Samsung launches metal-framed Galaxy Alpha with 12MP camera & octa-core processor for Rs 39,990 in India

After unveiling the same early last month, Samsung has now launched its next Galaxy smartphone in the Indian market. Christened Galaxy Alpha, the device sports a 4.7 inch display and runs on the Android operating system. The smartphone has a metal frame, curved corners and a tactile soft back cover. At less than 7 mm thick, it is also one of the slimmest Galaxy devices ever.

Interestingly, the device has the exact same screen size of that of Apple's recently launched iPhone 6. In addition, the company has also decided to opt for chamfered edges that have become synonymous with Apple smartphones since iPhone 5. The device has been priced at Rs 39,990 in the country, and will be available for purchase later this week.

"Galaxy Alpha was built and designed based on the specific desires of the consumer market. With an entirely new appearance, the smartphone combines a metal frame and slim, light weight design with the same hardware and features users expect from a flagship Galaxy mobile device," said JK Shin, CEO and head of IT and mobile communication at Samsung Electronics.

The company has also announced a partnership with telecom operator Airtel to provide Galaxy Alpha buyers with free data usage. As part of the partnership, Airtel subscribers in 4G circles will get 5GB of free data for two months, while its 3G subscribers will get 2GB of free data for two months.

Here is an introductory video of the device.

Specifications

Galaxy Alpha has a 4.7 inch HD Super AMOLED capacitive touchscreen display (1280×720 pixels resolution) and runs on the latest Android 4.4.4 KitKat operating system. It is powered by an octa-core (1.8GHz quad + 1.3GHz quad) processor and has 2GB of RAM. The internal memory of the device is 32GB, but further memory expansion is not available.

It sports a 12 megapixel autofocus rear camera with LED Flash that can also record Ultra HD videos (2160p) at 30 frames per second, and a 2.1MP front facing camera for video calling. Additional features of the camera include beauty face, dual camera, High Dynamic Range (HDR), panorama, selective focus, and virtual tour, among others.

On the connectivity front, the smartphone has Bluetooth 4.0, Wi-Fi, 3G and 4G LTE, as well as a microUSB port. The dimensions of the device are 132.4mm x 65.5mm x 6.7mm and its weight is 115gm. Samsung has provided a 1,860 mAh battery in the smartphone, which also comes with Near Field Communication (NFC).

Additional features include Ultra-Power Saving Mode, S Health, finger print scanner, and Private Mode, as well as connectivity with the latest Samsung Gear Fit, Gear Live and Gear 2 wearables. It will be available in charcoal black, dazzling white, and frosted gold colours.