April 22. It didn’t elaborate.

Industry watchers said Samsung’s Galaxy A series models, popular in emerging markets such as Latin America, India and other Southeast Asian countries, are the company’s main products to keep its market leadership.

According to industry tracker Omdia, the Galaxy A12, released in December 2020, was the world’s most shipped smartphone in 2021 with 51.9 million units globally.

The phone was Samsung’s first model to have sold beyond the 50 million mark in a year.

Write to Sung-Soo Bae at baebae@hankyung.com
In-Soo Nam edited this article.