Samsung Galaxy A Series goes on sale in Singapore
Samsung has launched their metal body GALAXY A Series Smartphones in Singapore. A total of three new phones, the A3, A5, and A7 make up the Galaxy A series. The A3 and A5 would be available first in Singapore from 16th January but the bigger variant the Galaxy A7 would only be available later this quarter. My take: Nice design, but way too expensive for the overall phone specifications.
The Galaxy A Series are built with a full metal body, which distinguishes from the over reliance on plastic for Samsung Galaxy S and Note series for a more premium feel. The metal unibody design also allows Samsung to come up with a slimmer design, for better grip and comfort.
Full marks for the design but looks aside, the internals of the Galaxy A series aren’t that fanciful for the high price.
The GALAXY A7 4G is equipped with an octacore processor combining two separate quad core processors (the Snapdragon 615). However, the other two, the Galaxy A5 and A3 are powered by a Snapdragon 400, a 1.2 GHz Quad Core processor, 1GB of RAM. Similar phones in this range are like the Motorola Moto G, Alcatel, Redmi, Zenfone, HTC Desire 620 options which are typically priced <$350. The Redmi 1S is almost a third of the price at $169.
In comparison, the Galaxy A3 and A5 would retail at $448, and $598 respectively. The Galaxy A3 and A5 will suffice for daily use, but you can get much more bang for buck at this sort of pricing.
The GALAXY A series uses Samsung’s SUPER AMOLED display and Adaptive Display technology, with a full HD 1080p 5.5″ screen on the A7, 5″ HD 720p screen on the A5 and a 4.5″ qHD (960 x 540) screen on the A3. The SUPER AMOLED does help to deliver more vibrant images with deeper contrast and deeper blacks.
The Second SIM slot doubles up as a Memory card slot.
The Galaxy A7 is probably the most feature rich out of the bunch, but it’s pricing has not been revealed and would likely be on the high side too. The Galaxy A7 is 4G dual-sim compatible. Interestingly, the second SIM slot on the A7 can double up as an an external memory card slot when the SIM slot is not in use. While interesting, I also see it as a problem when I am travelling and I want to use two SIM cards at the same time, and also, have access to my memory card, which would likely contain my offline media content for my travelling entertainment. It’s not like there’s not enough space on the phone to have all 3 slots.
Promotion for GALAXY A Series Users
Samsung rewards GALAXY A Series users with exclusive content deals through GALAXY Life3, a Samsung loyalty mobile application that offers curated and exclusive content preloaded on the smartphones. GALAXY A users can look forward to a series of privileges and deals – dining, shopping, entertainment and more – that are in line with their lifestyle.
At launch, the merchant deals will include:
Free pack of customised GALAXY Life sticky candy for first 500 GALAXY A users
Free scoop of Ben & Jerry’s ice cream for first 500 GALAXY A users
1-for-1 K Box singing session
10% off regular-priced items at MDS Collections
Samsung x Laneway Festival Singapore
In celebration of the launch of GALAXY A series, Samsung is a proud sponsor of the Laneway Festival Singapore happening on January 24 @ The Meadow at Gardens by the Bay. Festival attendees will be able to take part in the #thisisme #SelfieOOTD photo contest and the best photo will stand a chance to win GALAXY A3 4G, GALAXY A5 4G or GALAXY A7 4G in the hourly giveaway throughout the day from 11am till late. Festival attendees will also be able to enjoy an exclusive promotion with purchase of GALAXY A5 4G at any Samsung Experience Stores – FREE Samsung 9,500mAh Battery Pack worth $128.
Local Pricing and Availability
The GALAXY A Series will be available at local Telecommunication Operators, major consumer electronics stores, authorised mobile retailers and Samsung Experience Stores.
The GALAXY A7 4G will be available this quarter in Pearl White and Midnight Black.
The GALAXY A5 4G will be available from January 16 in Pearl White and Midnight Black, and will retail at $598 without contract. The Platinum Silver, Champagne Gold and Soft Pink versions will be available in February.
The GALAXY A3 4G will be available from January 16 in Pearl White and Midnight Black, and will retail at $448 without contract. The Platinum Silver, Champagne Gold, Soft Pink versions will be available in late January and February.
Consumers who purchase the GALAXY A3 4G will receive a free Samsung Level Box mini in Silver worth $168. This promotion is available, while stocks last, at local Telecommunication Operators, major consumer electronics stores, authorised mobile retailers and Samsung Experience Stores.
For all promotion details, please check with Samsung for specific terms and availability.