Bad news: Samsungs successor to the best cheap phone of 2023 isnt coming to the US

Date:
Wed, 13 Mar 2024 12:05:48 +0000

Description:
Samsung has confirmed that the mid-range Galaxy A55 won't be sold in the US
at launch.

FULL STORY ======================================================================

Were huge fans of the Samsung Galaxy A54 here at TechRadar, so much so that the device currently occupies coveted spots on our best cheap phones and best Samsung phones lists, but Samsung itself has shared a disappointing update regarding the availability of the A54s successor, the Galaxy A55.

Speaking to CNET , the company confirmed that it "will not be carrying the Galaxy A55 5G [in the US market] at this time, with the phones availability instead reserved for regions including the UK, Europe and Australia at
launch.

Interestingly, the even more affordable Galaxy A35 will be made available in the US at launch, which represents something of a strategy shift from
Samsung, since the company typically releases the more expensive of its two annual mid-range phones globally, and the cheaper option in selected regions (the Galaxy A54, for instance, launched worldwide, while the Galaxy A34 launched in markets outside of the US).

Samsungs decision to limit the availability of the Galaxy A55, then, suggests the company is keen to push US customers towards the recently released
Samsung Galaxy S23 FE , which boasts similar specs and a potentially similar price to the upcoming mid-range flagship (check out our Samsung Galaxy S23
FE review for our full verdict on the former phone). The Samsung Galaxy S23
FE costs $599.99 in the US (Image credit: Future / Philip Berne)

The Galaxy A55 isnt a million miles away from the Galaxy A35 in terms of specs, either. For instance, both phones share the same 6.6-inch Super AMOLED display (with a variable 120Hz refresh rate), the same 5,000mAh battery, the same 128GB storage capacity, and the same suite of Samsung Knox and Samsung Knox Vault security tools.

The Galaxy A55 has a slightly more powerful Exynos chipset than its cheaper sibling, as well as slightly better cameras and a slightly higher RAM capacity. But then the Galaxy S23 FE which retails for a very reasonable $599.99 in the US is the phone to go for if youre after premium specs at an affordable price.

Whats more, the US market is already spoiled for choice when it comes to impressive mid-range mobile options. The new OnePlus 12R , for instance, is a super long-lasting device with an outstanding display, while the ever-depreciating Google Pixel 7a ranks alongside the best camera phones . Googles next mid-range flagship, the Google Pixel 8a , is rumored to be on
the horizon, too (though that phone may not be as cheap as we hope ).

So, while were disappointed that the Galaxy A55 wont be getting a global release (at least not at launch), there are plenty of great affordable alternatives available from both Samsung itself and rival mobile manufacturers.

As for whether the excellent Galaxy A54 will remain on sale in the US following the overseas launch of the Galaxy A55, weve reached out to Samsung for confirmation. You might also like... Samsung Galaxy S23 owners could get another great Galaxy S24 feature soon Apple is about to make it much easier
to switch to Android Google Pixel update brings Circle to Search to even more Pixel phones



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Link to news story: https://www.techradar.com/phones/samsung-galaxy-phones/bad-news-samsungs-succe ssor-to-the-best-cheap-phone-of-2023-isnt-coming-to-the-us


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