Samsung has recently released the Galaxy A16 as an entry-level Android smartphone and it might just be the company’s best release of the year, overshadowing even the highly anticipated Galaxy S24 Ultra and the Galaxy Z Fold 6.
The most striking feature of the Galaxy A16 is Samsung’s promise of 6 years of Android and security updates. It surpasses other Galaxy A-series smartphones, including the expensive Galaxy A35 and A55 models, which offer up to four years of software support. However, on the product page for the Samsung Galaxy A16, Samsung lists that “the OS upgrade and security update policies as described above are subject to change.”
This level of support is usually provided for the flagship devices, and there is only a one-year difference from the 7-year update guarantee for Samsung’s premium smartphones.
While it’s unlikely a budget phone will remain fully functional in 2030 because of hardware limitations, this extended support is a game changer for those planning to use the Galaxy A16 for 3-4 years.
Samsung’s efforts to extend the support time for software updates could pressure other manufacturers to follow suit, and possibly lead to more affordable Android devices being built with better software quality.
Samsung Galaxy A16 Specifications
Samsung has recently released the Galaxy A16 in Europe, offering an affordable smartphone that packs a lot of value for just $273(76,000 PKR). The device features a 6.7-inch Full HD+ display that has a 90Hz refresh rate. In terms of design, the Galaxy A16 looks like the Galaxy S24 series with flat edges and curved borders.
The phone is also powered with the Exynos chip and comes with 4GB RAM and 128GB built-in storage that can be expandable up to 1.5TB using a micro SD card. On the back side, a smartphone has a 50-megapixel wide camera, 5-megapixel ultrawide camera, and 2-megapixel macro camera, and on the front side, a smartphone has a 13-megapixel selfie camera. A 5,000mAh battery powers the device with 25W wired charging capability, and the phone has an IP54 rating for dust and water resistance and a side-mounted fingerprint scanner.
What sets the Galaxy A16 apart from other smartphones in this class is that Samsung’s promise of 6 years of major Android and security updates. The phone comes with Android 14 while Android 15 is already out there but the longer software support makes it a contender in the budget phone market. Available in black, turquoise, yellow, and gray, the Galaxy A16 is already out in selective regions.
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