Samsung Galaxy A5, A3 Release Date Annouced

The Samsung Galaxy A5 and Galaxy A3 release date has just been announced with Samsung unveiling two new ultra-thin, fully metal devices targeting young consumers with a 5-megapixel selfie camera and social networking optimization. According to Samsung, the Samsung Galaxy A5 and Galaxy A3 are its thinnest devices yet with the 5-inch Galaxy A5 just 6.7mm thick and the 4.5-inch Galaxy A3 just 6.9mm thick, beating or matching the iPhone 6, which is 6.9mm thick. The two new smartphones are also the first from Samsung to feature a metal unibody design.

“The Galaxy A5 and A3 offer a beautifully crafted full metal unibody, slim design, superior hardware and the best possible social media experience,” JK Shin, CEO and Head of IT & Mobile Communication at Samsung Electronics, said in a release. “These devices make our advanced Galaxy experience even more accessible to young and trend conscious consumers.” To facilitate selfie taking, the Samsung Galaxy A5 and Galaxy A3 feature a 5-megapixel front camera with a slew of selfie modes including wide selfie, palm selfie, beauty face features, rear-cam selfies and even an animated gif maker.

Samsung Galaxy A5

The Samsung Galaxy A5 and A3 release date announcement is seen by analysts as Samsung’s first counterstrike after a dismal third quarter earnings report, Reuters reported. While the new shiny devices are being marketed to young consumers, it’s clear that Samsung is aiming to reclaim its title of biggest smartphone maker in China from local upstart Xiaomi. The two new smartphones will go on sale in China in November and other select markets that have yet to be announced. Pricing details for the Samsung Galaxy A5 and A3 have not been revealed but they are considered mid-tier devices without the top-of-the line specs of Samsung’s flagship Galaxy devices.

The Samsung Galaxy A5 is a more premium device than the Galaxy A3, which the A5 boosting a higher resolution screen, more memory, better rear camera and bigger battery. The Samsung Galaxy A5 has a 5-inch 720x1280 pixels or 294 ppi display compared to the Galaxy A3’s 4.5-inch 540x960 pixels or 245 ppi display. While both new devices have a 5-megapixel camera front camera with selfie functions, the Galaxy A5 has a 13-megapixel rear camera while the Galaxy A3 has an 8-megapixel one.

The Samsung Galaxy A5 and Galaxy A3 both sport a quad-core 1.2GHz processor but the A5 has 2GB of RAM, while the A3 has 1GB of RAM. Both devices have 16GB of  built-in storage with support for up to 64GB microSD card. But the Galaxy A5 has a 2,300 mAh battery compared to the Galaxy A3’s 1,900 mAh battery. Both devices will ship with Android 4.4 KitKat and come in a variety of colors including white, black, soft pink, light blue, silver and gold.