Samsung is preparing to launch its budget-friendly Galaxy M01, if the latest Wi-Fi Alliance certification indicates anything.
Samsung Galaxy M01 with Android 10 gets Wi-Fi Certification
The device has passed through the Wi-Fi Alliance, the agency that certifies Wi-Fi devices before their market release. What the Wi-Fi Alliance reveals with the upcoming Galaxy’s certification is that the device itself is entry-level and low-end.
The Wi-Fi certification documentation shows that the Galaxy M01 will have 802.11a/b/g/n Wi-Fi. This is standard for most devices. High-end devices, however, have the latest Wi-Fi standards. What are those? 802.11ac and 802.11ax. 802.11ac Wi-Fi allows mobile devices to have less interference from other products (such as microwaves, for example). 802.11ax, formally known as Wi-Fi 6 to tech enthusiasts, provides the fastest internet upload and download speeds. The upcoming M01 has neither 802.11ac nor Wi-Fi 6. This is why the M01 cannot be a high-end smartphone.
Additionally, the M01 only provides for single-band, 2.4GHz Wi-Fi. Premium smartphones feature 2.4GHz and 5GHz Wi-Fi. 5GHz Wi-Fi is dual-band, while 2.4GHz is single-band. Again, buyers get the best on more expensive devices. The M01’s single-band Wi-Fi is a second testimony to its lower-tier status.
Two model numbers
There are two model numbers for the Galaxy M01, according to the Wi-Fi documentation. The first model number, SM-015F/DS, shows a few things. First, “SM” stands for “Samsung,” as is obvious. Next, the letters “DS” indicate that the device is “Dual-SIM.”
Dual-SIM phones allow for the use of two SIM card simultaneously. Dual-SIM phones are excellent for employees who need one card for personal data and one for business data.
The “F” at the end of the model number indicates that the device in question could be unlocked or could represent a country. The second model number, SM-015G/DS, provides a “G” as an alternative to “F.”
If “F” stands for unlocked, “G” could represent a standard carrier-locked model. “F” and “G” could also stand for countries France and Germany, though the letters are probably for unlocked and locked versions.
The number “015” in both model numbers reveals the phone’s lower-tier status as well. Samsung has its Galaxy SM-105F, the Galaxy M10 model number, with “105.” The number 15 is lesser than 105. If “105F” refers to the Galaxy M10, then “015” must refer to something beneath the Galaxy M10. If the M10 is an entry-level smartphone, then the M015 must be an entry-level as well. In fact, the Galaxy M01 looks to be a more budget-friendly phone than the Galaxy M10.
Galaxy M01 will have Android 10
Some have surprise over this fact, but it’s true: the Galaxy M01 will launch with Android 10 on board.
Android 10 brings all sorts of Google goodies, with Samsung’s One UI overlay on top. It is Google and Samsung’s latest, considering that Android 10 launched last Fall (2019). There was a time when budget phones would come with old system updates; not anymore.
There’s no word on when Samsung could launch the M01, but judging by the certification, it could be any day now.