Samsung isn't keen on leaving battery life to chance when it comes to 5G smartphones, and the company won't be changing that philosophy for the Galaxy A42; not even if doing so means delivering a device that won't exactly look closely related to the Galaxy A41 in anything but name. That's the main takeaway from today's news revealing some previously unknown details about what's shaping up to be Samsung's most affordable 5G smartphone yet.
Namely, a report from our friends over at Galaxy Club indicates that the battery fueling the Galaxy A42 5G will have a typical capacity of around 5,000mAh (rated 4,860mAh), which is an almost 70% increase over the recently released Galaxy A41. The reason for such a massive difference comes down to how power-hungry 5G connectivity truly is.
5G, slim design, good battery life: pick two
Consequently, the Galaxy A41 5G may be closer to the phablet-sized form factor of the Galaxy A21s than the more compact shape Samsung traditionally targets in the golden mean of its mid-range models. For the time being, pairing 5G connectivity with a slim, compact design isn't too feasible of a target for Samsung to pursue, at least not if battery life is a consideration. That's simply the price of early 5G adoption – particularly cheap 5G adoption which Samsung is currently prioritizing as part of its response to the disastrous effect this year is having on the industry.
SamMobile exclusively reported on the existence of the Galaxy A42 5G last month, just as the Galaxy A41 became available for purchase. The device isn't expected to hit the market before early 2021, but when it does, Samsung intends to offer it in black, gray and white color options.
