How low can 5G phones go? Samsung's Galaxy A32 may hold the answer
Considering that most 5G-enabled smartphones released in 2019 and early 2020 either circled or well exceeded the $1,000 retail pricing mark, we were understandably impressed by the affordability of the Snapdragon 765-powered Motorola Edge, Samsung Galaxy A71 5G, or LG Velvet, not to mention the OnePlus Nord.
Of course, we've also known for quite some time that several handset vendors are eyeing sub-$600 and even sub-$400 price points for 5G-capable devices packing Qualcomm's Snapdragon 690 or MediaTek's Dimensity 720 chipset. Samsung, for instance, is rumored to be working on a Galaxy A42 5G model with a huge battery under its hood, as well as a presumably even lower-end Galaxy A32 5G.
The latter phone is largely shrouded in mystery, reportedly carrying the SM-A326 model number to obviously follow in the footsteps of the 4G LTE-only A31, aka SM-A315. If GalaxyClub's inside info (translated here) proves reliable, the Galaxy A32 5G will come with a primary 48MP rear-facing shooter, as well as a 2MP depth sensor in addition to an unknown third and fourth camera.
The Galaxy A31, mind you, already features a quad rear camera system including a 48MP main snapper and superior-sounding 5MP depth lens, so it remains to be seen what the A32 5G will bring to the table in terms of upgrades. While the A42 5G is expected to bump up its predecessor's battery size from 3,500 to 5,000mAh, that sort of an improvement will actually not be possible for the A32 5G, as the A31 packs a gargantuan 5,000mAh cell of its own.
Naturally, one of the biggest selling points of the budget-friendly 6.4-incher is, well, its budget friendliness. Not available in markets like the US, the Galaxy A31 costs €299 in Spain, which makes us hopeful that the Galaxy A32 5G could go for as little as $300 stateside... if it ever makes its way around these parts. Keep in mind that the A31 and A41 were unveiled in March 2020, so any movement on the A32 and A42 announcement front by the end of the year seems highly unlikely.
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