Regardless, there’s nonetheless an enormous attraction for price range gadgets all over the world, and notably in growing nations. For that very motive, the best-selling Android cellphone of 2023 was actually the $200 Galaxy A14.
Combining the 4G and 5G variations of the identical cellphone, this one truly turned the third best-selling cellphone of final yr.
Naturally, this makes the successor to the Galaxy Galaxy A15 (which could very nicely transform the best-selling Android cellphone of 2024) an important system.
However that’s not the case for those who undergo the spec sheet of the just-launched Galaxy A16. Or for those who merely take a fast take a look at it.
Galaxy A16: Samsung has determined the best-selling Android cellphone on the planet ought to look worse than a cellphone from 2015
It could be arduous to consider however the Xiaomi Redmi Be aware 14 Professional and Motorola Moto Edge 50 price as a lot because the Galaxy A16. However they appear like $1,000 telephones subsequent to Samsung’s cellphone.
It virtually makes me suppose that the Galaxy A16 would’ve seemed higher and extra premium if it had two equally sized prime and button bezels – no less than this might make it appear “old-school” slightly than simply previous.
And, no I’m indirectly evaluating the 2 telephones – I’m merely making a degree about how large the A16 is.
Samsung will provide 6 years of OS updates for the Galaxy A16, however does it matter when the cellphone already appears to be like 6 years previous? In truth, the A16 will look 20 years previous in 2030, and the identical can’t be stated in regards to the Moto Edge 50 Fusion, or the Xiaomi Redmi Be aware 14 Professional.
Samsung markets the brand new Galaxy A16 as a cellphone that may final 6 years, however is that true?
Galaxy A16 subsequent to the Motorola Moto Edge 50 Fusion. The 2 are priced identically.
The Galaxy A16 begins at €250 in Europe (anticipated to launch at $200 within the US), and that will get you 4GB of RAM and 128GB of storage. In comparison with the 8/256GB and even 12/512GB combos supplied by equally priced Motorola and Xiaomi telephones (from 2023 and 2024), this appears… legal.
The dated design apart, the 4GB of RAM within the base variant, and a subpar Exynos/MediaTek chip on board make it in order that I don’t must provide the whole spec sheet to elucidate what’s improper “on the within” of the Galaxy A16.
Launching presently of the yr, at €250/$200, places the Galaxy A16 in an unattainable place – no less than if you recognize different telephones exist (and they’re obtainable in your area.
Motorola and Xiaomi’s glorious price range telephones make the Galaxy A16 unattainable to advocate
I received’t go into an excessive amount of element and a full comparability, however there are a variety of telephones within the €200-300 worth vary that may run circles across the Galaxy A16 in just about all areas, providing much better processors, cameras, design and premium options like IP68 water-resistance and fast-charging.
- Galaxy A35 (goes for as little as €240 in Europe, or $260 within the US)
- Motorola Moto G85 (goes for as little as €220 in Europe, $290 within the US)
- Motorola Moto Edge 50 Fusion (goes for as little as €270 in Europe, not bought within the US)
- Xiaomi Redmi Be aware 13 / Xiaomi Poco M6 Professional (goes for as little as €170 in Europe, not bought within the US)
- Xiaomi Redmi Be aware 14 Professional (not globally-available but – could be imported to Europe and the US for as little as 250 euros/{dollars})
Galaxy A16 will show lengthy software program help doesn’t imply a lot if the cellphone doesn’t have the {hardware} to maintain up with the brand new software program
That’s proper – the Galaxy A16 will get only one OS replace lower than the Galaxy S24 Extremely, which (maintain on to your chairs) has a 250-1,000% quicker processor relying on the benchmarks you take a look at (CPU, GPU, NPU). Sure, that’s a “thousand” p.c – it’s not a typo.
Though Samsung’s advertising and marketing leans on the entire “6 years of OS updates”, wouldn’t this promise be irrelevant if the cellphone is laggy once you take it out of the field on day one? And the explanation I say it’s because this was the case with the Galaxy A15, which confirmed lag and stutters from the get go.
Name me loopy however making “6 years of OS updates” the primary advertising and marketing level for a cellphone that may or may not be capable to deal with 3 OS updates earlier than changing into unusable, appears… like a entice. Particularly when 50-100% extra highly effective telephones can be found within the worth phase.
Is Samsung profiting from its place available in the market to promote dated price range telephones in growing nations?
I believed promoting dated-looking telephones, when extra premium options can be found, was Apple’s specialty.
So as to add salt to the wound, Samsung guarantees 6 years of OS updates for the Galaxy A16, which looks as if placing a bandaid on a damaged leg.
And as somebody who exams and makes use of flagship telephones, I may not be the goal marketplace for the Galaxy A16, however this doesn’t imply I can’t see how low cost Samsung is taking part in it right here.
The reality of the matter is that Samsung’s model following and the truth that Galaxy telephones are essentially the most widely-available price range telephones across the globe will in all probability propel the Galaxy A15 and A16 to promote nicely. However whereas the corporate might get away with it 2-3 years in the past, this low cost trick is beginning to really feel… too low cost.
The above-mentioned options to the Galaxy A16 make it appear like a price range cellphone from 2018, which could be the place it belongs. So… How lengthy earlier than individuals understand they’re getting ripped off?