Originally launched in 2014, the Galaxy A-series showed us something very different in the mid-range market. Rather surprisingly, this was one of Samsung’s first efforts into recreating its device design. Instead of all plastic materials used in its predecessors, the Alpha series focuses on a sleek metal band wrapped around the device to provide a more premium look and feel.
Currently, there are several offerings in Samsung’s mid-range lineup. The A3, A5, and A7 make up the segmented market aimed at providing a polished experience at a fraction of the flagship price. Predictably, with each increasing number in the series, you’ll find a slight spec bump that ultimately leads us to the latest series of rumors surrounding the lineup.
Presumably named the Samsung Galaxy A8, the once hailed Chinese market exclusive has some new details unfolding. Evidently, the A8 will now be reaching additional Asian as well as European markets. This is likely due to the success Samsung has seen with this targeted audience. Additionally, it is being noted this particular A-series phone is set to feature a fingerprint scanner seen on other high-end devices. This would make a first for the A-series lineup. Most likely, this will be the touch-based variant of the sensor which is featured on the Galaxy S6 & S6 Edge that shows the same reliability as Apple’s Touch ID (in prior Galaxy devices the fingerprint gesture was more of a swipe motion that typically required two hands to execute). Further speculation probes the idea this A8 unit will feature a 5.7″ Full HD SAMOLED panel (similar to what is currently housed on the A7), an octa-core 64-bit Snagdragon 615 under the hood, 2GB of ram, a 16-megapixel shooter positioned on the back cover, a fairly pixel heavy 5MP upfront, 16GB of internal storage, LTE connectivity, and significant juice with a 3,050 mAh powering everything. Lastly, much like all newer devices from Samsung, it will be running the latest version of Android 5.0 Lollipop. On paper, and for being touted as a mid-range phone with the price set accordingly, this is shaping up to be a total game changer for another facet of Samsung’s business model.