Samsung to debut latest low-end smartphone on home turf this week

South Korea’s tech giant Samsung Electronics Co. said Wednesday it will start sales of the Galaxy A5, the latest in its low-end smartphone lineup, at home Thursday, as it seeks to expand its footing in the low-end sector.

The 5-inch Galaxy A5, equipped with a metal frame, will cost around 484,000 won ($445.26) at home, the company said. It is equipped with a 13-megapixel rear camera with a 2,300 mAh battery capacity.

Samsung said its 5-megapixel front camera also allows users to take better selfies, as the device comes with various photo-related features, allowing them to take pictures by folding and unfolding hands. It is also able to take wide-angle photos expanding up to 120 degrees

galaxy_a5The world’s No. 1 maker of smartphone’s announcement of the local sales of the Galaxy A5 came a week after Samsung had said it will also launch another metal-framed model, the Galaxy A7, only 6.3 mm thick, in major emerging markets at the end of January.

With a 5.5-inch display, the Galaxy A7 is the thinnest smartphone ever released by Samsung. The 4.7-inch Galaxy Alpha and A5 held the previous records at 6.7 mm. The price tag on the Galaxy A7 stands at 583,000 won.

The Galaxy A5 is equipped with a HD Super active mode organic light-emitting diode display with a quad-core processor, whereas the Galaxy A7 boasts a Full HD AMOLED display with an octa-core processor.

Samsung has been making efforts to beef up its low-end lineup this year, also rolling out a smartphone powered by its own operating system, Tizen, in India, as its mainstay business continues to suffer amid the rise of Chinese rivals. (Yonhap)