We have known for a while that Samsung was bound to release a successor to the successful Galaxy J1. We even got to see leaked images of the device yesterday thanks to Evan Blass (@evleaks). Samsung has quietly made the 2016 edition of the Galaxy J1 available in the market without the formal announcements we’ve gotten used to. The device has been spotted on sale in Dubai, the United Arab Emirates. It packs several features that are an improvement to what its predecessor shipped with.
Like last year’s edition, this year’s Galaxy J1 will connect to LTE networks in addition to the 3G networks that are prevalent in its target markets. The notable update is on the display which gets a minor bump to 4.5-inches from 4.3-inches. The display panel is now a Super AMOLED one in place of the TFT panel on the old J1. Other improvements are in the memory and cameras.
Here’s a quick run-down of the specifications:
- Display: 4.5-inch (800 x 480 pixels) Super AMOLED display
- Processor: Quad-core Exynos 3475 clocked at 1.3 GHz backed by a Mali T-720 GPU
- Camera: 5 MP auto-focus rear camera with LED Flash; 2 MP front-facing camera
- Memory: 1 GB RAM, 8 GB internal memory (expandable via microSD)
- Operating System: Android 5.1.1 Lollipop
- Battery: 2,050 mAh
- Network: 4G LTE / 3G HSPA+
- Connectivity: Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.1, GPS
The device goes for AED 499 in Dubai which translates to roughly Kshs 14,000 (or $136) in black, white and gold colours.
The first generation Galaxy J1, while extremely popular locally, wasn’t one of the best choices for its price. Does its successor make up for all its shortcomings? We expect to find out soon when the device hits several emerging markets including Kenya soon.
