After multiple leaks, the Samsung Galaxy A16 5G is finally official. The company’s latest affordable smartphone stands out for its flagship-level software support of six years of updates. It also has a set of decent tech specs for those looking for a smartphone from an established brand but don’t want to spend too much money.
Samsung promises six years of Android updates for the Galaxy A16 5G
As is usually the case with Samsung’s low-profile devices, the company has launched the Galaxy A16 5G without much fanfare. Samsung has simply started enabling the device’s product page on its official website, first in the Netherlands. The most notable aspect of the device is undoubtedly its software support, with six major Android updates guaranteed. This is quite impressive for a segment where most brands offer only three years of software support (at best).
Samsung is the Android brand with the longest software support across all its product ranges. The Galaxy A15 series already boasted a remarkable four years of software updates, making it an exception in the industry for low-end devices. Now, the company has taken it a step further by extending Android update support to six years on the latest Galaxy A16 5G. This is just one year less than the software support that the current flagship Galaxy and Pixel phones get.
Tech specs are humble, but still solvent
The Galaxy A16 5G features a comfortable, practical, and eye-catching design. The device boasts a thinness of just 7.5 mm, although the company had to sacrifice the audio jack to achieve it. Still, the phone packs a pretty decent 5,000 mAh battery with support for 25W fast charging via USB-C. The body of the Galaxy A16 5G has an IP54 rating for better durability.
You won’t find a powerhouse on the Galaxy A16 5G. There’s a modest Exynos 1330 chip that works in tandem with 4 GB of RAM. There’s also 128 GB of RAM expandable via MicroSD (up to 1.5 TB). Interestingly, it’s the first Galaxy phone to support MicroSD cards of more than 1 TB. The Galaxy A16 5G is built around a 6.7″ Full HD+ Super AMOLED display with a 90 Hz refresh rate. The screen has a U-shaped notch and reduced bezels on three sides, except for the thick bottom one.
The rear camera system is also pretty basic, but it does the trick. There’s a 50 MP main sensor, a 5 MP ultra-wide camera, and a 2 MP macro camera. Its front-facing camera is a 13 MP sensor. Samsung’s website doesn’t list an official price for the Galaxy A16 5G, but it will likely be around $199, just like its predecessor. Lastly, the device will be available in black, light gray, gold, and light green colorways.
