Currently, the cheapest A-series smartphone you can buy would be the Galaxy A01, but if a recent leak pans out, we might get an even more affordable A01. The Bluetooth SIG certification authority just signed off on the ‘Core’ edition of the Galaxy A01. Further, the phone can be found listed on Google Play Console, which gives us a sneak preview.
The phone bears the model name ‘SM-A013F_DS’, and will debut with Bluetooth 5.0, a 720x1480 display, and 1GB of RAM. The chipset is the previous-gen entry-level MT6739 that supports 4G and dated LPDDR3 memory. The same processor powers the Nokia 1 Plus as well, featuring a four-core CPU clocked at 1.5GHz. Its 3,000 mAh battery could be the old-school removable kind (the last ‘Core’ phone was the J2 Core 2020, which also had a removable cover).
The listing features a front-facing render for the upcoming device, revealing a bezel-heavy retro design, which should feel familiar if you step back a few generations. As opposed to last year’s A01 (which has a notched screen), the A01 Core seems to have a taller aspect ratio.
Speculation suggests that Samsung will offer the A01 Core in two variants: a single SIM version and a dual SIM edition. The former has already passed through Wi-Fi Alliance under the model number SM-A013F. Piece these certifications together, and the A01 Core launch might be just around the corner.
The listing also reveals that Samsung will be shipping the phone with Android 10. However, given the ultra low-end internals, it should be the light Android 10 Go edition. There’s no word on the pricing details yet, but we expect it to be cheaper than the Rs. 17,000 Galaxy A01.