Samsung could bring Galaxy Alpha design to more affordable handsets

Samsung SM-A500
The SM-A500 will reportedly have an all-metal body, just like the Galaxy Alpha

Hot on the heels of the Samsung Galaxy Alpha announcement, it looks like Samsung is readying itself for the launch of another smartphone – the SM-A500.

The SM-A500, along with the Samsung Galaxy Alpha and two other rumoured handsets (the SM-A300 and SM-A700) will be part of Samsung's new A series of smartphones.

Smartphones in Samsung's A series will share a number of features, such as premium all-metal bodies and much improved cameras, and will range from the high-end to the budget, with the SM-A500 being the mid-range offering.

Underneath the metal skin

Whilst the other handsets in the A series remain a mystery, a recent leak from SamMobile has given us a glance at the specs we can expect in the Samsung SM-A500.

Apparently it will have a 5-inch Super AMOLED display with a resolution of 1280 x 720. It will have a quad-core Snapdragon 400 processor, 16GB of internal storage and a 2330mAh battery.

The all-metal body will include a hybrid slot for inserting both a microSD card and a nanoSIM, though you won't be able to remove the back to replace the battery.

Camera-wise the SM-A500 is expected to have an 8MP fear camera, and a 5MP front-facing one.

What we can take away from the specs of the SM-A500 is that Samsung looks keen to create a mid-range device with a premium feel to compete with the lower priced devices that are coming from Samsung's Chinese competitors.

Will a shiny new case and improved cameras be enough to entice customers looking for a low to mid-range smartphone? It looks like we'll be finding out soon.

Via InToMobile

Matt Hanson
Managing Editor, Core Tech

Matt is TechRadar's Managing Editor for Core Tech, looking after computing and mobile technology. Having written for a number of publications such as PC Plus, PC Format, T3 and Linux Format, there's no aspect of technology that Matt isn't passionate about, especially computing and PC gaming. Ever since he got an Amiga A500+ for Christmas in 1991, he's loved using (and playing on) computers, and will talk endlessly about how The Secret of Monkey Island is the best game ever made.