Samsung is going all out with its 2024 Galaxy A series, announcing two new additions — the Galaxy A55 5G and the Galaxy A35 5G. Both phones feature a new step up in quality, at a budget-friendly price point.
This latest lineup of Galaxy A series phones offers extras not seen in the A series before, including more premium materials and security features.
“With the Galaxy A series, we are expanding our latest technologies to a wider audience so that more people can benefit from them,” TM Roh, President and Head of Mobile Experience Business at Samsung Electronics said.
“We are excited to open up even more possibilities on the Galaxy A series this year, including offering Samsung Knox Vault for the first time on this lineup. We’re proud to enable Galaxy A series users to safely and reliably enjoy outstanding mobile experiences.”
These phones join two other A series releases earlier this year — the Galaxy A25 5G and A15 5G. With the launch of the lower-cost A15 5G, the starting price of a 5G Samsung phone in Australia is now down to $349 AUD.
Samsung is also proving to be popular with Aussies, taking out Canstar Blue’s Most Satisfied Customers ratings for Smartphones for the second year in a row. The brand’s two-year winning streak further cements its reputation for offering a quality smartphone performance at a range of price points.
Samsung Galaxy A55 specs and features
The mid-range Galaxy A55 5G offers a quality Samsung performance, at a more budget-friendly price point of $699 AUD RRP. You’ll get up to five years of security updates and up to four years of Android operating system updates. The Galaxy A55 5G also includes an aluminium frame along with Gorilla Glass Victus Plus — a first for the A series.
As the name suggests, the A55 includes 5G compatibility, along with an Exynos 1480 processor with access to Samsung Knox Vault to protect against both hardware and software attacks — the first time this feature has been offered in the A series. Samsung has also included eSIM in the A55 — another first for a Galaxy A series device — which also means it’s dual-SIM capable. You’ll also get 8GB of RAM and 128GB of built-in storage.
The A55 features a large 6.6-inch Super AMOLED display, with a refresh rate up to 120Hz and Samsung’s Vision Booster for sharper, brighter viewing in direct sunlight. The phone comes with a 5,000mAh battery along with fast charging.
As for the cameras, Samsung is packing in enhanced Nightography and Night Portrait mode to enhance your night and low-light photos — yet another feature not included in the A series until now. In the back, you’ll get a 50-megapixel main camera, 12-megapixel ultra-wide camera and 5-megapixel macro camera, with a 32-megapixel front-facing camera for all your selfies. Samsung has also included many of its AI image features such as object eraser and edit suggest, along with other features like dual-recording for your vlogging needs.
The Samsung Galaxy is available for $699 AUD RRP in Awesome Navy and Awesome Lilac (which features a rainbow-like shimmer when you move the phone under certain lighting). You’ll be able to buy it March 25, 2024 from a range of retailers and on a plan from Telstra, Optus and Vodafone.
When you buy the Galaxy A55 5G from the Samsung store before April 15, you’ll receive a pair of bonus Galaxy Buds FE in the same transaction, along with $100 of bonus trade-in credit if you opt to trade-in an eligible old device. Terms apply.
- $699 AUD RRP
- 5G connectivity
- Exynos 1480 processor
- 6.6-inch Super AMOLED display
- Up to 120Hz refresh rate
- Triple rear-camera setup (50MP main + 12MP ultra-wide + 5MP macro)
- 32MP front-facing camera
- 5,000mAh battery with fast charging
- 8GB RAM
- 128GB internal storage + up to 1TB expandable Micro SD storage
- IP67 dust and water resistance
- Android 14 + One UI 6.1 operating system
- Available in Awesome Navy and Awesome Lilac colours
Samsung A35 5G specs and features
Available for a cheaper $549 upfront, Samsung’s Galaxy A35 packs in many of the same security and photography innovations as the A55, but at a lower price point. As with the A55, A35 buyers get a big 6.6-inch Super AMOLED display, along with Samsung’s Vision Boost tech for increased brightness and better tones in direct sunlight.
The Galaxy A35 5G is powered by an octa-core Exynos processor, a fairly standard chipset for a mid-range Android smartphone. But it’s the inclusion of Samsung Knox Vault security that may be a real draw for Samsung users, and the addition means that the A35 is the cheapest Samsung phone available with Vault protection in Australia.
The hardware-based Samsung Knox Vault runs alongside Android 14 software to keep your data safe, with the phone also offering Auto Blocker and Galaxy Security and Privacy Dashboard for additional protection. Samsung has promised A35 users up to five years of security updates, along with four generations of Android and One UI upgrades.
The A35 may not pack the high-end camera specs of pricier Galaxy phones, but it’s no slouch: the phone comes with triple 50-megapixel main, 8-megapixel ultra-wide, and 5-megapixel macro cameras in the back, plus a 13-megapixel front camera. The camera system offers all of Samsung’s must-have features, including Night Vision and AI processing for brighter, sharper photos.
The Samsung Galaxy A35 5G also features a big 5,000 mAh battery, plus 128GB of storage and an expandable microSD card slot for up to 1TB. You’ll be able to buy the phone in Awesome Ice Blue and Awesome Navy from selected retailers and the Samsung online store from March 25, 2024. Customers who buy through Samsung online will also receive $100 off the price of the A35 5G until April 15, 2024, and can claim an additional $100 bonus when trading in a old device.
- $549 AUD RRP
- 5G connectivity
- Exynos 1380 Octa-core processor
- 6.6-inch FHD+ Super AMOLED display
- Triple rear-camera setup (50MP main + 8MP ultra-wide + 5MP macro)
- 13MP front-facing camera
- 5,000mAh battery with fast charging
- 6GB RAM
- 128GB internal storage + up to 1TB expandable Micro SD storage
- IP67 dust and water resistance
- Android 14 + One UI 6.1 operating system
- Awesome Navy and Awesome Ice Blue colours
5G phone plans for the Samsung Galaxy A series
If you plan to pick up either of the new Samsung phones outright, you’ll need to bundle your phone with a SIM-only phone plan. The below tables compare a range of 5G-ready prepaid and postpaid SIM-only plans. You can use our free SIM-only phone plan comparison tool to compare more plans and providers.
The following table shows selected published postpaid 5G plans on Canstar Blue’s database, listed in order of cost, from lowest to highest and then by data allowance, largest to smallest. Use our phone plan comparison tool to see plans from a range of providers. This is a selection of products with links to referral partners.
The following table shows selected published prepaid 5G plans on Canstar Blue’s database, listed in order of cost, from lowest to highest and then by data allowance, largest to smallest. Use our phone plan comparison tool to see plans from a range of providers. This is a selection of products with links to referral partners.
Share this article