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Andrew Hoyle/CNET
Samsung’s long-rumored Galaxy Alpha may finally make the leap from rumor to reality.
The Galaxy Alpha smartphone will launch Wednesday, according to Korean media reports that cite information from Samsung.
Rumors have been swirling for months over what the Galaxy Alpha might deliver, but the latest reports suggest that it will feature Samsung’s new Exynos octa-core processor and 2GB of RAM. It’s also believed that the device may come with 32GB of internal storage and run on Android 4.4 KitKat. Most notably, the Galaxy Alpha is expected to launch with a metal body, answering criticism that Samsung’s entire line of smartphones have plastic bodies, in contrast to Apple’s iPhone.
The Galaxy Alpha is one of two highly anticipated Samsung devices expected to launch in the coming months. The other is Samsung’s Galaxy Note 4 smartphone/tablet, expected ahead of the IFA trade show in Germany in early September. The two devices could help Samsung reverse a downward slide seen last quarter when sales of the flagship Galaxy S5 were lower than anticipated and as its low-end smartphones were under fire by cheaper international competitors.
CNET has contacted Samsung. We will update this story when we have more information.
It’s unclear where the Galaxy Alpha will sit in relation to the rest of Samsung’s products. A metal construction implies a higher-end device, but the rumored specifications puts the smartphone at slightly below its Galaxy S5 flagship and presumably lower than the Note 4. The Alpha may end up appealing to mid-range consumers looking for higher quality materials.
Samsung has been known to experiment with different materials and designs, as seen in the curved Galaxy Round smartphone unveiled last year.
The company, meanwhile, has lost its crown as the top mobile maker in two crucial markets — India and China — in the last quarter. The company did, however, keep its crown as the top smartphone maker in the US and remains the top overall smartphone maker in the world.
Samsung will soon be contending with the next iPhone. Reports peg the unveiling on September 9, although Apple hasn’t confirmed the date.
(Via Android Headlines)
