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US carriers turn their backs on one of Samsung's most popular and fairly recent phone

Updated: Jul 27, 2022, 4:41 PM

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US carriers turn their backs on popular Samsung phone that was in the top 5 recently

The mid-range A series phones, and not the flashier Galaxy Z Fold and Flips or the Galaxy S range, are the bread and butter for Samsung, making up for a whopping 58 percent of the company's total smartphone sales in 2021. They are great options for anyone looking for a decent phone with basic features without an exorbitant price tag. Sadly for US consumers, one of Samsung's best mid-tier handsets, the Galaxy A32 5G, is no longer being sold by carriers.

PCMag reports that research firm Wave7 has found out that the Galaxy 32 5G has been dropped by US carriers. The phone came out in 2021, so it's not exactly an oldie. It's sufficiently specced for a $279.99 phone, offering a large 6.5-inch screen, the mid-tier MediaTek Dimensity 720 5G SoC, a quad camera array with a 48MP main camera, a 13MP front shooter, and a gigantic 5,000mAh battery that was good for multiple days of battery life on moderate use.

The phone also has a 3.5mm headphone jack and even a microSD slot for expanding storage, both of which are fast disappearing from phones. Of course, Samsung had to make some compromises at this price point, such as not including an IP rating and opting for a low-resolution display.

The device will get two operating system upgrades and four years of security support, so it should be good for a few more years.

Despite that, Galaxy A32 5G's time at US carriers is over. Although it was performing well at both AT&T and T-Mobile, the former has now stopped selling it, and the latter retired it in May.

The Galaxy A12 and A32 were credited for helping MediaTek become the number one chip vendor in the US in Q4 2021. The A32 5G was also a strong seller at US' largest prepaid brand, Metro by T-Mobile, in 2021. In January 2022, it was the fifth most popular phone in the US and could have performed even better were it not for supply issues.

If you are a Samsung loyalist, there is no obvious replacement for the A32 5G in the US, because the A33 is not available in the country. You might want to check out the lower-tiered Galaxy A13 5G or cough up nearly $200 more for the A53.

Otherwise, there are always phones from other companies. such as the sub-$300 OnePlus Nord N200 and OnePlus Nord N2 or the slightly more expensive Moto G Stylus 5G.

Galaxy A32's exit has not affected Samsung's market share at carriers, per the report. It still had a share of 32 percent at AT&T in June for instance, unchanged from April and May. Prepaid carriers have started promoting the Galaxy A13 as a possible alternative.

The report also reminds us how few choices US consumers have when it comes to phones and they are being deprived of innovative Chinese phones from BBK-owned companies like Oppo, Iqoo, and Realme.

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Anam Hamid is a computer scientist turned tech journalist who has a keen interest in the tech world, with a particular focus on smartphones and tablets. She has previously written for Android Headlines and has also been a ghostwriter for several tech and car publications. Anam is not a tech hoarder and believes in using her gadgets for as long as possible. She is concerned about smartphone addiction and its impact on future generations, but she also appreciates the convenience that phones have brought into our lives. Anam is excited about technological advancements like folding screens and under-display sensors, and she often wonders about the future of technology. She values the overall experience of a device more than its individual specs and admires companies that deliver durable, high-quality products. In her free time, Anam enjoys reading, scrolling through Reddit and Instagram, and occasionally refreshing her programming skills through tutorials.