The South Korean tech giant Samsung (SSNLF, Financial) knows well that innovation is the sole key to advancement in the technology market that’s ruled by several hi-tech players. Though the Galaxy S5 remains the company’s flagship smartphone, Samsung wants to keep itself at the top of the game, and that’s why it’s coming up with Samsung Galaxy Alpha which is believed to be the updated and refurbished version of the Galaxy S5. Let’s dive in to find out how Samsung expects Galaxy Alpha to create a competitive edge in the smart phone market.
Upgradations round the corner
Though nothing has been set in stone by the company yet, according to recent news, the Galaxy Alpha could come in two variants – the Galaxy S5 F and the Galaxy S5 Alpha. The expected unveiling date for the model is August 13, but the exact date of release remains undisclosed.
In the past, Samsung has faced criticism for using polycarbonate plastic and simply painting on metal accents while making the external design for its existing smart phones. To counter this, now the management is trying to bring into play “high-end material” for Galaxy Alpha that will give the device an up-class feeling. Also, recent image leaks have confirmed that the Galaxy Alpha will incorporate aluminum along its trim and will have a rectangular shape and a perforated back panel similar to Galaxy S5. Samsung hopes to uphold its position in the smartphone market by bringing in such modifications which appeal to smart phone buyers.
Rumors suggest that Galaxy Alpha would also incorporate a host of high-end features while targeting the mid-range smartphone buyers -- a 4.7-inch or 4.8-inch Super AMOLED display with HD resolution, a 32GB internal memory, a 12 megapixel rear camera, a 2.1 megapixel front camera, Wi-fi and Bluetooth connectivity, GPS and fingerprint scanner to name a few.
Opportunity to match competitors’ standards
Samsung wants to offer stiff competition to Apple (AAPL, Financial) products. The company is struggling in the smartphone space with its latest Galaxy S5 not being able to catch up with iPhone 5S’ popularity. Samsung seems to have taken certain cues for its next handset from the iPhone 5S, which has undoubtedly been the top seller in the smartphone market since the launch last year.
Probably, the major change in the Galaxy series, as far as looks go, would be the Galaxy Alpha’s use of chamfered edges and aluminum casing similar to the next version of iPhone. This could serve as the precursor in igniting a war between the new Galaxy Alpha and iPhone 6, both slated to be launched later this year. Also, the Galaxy Alpha’s octa-core processor might leave customers gaping as it would allow them to multi-task seamlessly while preserving the battery life. This would be made possible thanks to a feature that would shut down the main cores when processor-heavy functions are not in use.
Samsung is hoping to woo iOS users by offering similar features at a price reasonable to that of the iPhone 6 which is expected to come with a premium price tag of around $1060. As per U.K. cell phone seller MobileFun, the Galaxy Alpha could sell at around $923, though the company is all hush hush on the exact price.
Final verdict
Samsung Galaxy Alpha might not be the flagship product for the tech honcho, but the handset is supposed to be the first metal-constructed Android handset released by Samsung in the market. This facelift version will definitely bring a touch of class that most of the smartphone customers would appreciate. Whether the phone can really spark a battle with Apple’s iPhone 5S or its upcoming iPhone 6, will be something worth watching.
