After months of rumours, Samsung finally pulled the wraps off the new 2017 series Galaxy A7, A5 and A3 phones just days ahead of the international CES (Consumer Electronics Show) 2017.
Samsung's new mid-tier phones Galaxy A7, A5 and A3 phones comes endowed with marquee features of the flagship Galaxy S7 series, including Ingress Protection rating of IP68. This means users can take the Galaxy A (2017) for a dip in the swimming pool (freshwater, not sea) and take pictures for 30 minutes under up to five feet water.
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The new Galaxy A series boasts the Galaxy S7-inspired premium metal frame (with 3D glass back), top-notch cameras (front and back) with f/1.9 aperture, sophisticated contactless payment mode (Samsung Pay in select markets) via MST (Magnetic Secure Transmission) technology.
As far hardware is concerned, the new Galaxy A7 and Galaxy A5 house pretty much the same features except the screen size and battery capacity. The former boasts a 5.7-inch screen and 3500mAh cell (with fast charge), while the latter features a smaller 5.2-inch display and a 3,000mAh battery. Everything else, including display resolution, RAM, storage and camera, are the same.
They run Android Marshmallow OS and come with 3GB RAM, 32GB internal storage and 16MP cameras on both front and back with f/1.9 aperture.
On the other hand, the Galaxy A3 (2017) features a 4.7-inch HD screen and houses 2GB RAM, 16GB internal storage, a 13MP primary camera, an 8MP front snapper and a 2,350mAh battery.
"At Samsung, we are always trying to ensure our customers have the most advanced products on the market," DJ Koh, president of Mobile Communications Business, Samsung Electronics, said in a statement.
"The latest Galaxy A series is a testament to this. 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," Koh added.
All three smartphones come in four colour options — Black Sky, Gold Sand, Blue Mist and Peach Cloud.
As of now, the company has released price details of Galaxy A5 (2017) and A3 (2017) for European markets. They are said to cost €429 (approx. $450/Rs.30, 627) and €329 (approx. $345/Rs. 23,487), respectively. There is no word on the price of the Galaxy A7 (2017).
Watch this space for latest news on Samsung Galaxy A series and CES 2017.
Key specifications of 2017-series Samsung Galaxy A7, A5 and A3:
| Models | Galaxy A7(2017) | Galaxy A5(2017) | Galaxy A3(2017) |
| Display | 5.7-inch full HD(1920x1080p) super AMOLED with 3D Gorilla Glass | 5.2-inch full HD(1920x1080p) super AMOLED with 3D Gorilla Glass | 4.7-inch HD(1280x720p) super AMOLED with 3D Gorilla Glass |
| OS | Android 6.0.16 Marshmallow | Android 6.0.16 Marshmallow | Android 6.0.16 Marshmallow |
| Processor | 1.9GHz octa-core CPU | 1.9GHz octa-core CPU | 1.6GHz octa-core CPU |
| RAM | 3GB | 3GB | 2GB |
| Storage | 32GB (expandable up to 256GB) | 32GB (expandable up to 256GB) | 16GB (expandable up to 1256GB) |
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| Battery | 3,600mAh with fast charging | 3,000mAh with fast charging | 2,350mAh |
| Network | 4G-LTE (Cat. 6- May differ by markets and mobile operators) | 4G-LTE (Cat. 6- May differ by markets and mobile operators) | 4G-LTE (Cat. 6- May differ by markets and mobile operators) |
| Add-ons | IP68 water-and-dust proof certifications, fingerprint scanner, Bluetooth v4.2, Wi-Fi (802.11 a/b/g/n/ac), NFC (Near Field Communication), MST (Magnetic Secure Transmission) technology(Samsung Pay in select markets), Samsung KNOX, S-Voice, Dual SIM option | IP68 water-and-dust proof certifications, fingerprint scanner, Bluetooth v4.2, Wi-Fi (802.11 a/b/g/n/ac), NFC (Near Field Communication), MST (Magnetic Secure Transmission) technology(Samsung Pay in select markets), Samsung KNOX, S-Voice, Dual SIM option | IP68 water-and-dust proof certifications, fingerprint scanner, Bluetooth v4.2, Wi-Fi (802.11 a/b/g/n/ac), NFC (Near Field Communication), MST (Magnetic Secure Transmission) technology(Samsung Pay in select markets), Samsung KNOX, S-Voice, Dual SIM option |
| Dimensions | 156.8 x 77.6 x 7.9mm | 146.1 x 71.4 x 7.9mm | 135.4 x 66.2 x 7.9mm |
| Colours | Black Sky, Gold Sand, Blue Mist and Peach Cloud. | Black Sky, Gold Sand, Blue Mist and Peach Cloud. | Black Sky, Gold Sand, Blue Mist and Peach Cloud. |
| Price | ---- | €429 (approx. $450/Rs.30, 627) | €329 (approx. $345/Rs. 23,487) |
