Following Samsung’s Galaxy Awesome Unpacked event unveiling new Galaxy A series phones;

Anisha Bhatia, Senior Analyst at GlobalData, a leading data and analytics company, offers her view:

“Samsung’s announcement of three new mid-range Galaxy A series phones, including a 5G model, comes as no surprise. COVID-19 has accelerated a consumer shift towards affordable devices, which started gaining traction in the last couple of years as phone prices skyrocketed and phone upgrade rates lengthened. Additionally, mid-range phones are widely expected to drive higher rates of mainstream 5G adoption.

“Samsung’s A series of phones, which were launched in the US in 2020, have been hugely successful and have saved the company’s bottom line more than once. Samsung’s annual Unpacked events are usually limited to its premium line-up of Galaxy flagships; this was Samsung’s second Unpacked event of 2021, and the first separate one for the A-series, highlighting the importance of inexpensive phones to the OEM.

“The Galaxy A52, A52 5G and A72 offer premium attributes such as IP ratings, faster display refreshes and improved cameras at affordable prices. These consumer-favorite features are a cut above the competition, showing Samsung’s determination to aggressively compete in the $300-$600 price range. Affordable phones from rivals are already on their way, but Samsung is the foremost Android vendor in the US, and carriers will heavily promote Samsung’s affordable 5G and LTE phones to garner an increase in phone upgrade rates.

“While 5G coverage may not be ready for prime time yet as carriers continue to build out their networks and coverage, inexpensive 5G smartphones certainly are.”