A Samsung device identified by the model number SM-A530F was recently spotted in the database of HTML5test benchmark, with its listing suggesting that the handset’s screen will feature an aspect ratio of 18.5:9. While the tool puts its display resolution at 412 by 846 pixels which is almost certainly inaccurate, the image format used by the handset was likely correctly identified as the same one boasted by the Galaxy S8, Galaxy S8 Plus, and the Galaxy Note 8.
The SM-A530F model number was confirmed as belonging to a real smartphone earlier this week after the South Korean National Radio Research Agency certified the product in question for real-world usage, whereas a seemingly related variant of the device was already benchmarked in early fall. The latest sighting of the supposed Galaxy A5 (2018) gives more credence to previous reports that the device will run Android 7.1.1 Nougat out of the box and will presumably receive an upgrade to Oreo within half a year of its release. If the Galaxy A5 (2018) is to take advantage of the aforementioned aspect ratio, it will likely do so with a smaller version of Samsung’s Infinity Display panel featured on all of the company’s 2017 flagships. The South Korean original equipment manufacturer has a long history of trickling down premium mobile features to its mid-range offerings shortly after commercializing them, having most recently done so by making the Galaxy A (2017) lineup IP68-certified for resistance to dust particles and water. Adopting a bezel-free aesthetic with its mid-range lineup would provide the company with yet another way to differentiate its devices from their similarly priced alternatives in most markets, though it’s still unclear whether such a look could lead to a price increase.
The Galaxy A5 (2018) is rumored to be powered by Samsung‘s unannounced Exynos 7885 SoC and 4GB of RAM, in addition to offering 32GB of internal flash memory which should be expandable with a microSD card by up to 256GB. The handset and the rest of the upcoming lineup will likely launch early next year and are expected to be targeted at developed countries, much like their predecessors. Developing countries with highly competitive mid-range markets are likely to receive new Galaxy C-series devices instead.