We recently revealed Samsung's plans to launch three new devices in its new A series of smartphones following the Galaxy Alpha, along with some info on one of those devices, carrying model number SM-A500. The SM-A500 will be the next phone to launch in the lineup, and today, we've got detailed information on the device's hardware. The most interesting thing we've learned from our source is that the SM-A500 will have a full metal body, without a removable back cover. If true, this means the phone won't have the new faux leather back that Samsung has been using on most of its recent devices, and hence might feel more premium than even the Galaxy Alpha despite its mid-range specs.
Talking of specs, the SM-A500 will have a 5-inch HD (1280×720) Super AMOLED display, a quad-core Snapdragon 400 processor, 8-megapixel and 5-megapixel rear and front-facing cameras, 16GB of internal storage, and a 2,330 mAh battery. Unlike the Galaxy Alpha, the SM-A500 will have a microSD slot – the phone will feature a hybrid slot in which both a microSD card and a nano SIM can be inserted. Also, the phone won't have fingerprint and heart rate sensors nor will it be water and dust-resistant, though it will feature the Ultra Power Saving Mode option that debuted on the Galaxy S5.
The SM-A500 specs reiterate the fact that Samsung is finally putting attractive hardware in mid-range devices, a move that has been made necessary by the onslaught of feature-packed low-cost Chinese smartphones. Samsung is also going a step further by finally using metal to offer a more premium feel, though it remains to be seen if a metallic back will offer the same ergonomic grip as the faux leather material the company uses nowadays.
