After many Chinese smartphone makers, and even bigger names like LG (with the LG Q6)started pulling off the near bezel-less design on mid-range smartphones, it looks like Samsung is finally bringing the bezel-less design language of the high-end Galaxy S and Note series on to its mid-range offerings with the upcoming A series.
Samsung is expected to launch the 2018 refresh of its mid-range Galaxy A series early next year, and as we inch closer to the end of this year, we're being treated to many leaks of the purported Galaxy A5 (2018). Thanks to some new case renders, we get to see the upcoming Samsung device in all its visual glory. And it looks so much similar to the Galaxy S8.
The leaked renders reiterate earlier reports that the Galaxy A (2018) series smartphones will sport Infinity Displays just like the higher Galaxy S and Note series (albeit without the curved edges) and the A5 is no exception.
From what we can see in the renders, the Galaxy A5 2018 looks like a shrunken Galaxy S8, and just so you know, the new Samsung Galaxy A5 2018 has been described by many as the "poor man's Galaxy S8".
Should the phone in these renders be the final product, the fingerprint sensor will be placed below the single rear camera (as you can can see), which makes it easier to reach and harder to miss. If this new placement materialises (which looks very likely), the Galaxy A5 2018 and its siblings will be the first smartphones to fix Samsung's awkward fingerprint sensor placement that is seen on Galaxy S8 and Note 8 instead of the Galaxy S9.
Also from the images, it becomes evident that the A5 2018 will have the dedicated "Bixby Key" on the left side, below the volume buttons, which means Samsung's AI assistant is ready to make its debut in the mid-range too.
Having said that, these case renders do not necessarily mean that the official launch of the Galaxy A 2018 series is imminent. However, Samsung could possibly launch the Galaxy A5 (2018) along with Galaxy A7 (2018) in January, as the Galaxy A5 (2017) and Galaxy A7 (2017) were also launched in January earlier this year.
Meanwhile, there are also rumours making the rounds that Samsung might unify the upcoming Galaxy A series phone names with its flagships, it will be interesting to see whether the 2018 A series phones will be launched as Galaxy A5 (2018) and Galxy A7 2018 or Galaxy A8 and Galaxy A8 Plus (as the rumour suggests).
