Xiaomi’s recent rise from the ranks to become one of the
biggest smartphone makers in the world has led a lot of its competitors to
re-evaluate their strategies and focus on entry-level and mid-range markets. Samsung
for instance has just announced two devices that are specifically targeted towards
these markets.
The Galaxy A5 and A3 are the Korean tech giant’s answer to
Xiaomi’s budget offerings. The Galaxy A3 is built around a 4.5-inch qHD Super
AMOLED panel and sports a 1.2GH quad-core CPU, 1GB of RAM, and 8GB of
expandable storage. There’s an 8MP camera at the back and a 5MP sensor up
front.
The A3 also comes with a 1900mAh battery, LTE connectivity
and Android 4.4 KitKat with TouchWiz UI right out of the box.
On the other hand, the slightly bigger A5 packs a 5-inch
Super AMOLED display, a 1.2GHz quad-core processor, 2GB of RAM, 16GB of
built-in storage that can be expanded via a microSD card, a 13MP+5MP camera
combo, LTE connectivity, a 2300mAh battery and Android 4.4 KitKat.
Design-wise, both models will be available in different
colors and an all-metal unibody construction. Samsung hasn’t given any
information on pricing but both the A3 and A5 should be available this month in
various markets including China.
