Galaxy A55: Samsung’s “Key Island” – not the key to challenging the mighty iPhone SE 4, Pixel 7a،
Samsung's new mid-range Galaxy A55 offering for 2024 is expected to launch in March, with leaks and rumors pointing to a 6.5-inch 120Hz display, new Exynos Exynos 1480 chip, 5,000mAh battery , IP67 water/dust resistance, and 128 GB of base storage. The successor to the Galaxy A54 and Galaxy A53 is expected to maintain a similar starting price of $450. What stands out about the Galaxy A55 is the new metal frame we see in the leaked renders (a first for this model), making it the same “glass sandwich surrounded by a metal frame” as the Galaxy S24. The metal helped Samsung achieve the only other visual change we see in the Galaxy A55: a slightly protruding part of the frame where the buttons are located. Apparently Samsung calls this “Key Island”.
I have to give Samsung credit for these design changes. The metal frame is a nice, premium touch, and the Key Island adds a touch of individuality to what would otherwise be a forgettable design. The Galaxy A55 looks a little badass now – although I wish the black variant was darker, with a silver frame (like the iPhone 4S sitting in my drawer).
Leaked (official) renders of the Galaxy A55 in “Awesome Navy” and “Awesome Lilac” show a new metal frame with a… Key Island.
But then what could be my problem with the Galaxy A55? Well, to answer that question, I should probably go back to the Galaxy A54, which I criticized for its very thick screen bezels. That aside, the A54's biggest problem was stuttering during normal use, which we discovered when reviewing the phone. Needless to say, this is unacceptable in any phone between $400 and $500, let alone a popular device from a brand with Samsung's reputation and stature.
Now, the thick, retro bezels and budget-friendly Exynos SoC (the likely reason for the Galaxy A54's lag) are making a comeback with the new Galaxy A55. Furthermore, Samsung is committed to this formula despite the fact that the much older Galaxy A52 (with its Snapdragon chip) did not experience the same lag problems as more recent models, and the more modern design of the Galaxy A51 from all sides. back in 2019.
And even though Samsung has gotten away with it over the past couple of years, I fear that 2024 could be the year that Samsung could finally pay the price for its failure to make the default mid-range Android phone.
Galaxy A55: Samsung's 2024 mid-range phone could bow to iPhone and Android competition
The Galaxy A51 2019 looks more modern than the Galaxy A54 2023, which is expected to have an identical front look to the Galaxy A55 2024.
As I said, I appreciate (and love) the Galaxy A55's subtle design changes, but I still think Samsung's mid-range could be in trouble this year.
The 2024 smartphone scene is expected to feature more and better $400-$600 deals than ever. This time, the big surprise is that even those looking for an affordable Apple device could be blessed by the rumor. iPhone SE4 (expected to debut around the same time as the Galaxy A55).
2024 mid-range phones will give the Galaxy A55 a run for its money: Did Samsung pick the wrong time to be lazy?
iPhone SE 4 – Apple's long-awaited mid-range iPhone might cost around $100 more than the Galaxy A55 but, this time, it's expected to dominate Samsung's affordable phone in virtually every category except screen refresh rate; THE iPhone SE4 will inevitably attract those who have always wanted an affordable iPhone, one that doesn't look like the iPhone 8. The Google Pixel 7a also proves to be a better deal than the Pixel 6a, and it wouldn't be surprising if the mid-range Google's champion dominates the Galaxy A55 in the camera department, software support and performance (with an emphasis on smoothness rather than benchmarks) – just as it does when compared to the Galaxy A54.
The Nothing Phone 2 and the upcoming Nothing Phone 2a will be the most eye-catching alternatives to the Galaxy A55, with the Nothing flagship gradually dropping in price (now $550); The Phone 2 packs a flagship chip, a good camera, and a unique aesthetic, making it a hard-to-resist alternative to not only the Galaxy A55 but any other phone in this price range
The Motorola Edge (2023) / Edge 40 could be the challenger in the mid-range, priced at $350 – a remarkable price considering the premium features it brings (wireless charging, water resistance, top-notch screen and super comfortable design); keep in mind that this phone's cameras are nothing to write home about – the Galaxy A55 should easily surpass it in this area
If you're looking for something really, really different, $500 now gets you a Motorola Razr (2023), which… folds; the rest of the Motorola Razr's specs fit the $500 price tag quite well, but the fact that it's a foldable flip phone is already pretty impressive.
I left the Chinese mid-range phones out of this preliminary “comparison”, but if you have access to them, they would easily make the Galaxy A55 (and even the Pixel 7a) look bad. For example, the superb Xiaomi Redmi Note 13 Pro+ (global launch January 15) is expected to match the Galaxy A55 in terms of price, while dominating Samsung's phone in virtually every aspect except software support.
Samsung's “Key Island” is not the key to challenging the powerful Pixel 7a, iPhone SE 4 and older Samsung flagships
The iPhone SE 4 (expected to cost between $500 and $600) is shaping up to be Apple's most boring iPhone of 2024 – but it promises to deliver great value.
But even putting aside external competition, and assuming you're a die-hard Galaxy user, Samsung's own phone portfolio makes the Galaxy A55 even more questionable.
- For example, a renewed/refurbished Galaxy S23 now costs $500 on Amazon, which is right in line with the expected $450-500 price of the much less promising Galaxy A55, especially in the design, performance and camera.
- Then a refurbished Galaxy S22+ only costs $400 now, and the only major downside is that it won't get the same number of software upgrades as the new A55; even then, it will likely stay faster for longer thanks to its flagship SoC.
- The $600 Galaxy S23 FE is another flagship Galaxy that will inevitably drop in price by the time the Galaxy A55 is released; this one looks identical to the A55 but with flagship-grade cameras and SoC
The Galaxy S24 will once again be the default Android flagship, but the same may not be true for the mid-range Galaxy A55.
With mid-range phones like the Galaxy A53 and the Galaxy A54 (especially the latter), Samsung has gotten away with it over the past couple of years. Of course, these are $400-$500 devices that won't have the look and feel of $800 devices. Galaxy S24 but that doesn't mean they should have display bezels that belong in 2018 and chips/performance that don't belong in any $400-500 phone, let alone a Samsung Galaxy.
Unsurprisingly, now comes a time when Samsung's willingness to ignore the emphasis on its mid-range phones will be severely tested (especially by Apple's iPhone SE 4 and Google's Pixel 7a). .
If all of the above comes true, the Galaxy A55 would easily become a true mid-range challenger. But if this is not the case… Then Samsung would once again fail to provide the “default” mid-range phone I can recommend it to those who don't want to spend flagship money for excellent performance.
Which is a shame since the Galaxy S24 series is still the default Android flagship that everyone should respect and fear, but the same can't be said for Samsung's. mid-range phones.
Can the Galaxy A55 correct the imbalance in Samsung's lineup?
