Galaxy A series could get a much-needed durability upgrade in 2022
Though Samsung wants people to buy its pricey Galaxy S and foldable Galaxy Z flagship smartphones, not everyone can afford to do so. The popularity of its Galaxy A series handsets over the past year or so has proven there's a large market for its mid-range line, especially for models with 5G capabilities (via Canalys). With that in mind, it's no surprise Samsung will give its Galaxy A phones some big upgrades in 2022, at least according to a new report citing industry insiders.
Over the past three or so months, rumors have painted Samsung's 2022 mid-range smartphones in a more positive light. Almost all of the models are expected to get camera upgrades, for example, with some potentially going as high as 50MP. Some of the upcoming Galaxy A Series cameras are expected to pack optical image stabilization (OIS), a feature now considered standard on pricier flagship phones.
South Korean publication The Elec has published a new report alleging that Samsung plans to give some of its upcoming Galaxy A models a formal IP dust and water resistance rating. There's no word yet on how high it will go or which phones will make the grade, but the report claims the Galaxy A33 5G and higher will be advertised as waterproof. Assuming the rumor proves true, that means the waterproof rating would likely cover the Galaxy A43, Galaxy A53, Galaxy A73, and Galaxy A83 models, as well.
These won't be the first waterproof Galaxy A phones, but the alleged change would mark the first time Samsung offered waterproofing as a standard feature for the range. This upgrade is believed to be a strategy that will help Samsung get an advantage over its competitors in the mid-range market, specifically Xiaomi and OPPO.
Adding waterproofing to its phones might sound like an additional production cost — in fact, OnePlus has long-defended the high costs of formal IP certification as the reason it doesn't aim for that bullet point. However, Samsung may end up saving money with this change because it will be able to simplify the process and materials used for manufacturing.
Consumers may not be happy with all the Galaxy A series changes, however. 91Mobiles recently published a render showing the alleged Galaxy A33 5G device (above) and consumers were quick to note that it lacks a 3.5mm headphone jack. Eliminating the port would help Samsung increase the smartphones' water resistance and cut some costs, but the change may be a difficult compromise for the company.