Seoul, Mar 10 (IANS): Samsung Electronics on Wednesday announced it will introduce new mid-range smartphone models next week as the world's largest smartphone vendor seeks to further boost its market presence.
Samsung sent an invitation to the ‘Galaxy Awesome Unpacked' event where it is expected to unveil the Galaxy A52 and A72 mid-range smartphones. The online event is scheduled to take place on March 17.
This is the first time that Samsung has decided to hold an "Unpacked" event for the Galaxy A series.
Usually, the South Korean giant has not hosted a large-scale introduction event for the Galaxy A devices.
Samsung was yet to confirm any specifications regarding the upcoming Galaxy A smartphones, but industry sources said the A52 and the A72 will come with a 6.5-inch display and a 6.7-inch screen, respectively, reports Yonhap news agency.
Both models are expected to feature a rear quad-camera setup, including a 64MP main sensor, and have an optical image stabilization system previously used only for Samsung's flagship devices.
In South Korea, the 5G-supporting A52 and the A72 are expected to be released in the second quarter with the prices estimated at between 500,000 won ($440) and 600,000 won.
Industry insiders said Samsung is beefing up its budget and mid-range smartphone lineup to boost sales while its Chinese rival Huawei is suffering from U.S. sanctions.
According to market researcher Counterpoint Research, Samsung defended its leading status in the 2020 smartphone market, but its market share dropped from 20 percent to 19 percent as its shipments declined from 296.8 million units to 255.7 million units.
Samsung is projected to defend its top status in smartphone production this year with strong sales but is expected to face increasing challenges from others, according to industry tracker TrendForce.
"The main focus of Samsung's sales efforts will still be on the Galaxy A series that encompasses models across the high-end, mid-range and low-end segments of the price spectrum," TrendForce said.
"To effectively compete against Chinese brands that boast better price-performance ratio for their devices, Samsung will maintain high specifications and a price advantage for Galaxy A devices."