Galaxy A7 up for online purchase inUS
The metal-clad Samsung Galaxy A7. Samsung

South Korean consumer electronics giant Samsung has finally taken the wraps off its Galaxy A7 smartphone which features a slim metal unibody design at 6.3mm thick, weighing 141g, and boasts a 5MP front-facing camera supporting wide-angle shots and gesture and voice controlled "auto selfie" modes.

According to Samsung, the Galaxy A7 will be available in selected markets at a "competitive price point" in colours of Pearl White, Midnight Black, and Champagne Gold. GSM Arena reports that the Galaxy A7 will begin commercial roll-out during late Q1 2015, but Samsung is yet to announce an official date.

The Galaxy A7 will come in two variants, one with single-SIM support, the other with dual-SIM support.

Samsung Galaxy A7 key specs

  • Chipset:
    • LTE/3G Dual-SIM: MSM8x39 (Quad A53 1.5GHz + Quad A53 1.0GHz).
    • LTE Single-SIM: Exynos 5430 + M7450 (Quad A15 1.8GHz + Quad A7 1.3GHz).
  • Memory: 2GB RAM, 16GB storage, (microSD slot up to 64GB).
  • Display: 5.5in HD (720x1280) sAMOLED.
  • OS: Android 4.4 (KitKat).
  • Network: LTE Cat4 150/50Mbps; HSPA+ 42/5.76Mbps.
  • Camera: 13MP rear (autofocus with LED Flash); 5.0MP front.
    • Camera Features: Wide Selfie, Rear-cam Selfie, Beauty Face Features.
  • Connectivity: Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/nBT 4.0, USB 2.0, A-GPS+GLONASS, NFC (LTE version only).
  • Sensors: Accelerometer, Proximity, Geomagnetic, RGB, Hall, Light.
  • Dimension: 151 x 76.2 x 6.3mm, 141g.
  • Battery: 2,600 mAh.

The dual-SIM version boasts the octa-core 64-bit Qualcomm Snapdragon 615 chipset (1.5GHz quad-core Cortex A53 plus 1.0GHz quad-core Cortex A53), while the single-SIM version uses the 32-bit Exynos 5430 chipset (1.8GHz quad-core A15 plus 1.3GHz quad-core A7).

Both variants offer the Android 4.4 (KitKat) operating system, a 5.5in Super AMOLED screen at HD resolution (720x1280), 2GB RAM, 16GB storage (expandable with up to 64GB microSD), 4G-LTE connectivity, and 2,600 mAh battery.

The phones both have a 13MP rear camera and 5MP front camera, and what Samsung calls "advanced selfie features" such as "Ultra Wide Shot" and "Auto Selfie" modes which use voice commands or gestures to take a photo.

Samsung's Galaxy A7 is speculated to get a £278 ($420) price-tag, but Samsung has yet to make anything official.

Apart from the high-end Galaxy A7, other Samsung Galaxy A series devices such as the Galaxy A3 and Galaxy A5 are set to be launched in the UK and EU.