It"s been just over a year since Samsung announced the latest iterations of its Galaxy A-series smartphones, a family of mid-range devices with premium metal bodywork. The next generation of these handsets is now on the horizon - and it looks like they may include a welcome feature from the company"s flagship-class devices.
Samsung Malaysia tweeted the teaser image shown here, with what appears to be blobs of water along with the caption: "It all begins with A. Hold your breath."
Join the dots and it certainly seems that Samsung is hinting at the new Galaxy A-series devices being water-resistant, which would add considerably to the appeal of those handsets.
Water resistance has become increasingly common among flagship phones, but remains relatively rare in even mid-range devices.
Last year, Samsung made it clear that it aims to differentiate its devices through the use of premium design and materials, and by bringing higher-end features and experiences to more devices lower down in its range. Adding water-resistance to the new A3, A5 and A7 would certainly align with those goals.
However, we don"t yet know when Samsung intends to officially unveil the new handsets. Given the age of the current models, it seems unlikely that it will wait until Mobile World Congress in late February - particularly as that launch window is typically reserved for its Galaxy S-series flagships - so we may well see a Galaxy A announcement next month.
Purported renders of the Galaxy A3 (2017) surfaced a few weeks ago, offering potential buyers some idea of what to expect.
Source: Samsung Malaysia via PhoneArena