The Indian arm of Samsung is finally ready to launch the long-anticipated Galaxy M11 and Galaxy M01, a pair of aggressively priced entry-level smartphones. Both devices have been in development for some time now, with SamMobile exclusively reporting on the existence of the Galaxy M11 as early as last December. The handset eventually made its way to Samsung's UAE storefront but missed out on a proper launch.
Earlier this month, however, the Galaxy M11 also made a quiet appearance in Vietnam. Its incoming release in India should be somewhat better-publicized as Samsung reportedly plans to have the smartphone available both online and offline. The Galaxy M11 will set you back around Rs. 15,000 ($200), whereas the Galaxy M01 is expected to be priced in the ballpark of Rs. 10,000 ($130). The Android smartphones should become available for purchase at some point next week.
No more online exclusivity
Formerly an online-only brand, the Galaxy M family embraced offline channels in India earlier this year. That move coincided with a massive fall-off in physical electronics sales caused by the ongoing measures aimed at curbing the spread of the novel coronavirus pandemic. At the same time, a value-oriented series like the Galaxy M actually experienced a demand in surge in these trying times. That may be what prompted Samsung to double down on such entry-level releases and keep pushing to increase their offline presence; even as its overall retail strategy in India is now moving in the exact opposite direction.
Indian sources claim the Galaxy M11 and Galaxy M01 will be followed by the Galaxy A31, which is scheduled for release next week – Thursday, June 4th, to be specific. That particular model is rumored to be priced at some Rs. 23,000, or just over $300. At one-third of that price, the Galaxy M01 should still offer decent performance with its 3GB of RAM, 32GB of storage space, and a 4,000mAh battery. Meanwhile, the Galaxy M11 is expected to become available in two iterations – 3/32GB and 4/64GB. Both memory configurations are said to be paired with a Qualcomm-made Snapdragon chip, whereas the Galaxy A31 will be fueled by a MediaTek silicon.
