Smartphones & Tablets | May 13, 2024
Since the launch of the Samsung Galaxy A55, there have been rumors of an improved version, similar to what the Galaxy A52 had with its A52s variant. This would be the Galaxy A55s, expected to enhance aspects where the A55 fell short. While the A55 was well-received by many, it also faced criticism for its lack of significant innovation. Some pointed out that it was merely a slightly improved A54, suggesting that the upgrade wasn’t worthwhile. However, the A55s could address this by representing a significant leap in features and technical specifications compared to the A54. Nevertheless, before assuming anything, we need to explore the likelihood of such a device existing. So, let’s address whether there will be a Samsung Galaxy A55s this year. Here’s my opinion…
The Samsung Galaxy A55s is a device about which very little is known. This is due to several reasons. First, Samsung has not hinted at it at all. Second, everything known about it is very scant, mostly from rumors. There are no leaks regarding its features or technical specifications, nor any renders of its design. For these reasons, the most logical assumption would be that there will not be a Samsung Galaxy A55s this year, but perhaps this is the wrong assumption. Let’s see.
The Samsung Galaxy A55 was launched in mid-March as Samsung’s top mid-range model for 2024 and the successor to the Galaxy A54, as expected. Because of this, it was anticipated to come with significant improvements in various aspects, but that was not the case. While there were enhancements in performance and display, and a shift towards a more premium finish with aluminum frames instead of plastic, that was about the extent of the changes. In terms of cameras, battery, connectivity, and other features, it maintained the same specifications. Consequently, the Galaxy A55 was seen by some as a somewhat uninnovative phone, and rightfully so. This has led to rumors that Samsung might repeat what it did with the Galaxy A52 and A52s back in 2021.
The fact that the Galaxy A55 was not made significantly superior and different from the Galaxy A54 could have an explanation related to the Galaxy A55s, making it not so far-fetched to think that its launch is possible. But is it really?
A good indicator to determine whether a mobile phone will be launched soon, or not at all, is the presence of leaks. If there are leaks, it’s almost certain that the launch will happen soon. If not, there is little to expect. Unfortunately, the latter is what’s happening here: there is nothing to make us believe that this mobile phone will see the light in 2024. So, answering the initial question, no, there will not be a Samsung Galaxy A55s this year. The possibility is virtually non-existent, if not entirely. At least, that is my opinion.
But let’s consider some possible scenarios… If the Samsung Galaxy A55s were to be introduced in 2024, it would arrive in the second half of the year. Looking back at what Samsung did in 2021, we can see that the Galaxy A52 was introduced in March, the same month the A55 was released. Then, in August of that same year, the Galaxy A52s hit the market. Therefore, if there were to be a Samsung Galaxy A55s, it would be launched in August 2024. That is, starting from the moment we write these lines, the mobile would be presented in four months.
And what would its price be? Well, here we enter tricky territory. The most logical expectation would be for it to have a launch price higher than the Galaxy A55 at its time, which was about 480 euros. With this in mind, the Samsung Galaxy A55s would start from around 600 euros. However, it would then be competing with the Galaxy S23 FE, which has a similar price and is even cheaper today. This makes us believe that a mobile like this wouldn’t make much sense within Samsung’s catalog, which is another reason to think it won’t arrive this year.
One of the areas where the Samsung Galaxy A55s would most improve compared to the Galaxy A55 is in performance. The processor chosen for this phone could be the Snapdragon 7+ Gen 2, which outperforms the new Exynos 1480 used in the A55. It would also be equipped with a slightly larger 6.67-inch AMOLED display, maintaining other features like the 120 Hz refresh rate, a maximum brightness of 1,000 nits, a FullHD+ resolution of 2340 x 1080 pixels, and compatibility with the HDR10+ multimedia standard.
Its camera would not improve much, or perhaps not at all. It’s possible it would only come with better image processing that allows for capturing photos with better dynamic range, but little more since it would have the same photographic setup as the Galaxy A55, which consists of a 50-megapixel main camera, a 12-megapixel wide-angle, and a 5-megapixel macro lens. Inside the screen’s punch-hole, it would house the 32-megapixel front sensor.
The battery of the Samsung Galaxy A55s would also remain the same at 5,000 mAh with 25W fast charging, so there would be no novelty here either. It is assumed that this mobile would also not come with a charger included in the box.
Other features that the A55s would maintain include the under-display fingerprint sensor, facial recognition function, IP67 water resistance, and stereo speakers with Dolby Atmos support. It would also come with support for 5G and 4G LTE networks, Wi-Fi 6, NFC for contactless payments, Bluetooth 5.3, GPS with A-GPS and Glonass, and USB Type-C. Additionally, in terms of the operating system, it would arrive with the latest software from Samsung, which is Android 14 under the One UI 6.1 interface with four years of OS updates.
