Samsung India launched its latest Android offering in the form of an improved version of the Galaxy J7 Nxt, debuting yet another device meant to compete in the entry-level segment of the market. Mahesh Telecom already confirmed it’s set to start retailing the phone in the coming weeks and more wireless carriers are expected to do the same, with the handset now also being listed on Samsung’s own store, though it still isn’t available for purchase. Priced at Rs. 12,990 ($202), the Galaxy J7 Nxt is yet another addition to Samsung’s portfolio specifically targeted at assisting the firm in taking on Xiaomi, its fiercest rival in India.
The newly announced Android smartphone retains the 5.5-inch Super AMOLED display with a resolution of 1,280 by 720 pixels amounting to a widescreen aspect ratio of 16:9. Samsung’s own Exynos 7870 SoC still powers the device, with the octa-core silicon being clocked at 1.6GHz. With the release of the new model, the Galaxy J7 Nxt is now set to be sold in two variants, with the more affordable one featuring 2GB of RAM and 16GB of internal flash memory, whereas the new model will ship with twice as much storage space and 3GB of RAM. The original handset debuted in the South Asian country in July and carries an Rs. 11,490 ($178) price tag. Both are available in Black and Gold, Samsung confirmed. Besides dual-SIM capabilities and a microSD card slot with support for up to 256GB of additional memory, the Galaxy J7 Nxt also boasts a 3,000mAh battery, Bluetooth 4.1, and 4G VoLTE compatibility.
The rear camera of the device is a 13-megapixel affair with an aperture of f/1.7, whereas its front-facing sensor is of the 5-megapixel variety, resting behind an f/2.2 lens. The Galaxy J7 Nxt runs Android 7.0 Nougat-based Samsung Experience out of the box and will likely be updated to Android 8.0 Oreo by mid-2018. Samsung‘s new entry-level offering is unlikely to make its way outside of India, with its Nxt-branded handsets usually remaining exclusive to the country, as was the case with the original Galaxy J7 Nxt model. The company is still the leading local phone vendor but may be overtaken by Xiaomi in 2018, with the Chinese tech giant currently recording staggering growth in India, according to numerous industry trackers.
