A device bearing the model number SM-J530FM/DS that’s widely believed to be the upcoming Samsung Galaxy J5 (2017) was certified by the United States Federal Communications Commission (FCC), as revealed by a set of documents published by the federal agency on Thursday. The listing itself doesn’t disclose many details about the handset, though several variations of its model number have already been the subject of a number of reports and benchmark listings that suggested the Galaxy J5 (2017) will be a rather modest device in terms of specs, likely aimed at people looking to get the most value for their money.
According to previous reports, the Galaxy J5 (2017) will feature a display panel boasting a diagonal that’s between 4.8 and 5 inches long, featuring a resolution of 1280 by 720 pixels. While the phone’s 2016 predecessor sported a 5.2-inch screen, it seems that Samsung opted for a more compact design this year. Furthermore, the phone is expected to be powered by the Exynos 7870 system-on-chip (SoC) and 2GB of RAM, in addition to featuring 16GB of internal storage that will likely be expandable via a microSD card slot. The rear panel of the Galaxy J5 (2017) is said to accommodate a 13-megapixel sensor, but there’s currently no information on the front camera of the device. Finally, Samsung’s upcoming entry-level smartphone will ship with Android 7.0 Nougat running out of the box, a listing on Wi-Fi Alliance’s website suggested earlier this year. An alleged image of the handset even leaked online several days ago, though it didn’t reveal many details about the device.
While it’s currently unclear when the Galaxy J5 (2017) will be hitting the market, the fact that the handset was certified by the FCC all but confirms that the phone will eventually launch stateside. The South Korean consumer electronics manufacturer has yet to officially announce its new entry-level smartphone, though the company will likely unveil it in the coming months. In the meantime, Samsung will be busy with the launch of the Galaxy S8 and the Galaxy S8 Plus, its latest pair of Android flagships that officially started hitting the market today and are expected to become huge commercial hits.