Samsung has started development on what seems to be a 5G-enabled smartphone as part of its 2021 Galaxy A series. The device in question sports model number SM-A426B, and based on Samsung's current system for putting model numbers on phones, the SM-A426B should be the international variant of the Galaxy A42 5G.
Galaxy A42 5G to lower the barrier of entry
Interestingly, we can't find any evidence of a LTE-only Galaxy A42, which makes us think that Samsung could bring mid-range 5G phones to a wider audience next year. Of course, a non-5G Galaxy A42 will no doubt be released as well. From what we hear, this device is going to feature 128GB of internal storage, which would be remarkable for a handset in this category, since the Galaxy A41 has 64GB of storage. It's going to be available in gray, black and white colors.
5G-only handsets are compatible with 4G LTE networks so they can be used in markets where no 5G networks exist. However, Samsung has maintained a split so far by launching 5G and LTE-only variants. It did that for the entire Galaxy S20 lineup as well as for the Galaxy A51 and Galaxy A71. Is it now moving towards a future where only 5G variants are released? This was bound to happen at some point.
As for the 2021 Galaxy A series and particularly the Galaxy A42 5G, it's still early days. The new Galaxy A handsets won't break cover until at least the end of this year so a lot could change between now and then. One thing's for sure, though, Samsung will continue to bring down 5G's barrier of entry.
