Samsung Galaxy A series

Samsung Galaxy A series
Samsung Galaxy A8 (2018), unveiled in January 2018
Developer Samsung
Type Smartphones and tablets
Release date 31 October 2014 (2014-10-31)
Operating system Android
System-on-chip used Samsung Exynos (2014–)
Qualcomm Snapdragon (2014–2016; 2018–)

The Samsung Galaxy A series (meaning Alpha) is a line of upper mid-range Android smartphones manufactured by Samsung Electronics. The Galaxy A series is similar to the flagship Galaxy S series, but with lower specifications and features. The first model in the series, the Samsung Galaxy Alpha was released in stores on September 2014, followed by Samsung Galaxy A3 and A5, that were first introduced on December 2014.

Following the announcement of the 2017 series, Samsung announced that they will sell up to 20 million Galaxy A series smartphones, targeting consumers in Europe, Africa, Asia, the Middle East and Latin America.[1]

As of 2017, most of the Galaxy A series models are currently available to most countries, except for the United States. Galaxy Tab A is also part of the A series and sold to most countries as well.

Timeline

The Samsung Galaxy A series' precursor, called the Galaxy Alpha, was introduced on 13 August 2014 and released in September 2014. A high-end device, the Galaxy Alpha is Samsung's first smartphone to incorporate a metallic frame and more premium materials, although the remainder of its physical appearance still resembles previous models such as the Galaxy S5. It also incorporates the Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 or Samsung's new Exynos 5430 system-on-chip, which is the first mobile system-on-chip to use a 20 nanometer manufacturing process. However, the Galaxy Alpha received mixed reviews: although praised for its higher quality build and design in comparison to earlier Galaxy models' utilitarian plastic construction, the device was criticized for its modest specifications in comparison to the flagship Galaxy S5, with the Alpha being criticized for lacking water resistance, lower resolution screen (720p versus 1080p) and no MicroSD slot for expandable storage. The Alpha also debuted at a price too high for what some considered to be a "mid-range" smartphone, as although it did share the same Snapdragon 801 as the Galaxy S5, most earlier phones with the Snapdragon 801 had already been on the market for months and saw price drops. Following its launch, Samsung Electronics CEO JK Shin explained that the Alpha was "built and designed based on the specific desires of the consumer market." The company touted that the Galaxy Alpha would mark a "new design approach" for Samsung's products, and that elements from the Alpha could appear on future Samsung models.[2] Its operating system is based on Android 4.4.4 "KitKat" with its own version of TouchWiz UI. Several updates were made throughout the world and in April 2015, Android 5.0.2 "Lollipop" was made available through an OTA update.[3]

In December 2014, 3 months after the release of the Galaxy Alpha, Samsung planned to end production of the Alpha in favor of its successor, the similarly-designed, but more competitively-priced Galaxy A series.[4] Samsung's new design philosophy would be fully realized by its 2015 flagship, the Galaxy S6, which combined a unibody metal frame with a glass backing.[5]

In March 2015, Samsung introduced the Galaxy Tab A series with 8.0 inch and 9.7 inch displays, a S Pen stylus, as well as preloaded Microsoft applications. The S Pen feature on the Galaxy Tab A series, makes the first Samsung Galaxy device to be equipped with the Samsung stylus outside of the Note series.

In September 2015, the Samsung Galaxy Tab S2 8.0 and 9.7 tablets were released, featuring a premium chamfered metal design similar to the first generation Galaxy A series phones.

In December 2015, Samsung unveiled the 2016 edition of the Galaxy A series. New features include metal and glass buildup, NFC which supports Samsung Pay, Samsung's Adaptive Fast charging feature and increased battery life. The Galaxy A (2016) series are similar to the Galaxy S6, and the Galaxy Note 5 flagships, which were released in April 2015, and August 2015, respectively.

In January 2017, Samsung unveiled the 2017 edition of the Galaxy A series. Newly improved features include 16-megapixel front and back cameras, an Exynos 7 Octa 7880 SoC, a 3D glass display (similar to Samsung Galaxy S6 edge+, Galaxy Note 5 and Galaxy S7), barometer and gyroscope sensors and IP68 certification for water and dust resistance as well as support for Gear 360 (2017). The new design of the series are very similar to the Galaxy S7 and the S7 Edge, released in March 2016.[6][7]

In December 2017, Samsung unveiled the 2018 edition of the Galaxy A8 and the plus version, the Galaxy A8+. The newly improved features include the rear-mounted fingerprint scanner, 5.6 inch display and 3000 mAh battery for A8 and 6 inch display and 3500 mAh battery for A8+, dual front camera and Android Nougat with Samsung Experience. The new design of the series are similar to Galaxy S8 and Note 8.

Samsung branded its series number as A8 and A8+ instead of A5 (2018) and A7 (2018) in order to synchronize it with the flagship Galaxy S8 and Note 8.

In May 2018, Samsung unveiled the Galaxy A6 and A6+. The new features included a full metal design and infinity display, and a dual rear camera for the A6+. They ship with Android 8.0 (Oreo) with Samsung Experience.

In June 2018 in China, Samsung unveiled the Galaxy A9 Star and A9 Star Lite. The Galaxy A9 Star Lite is a rebranded version of the Galaxy A6+ and the Galaxy A9 Star has been rebranded globally as the Galaxy A8 Star. The main features of the A8/A9 Star are its large 6.3-inch Full HD+ display and 16MP+24MP dual camera.

Phones

2015 lineup (1st generation)

Samsung Galaxy A5 (2015)

Release Dates: 30 October 2014 (A3/A5), 12 January 2015 (A7), 15 July 2015 (A8)

OS Versions:

CPU/GPU/Bluetooth:

  • Qualcomm Snapdragon 410 with Adreno 306 GPU and Bluetooth 4.0 (A3/A5)
  • Exynos 5430 with Mali-T720MP2 GPU and Bluetooth 4.0 (A7 Single SIM LTE)
  • Qualcomm Snapdragon 615 with Adreno 405 GPU and Bluetooth 4.0 (A7 Dual SIM LTE/3G)
  • Exynos 5430/5433 or Qualcomm Snapdragon 615 with Mali-T720MP2/T760MP6 or Adreno 306 GPU and Bluetooth 4.1 (A8)

Improved features:

  • A chamfered all metal unibody
  • Similar to the now discontinued Galaxy Alpha
  • 64-bit quad-core and octa-core processors
  • The multi-window feature allows using two apps simultaneously. (A5/A7/A8)
  • Hybrid Dual SIM slot and expandable storage up to 64GB
  • S Voice: The phone's personal assistant
  • S Beam: Transfer files via NFC.
  • Smart Stay: Prevents device screen from turning off by looking at the phone.
  • Smart Manager: Manage the memory, storage, RAM and battery. (available on Android 5.0.2 "Lollipop" and Android 6.0.1 "Marshmallow" updates)
  • Themes: Customize the visual interface with themes (for A5/A7/A8)
  • Download Booster: Boost downloads level to maximum bandwidth allowed.
  • Ultra power saving: Restrict the usage of battery by limiting the usage of phone.
  • One-handed Mode: Use the phone with a single hand.

Galaxy A3 (2015)

The Samsung Galaxy A3 (2015) was announced on October 2014 and released on December 2014. It is considered as a successor to the Samsung Galaxy Alpha.

Its specifications include a 4.5 inch qHD display, a 8MP back and a 5MP front camera, an 64-bit octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 410 chipset, 1 or 1.5GB of RAM and a 1900mAh battery. It comes shipped with Android 4.4.4 "KitKat". An update to Android 5.0.2 "Lollipop" started rolling out in May 2015.[8]

Galaxy A5 (2015)

The Samsung Galaxy A5 (2015) was announced on October 2014 and released on December 2014. It is considered as a successor to the Samsung Galaxy Alpha.

Its specifications include a 5.0 inch HD display, a 13 MP back and a 5MP front camera, an 64-bit quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 410 chipset, 2GB of RAM and a 2300mAh battery. It comes shipped with Android 4.4.4 "KitKat". An update to Android 5.0.2 "Lollipop" started rolling out in May 2015, and later Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow in August 2016.[8] [9]

Galaxy A7 (2015)

The Samsung Galaxy A7 (2015) was announced on January 2015 and released on February 2015, 2 months after the release of Galaxy A3 (2015) and the Galaxy A5 (2015).[10]

Its specifications include a 5.5 inch Full HD display, a 13 MP back and a 5MP front camera, an 64-bit octa-core Exynos 5430 (LTE single-sim model) or Qualcomm Snapdragon 615 (3G/LTE dual-sim model) chipset, 2GB of RAM and a 2600mAh battery. It comes shipped with Android 4.4.4 "KitKat". An update to Android 5.0.2 "Lollipop" started rolling out in May 2015.[8]

Galaxy A8 (2015)

The Samsung Galaxy A8 was introduced on 15 July 2015 at an event in China.[11]

The Galaxy A8 is thinner than earlier models from the A-series and Samsung's overall smartphone lineup, measuring 5.9 millimetres (0.23 in) in thickness.[12] Other specifications include a 5.7 inch Full HD display, a 16MP back and a 5MP front camera, an 64-bit octa-core Exynos 5430/5433 or a Snapdragon 615 chipset, 2GB of RAM and a 3050mAh battery. It comes shipped with Android 5.1.1 "Lollipop".

Following its release, the Galaxy A8 is only officially available in Middle Eastern, Asian and African markets.

2016 lineup (2nd generation)

Release Dates: 2 December 2015 (A3/A5/A7/A9), 30 March 2016 (A9 Pro), 30 September 2016 (A8)

OS Versions:

CPU/GPU/Bluetooth:

  • Exynos 7578 or Qualcomm Snapdragon 410 with Adreno 306 or Mali-T720 GPU and Bluetooth 4.1 (A3)
  • Exynos 7580 or Qualcomm Snapdragon 615 with Mali-T720MP2 or Adreno 405 GPU and Bluetooth 4.1 (A5/A7)
  • Exynos 7420 with Mali-T760 GPU and Bluetooth 4.2 (A8)
  • Qualcomm Snapdragon 652 with Adreno 510 GPU and Bluetooth 4.1/4.2 (A9 and A9 Pro)

Improved features:

  • Metal and Glass buildup with Gorilla Glass 4 on the back and front sides (A3/A5/A7/A9/A9 Pro)
  • A full metal build on the Samsung Galaxy A8 (2016)
  • Always-on display (A8)
  • 13-megapixel back camera and 5-megapixel front camera with Optical Image Stabilization (OIS)
  • NFC and MST technologies which support Samsung Pay electronic payments. (A5/A7/A8/A9/A9 Pro)
  • Adaptive fast charging technology. (A5/A7/A8/A9/A9 Pro)
  • Ultra Data Saving Mode feature powered by Opera Max (A5/A7/A9 Pro - South and Southeast Asia only)
  • 2 SIM cards and 1 SD card slot combination (A5/A7/A9 Pro - Africa, Middle East and Asia only)
  • Cat 4 LTE (A3), Cat 6 LTE (A5/A7/A9/A9 Pro) and Cat 9 LTE (A8)
  • Bigger and improved battery life with Ultra Power Saving Mode.
  • Samsung Health: An application from Samsung that allows users to watch their weight, blood pressure, and blood sugar levels from their phone, despite not having a heart rate sensor similar to its flagships.
  • Microsoft Apps: Microsoft Office (Word, PowerPoint, OneNote, Excel), Skype and OneDrive (free 100 GB cloud storage for 2 years).

Galaxy A3 (2016)

Galaxy A5 (2016)

Galaxy A7 (2016)

Galaxy A8 (2016)

Galaxy A9 (2016)

Samsung Galaxy A9 was introduced on 2 December 2015.

Since January 2016, the Galaxy A9 is only available in China and Hong Kong. The Galaxy A9 provides with a 64-bit Qualcomm Snapdragon 652 octa-core processor, 3 GB RAM, 32 GB internal memory, a 4000 mAh battery with Samsung Adaptive Fast charging feature and a 6-inch Full HD display with Gorilla Glass 4 covering on the back and front sides. It runs on Android 5.1.1 "Lollipop".

Galaxy A9 Pro (2016)

Samsung Galaxy A9 Pro was introduced on 30 March 2016. It is very similar to the original Galaxy A9, but with upgraded specifications. Its specifications include a 64-bit Qualcomm Snapdragon 652 octa-core processor, 4 GB RAM, 32 GB internal memory, a 5000 mAh battery with Samsung Adaptive Fast charging feature and a 6-inch Full HD display with Gorilla Glass 4 covering on the back and front sides. It runs on Android 6.0.1 "Marshmallow".

2017 lineup (3rd generation)

Release Date: 2 January 2017

OS Versions:

CPU/GPU/Bluetooth:

  • Exynos 7870 with Mali-T830 MP2 GPU and Bluetooth 4.2 (A3)
  • Exynos 7880 with Mali-T830 MP3 GPU and Bluetooth 4.2 (A5/A7)

Improved features:

  • 3D glass display
  • Always-on display
  • Cat 6 LTE (A3) and Cat 7 LTE (A5/A7)
  • IP68 certification for water and dust resistance
  • 16-megapixel front and rear cameras (A5/A7)
  • 13-megapixel rear camera and 8 megapixel front camera (A3)
  • Barometer and Gyroscope sensors
  • Samsung Cloud
  • Secure Folder feature
  • Game Launcher
  • Gear 360 (2017) compatibility (A5/A7)

What's missing:

  • Optical Image Stabilization (OIS) - previously featured on 2016 series
  • Not available in China and Hong Kong (replaced by the Galaxy C series)

Galaxy A3 (2017)

Galaxy A5 (2017)

Galaxy A7 (2017)

2018 lineup (4th generation)

Release Date: 18 December 2017 (A8/A8+), 2 May 2018 (A6/A6+), 7 June 2018 (A9 Star Lite/A8 Star/A9 Star), 20 September 2018 (A7)

OS Versions:

CPU/GPU/Bluetooth:

  • Exynos 7885 with Mali-G71 GPU and Bluetooth 5.0 (A8/A8+)
  • Exynos 7870 with Mali-T830 MP1 GPU and Bluetooth 4.2 (A6)
  • Snapdragon 450 with Adreno 506 GPU and Bluetooth 4.2 (A6+/A9 Star Lite)
  • Snapdragon 660 with Adreno 512 GPU and Bluetooth 5.0 (A8 Star/A9 Star)
  • Unnamed 2.2 GHz Octa-core with Bluetooth 5.0 (A7)

Improved features:

  • Skipped the numbering of the A series (2018) directly from "A5/A7" to "A8/A8+" to synchronize it with the flagship Galaxy S8 and Note8
  • Infinity display (18.5:9)
  • Cat 11 LTE
  • 3/4/6 GB of RAM with 32/64 GB of internal storage
  • Dual front cameras (16MP + 8MP) f1.9 (A8/A8+)
  • Dual rear camera (16MP f/1.7 + 5MP f/1.9 for A6+/A9 Star Lite, 16MP f/1.7 + 24MP f/1.7 for A8/A9 Star)
  • Triple rear camera (24MP f/1.7 + 8MP f/2.4 ultrawide + 5MP f/2.2) (A7)
  • Samsung Gear VR support
  • Face recognition unlock
  • Bixby Home, Reminders and Vision
  • Dual Messenger
  • Adaptive Wi-Fi control feature
  • LED notification light
  • Live Focus feature
  • Supports microSD cards of up to 400 GB

Galaxy A8 (2018)

Galaxy A8+ (2018)

Galaxy A6 (2018)

The Galaxy A6 was introduced on 2 May 2018. Its main feature is its Infinity Display, which a 5.6-inch HD+ (1480×720) Super AMOLED panel and reduced bezels. It has Samsung's Exynos 7870 processor (1.6GHz Octa-core) and 3 to 4GB of RAM. It has a 16MP f/1.7 rear camera and a 16MP f/1.9 selfie camera, both with LED flash. Unlike the A8/A8+, it ships with Android 8.0 "Oreo" (a newer version).

Galaxy A6+ (2018)/Galaxy A9 Star Lite

The Galaxy A6+ was introduced on 2 May 2018. Its main features are its Infinity Display and its dual camera. The display is a 6-inch Full HD+ (2220×1080) Super AMOLED panel with reduced bezels. It has Qualcomm's Snapdragon 450 processor (1.8GHz Octa-core) and 3 to 4GB of RAM. It has a dual rear camera, with a 16MP f/1.7 sensor and a 5MP f/1.9 sensor. The front camera is 24MP f/1.9. It was rebranded in China as the Galaxy A9 Star Lite in June 2018.

Galaxy A7 (2018)

The Galaxy A7 was introduced on 20 September 2018. It is the first Samsung phone to ever have three cameras placed on the back of the phone. These cameras include a 24MP wide-angle lens with an f/1.7 aperture, an 8MP ultra-wide angle lens with an f/2.4 aperture and a 13mm field-of-view and a 5MP f/2.4 depth sensor. It is also Samsung's firs phone to use a fingerprint sensor mounded on the side of the device. This sensor doubles as the power button. At the front of the device there is a 6-inch Full HD+ (2220×1080) Super AMOLED Infinity Display. It has an unnamed 2.2 GHz octa-core with Bluetooth 5.0. The 24MP f/2.0 selfie camera at the front is accompanied by an LED flash unit.

Galaxy A8 Star/Galaxy A9 Star

The Galaxy A9 Star was released in China in June 2018 and subsequently rebranded globally as the Galaxy A8 Star. The display is a 6.3-inch Full HD+ (2220×1080) Super AMOLED panel dubbed "Infinity Display" because of the tall 18.5:9 aspect ratio and reduced bezels. It features the midrange Qualcomm Snapdragon 660 octa-core chipset (4 2.2GHz performance cores and 4 1.8GHz efficiency cores). It has a dual rear camera with a main 16MP f/1.7 sensor and a secondary 24MP f/1.7 for Samsung's Live Focus bokeh effects. The selfie camera is 24MP f/2.0.

Galaxy A9

The Galaxy A9 was released in October 2018

Tablets

2015 lineup

Galaxy Tab A 8.0 (2015)

Galaxy Tab A 9.7 (2015)

2016 lineup

Galaxy Tab A 10.1 (2016)

2017 lineup

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Shipment goals for new Samsung Galaxy A and J series revealed". PhoneArena. Retrieved 1 July 2017.
  2. ↑ "Samsung ditches all-plastic design with metal Galaxy Alpha". The Verge. 13 August 2014. Retrieved 16 August 2014.
  3. ↑ "Lollipop update rolling out for Samsung Galaxy Alpha". GSMArena.com. Retrieved 12 May 2016.
  4. ↑ "Samsung set to discontinue Galaxy Alpha in favor of cheaper phones". The Verge. Retrieved December 31, 2014.
  5. ↑ Etherington, Darrell. "The Story Behind Samsung's Galaxy S6 And S6 Edge Design Departure". TechCrunch. AOL. Retrieved 2 March 2015.
  6. ↑ "Samsung Galaxy A 2017 Series Set to Launch on January 5".
  7. ↑ "Samsung Introduces Stylish, Powerful and Practical Galaxy A (2017) with Enhanced Camera". news.samsung.com.
  8. 1 2 3 Arici, Alexandra. "Samsung Galaxy A7 Now Getting Android 5.0.2 Lollipop Update".
  9. ↑ SamMobile. "First-generation Galaxy A5 finally gets Marshmallow". SamMobile.
  10. ↑ "Samsung Galaxy A7 - Full phone specifications". www.gsmarena.com.
  11. ↑ "Samsung's Galaxy A8 is the thinnest phone it's ever made".
  12. ↑ "Samsung unleashes its thinnest phone ever with Galaxy A8". CNET. CBS Interactive.
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