Samsung Galaxy A7 (2018) is reportedly receiving its stable Android 9.0 Pie update in Russia. The new update is said to bring One UI on top Android Pie and come along with the February 2019 security patch. The Galaxy A7 (2018) was launched with Android 8.0 Oreo along with Samsung Experience UX on top last year, though it received a beta update based on Android Pie-powered One UI last month. Recently, Samsung was found to have released the Android Pie update for the Galaxy A9 (2018) and Galaxy A8+ (2018). The South Korean company also brought a One UI beta update with Android Pie specifically for the Galaxy A6 (2018).
From what we saw on paper, the Galaxy A7 (2018) looked like a phone that's made for everyone. And by everyone, we mean that it packs a decent set of hardware in a premium looking shell and a camera you can get creative with.
At its price, the 4GB RAM variant of the Galaxy A7 competes against the likes of the POCO F1, Honor Play, Nokia 7 Plus and Vivo V11 Pro. Among all the competing handsets, there's hardly any option that serves different consumer demands without any compromise. For instance, the POCO F1 offers raw power, but the Vivo V11 Pro shines in the design and display department. Whereas, the Nokia 7 Plus offers the best software experience among all.
Key features
Three rear cameras
6-inch FHD Super AMOLED display
Looks like a flagship, performs like a mid ranger
The Samsung Galaxy A7 (2018) is the first Samsung phone to boast of a triple camera setup, and the second one in India after the Huawei P20 Pro. Of the three cameras, the primary is a 24-megapixel sensor with a f/1.7 aperture, the secondary is an 8MP sensor and ultra-wide lens with a f/2.4 aperture, and finally, there's a 5MP depth sensor with a fixed-focus lens and f/2.2 aperture. The highlight here is the 8MP sensor as it has a 13mm 'ultra-wide' lens with a 120-degree field of view.
It also has a big 6-inch Super AMOLED full HD (1080p) display, that's best in the league for multimedia consumption. The company also emphasizes on the Widevine L1 certification, which enables users to stream content in HD.
Design
Metal and glass design
micro USB charging
Flat surface
From the very first look, it's easy to guess that the Galaxy A7 is a Samsung phone. The quality of material and the precision of finish is seen on flagship phones like the Galaxy Note 9. Similar to its predecessor, the Galaxy A7 (2018) comes in a glass and metal sandwich design, but without any curves on the sides. It gets a rich-looking reflective glass surface on the rear, that shifts shades in different light.
Since it's back is all glass, it's a given that it's a fingerprint magnet and prone to cracking when dropped with an impact. But I have an instance to share. It was my first day with the Galaxy A7 and I accidentally slipped it on a marble flooring from a height of about three feet. The sound gave me instant chills, but to my surprise, it survived. While that doesn't qualify it to be called as a shatterproof phone, but I would still call it a sturdy and well-built handset.
A sturdy body-colored aluminum rim surrounds the body. It has rounded corners and curves to give it a pleasant in hand feel. Although, its big size makes it difficult to operate with one hand.
There's a welcome change in the design this time. After experimenting with the fingerprint sensor on their phones, Samsung finally put fingerprint into the power/lock key like Sony Xperia handsets. You don't have to make an extra effort to reach, as it falls right under the thumb while holding it with the right hand. The power button is still clickable, but you don’t need to press it to unlock the phone.
The triple camera placement is very subtle. The setup resides on the top left corner with a LED flash below it. We must say that Samsung does a great job at keeping the handsets void of any unusual camera protrusion. Even on the Galaxy A7, there's a very tiny bump despite the three cameras.
You can pick up the 64GB Samsung Galaxy A7 now for $459 or £309. No Australian release has been confirmed.
In addition to SIM-free options, the phone is available on contract for around £19 per month in the UK.
Key features
Three rear cameras
6-inch FHD Super AMOLED display
Looks like a flagship, performs like a mid ranger
Sporting a glass front and back coupled with a plastic frame, the Galaxy A7 2018 features a mix of mid-range and flagship materials.
It does however feature an impressive Super AMOLED screen, amongst the best you can get in this price range. The 1080 x 2220 resolution is perfectly respectable and the 6-inch size is big, without being overly cumbersome.
The A7 is running Android 8.0 Oreo; it’s a shame it didn’t get Android 9 Pie, the latest version of Google’s mobile operating system, although app support will still be excellent thanks to Google Play store support. It will get Pie, but no time-frame has been given by Samsung.
Design
Plastic and glass design
micro USB charging
Flat surface
Priced at the upper end of the mid-range spectrum, the A7 2018 is competing with the Huawei Mate 20 Lite, Motorola One and Nokia 7.1.
Like the competition, the Samsung A7 features a glass back and front. It looks good, but has a slightly hollow feel, so is bested by the beautifully designed Nokia 7.1 in this respect. The sides are also plastic and they feel it, further attesting to the phone’s mid-range positioning.
Still, at 7.5mm thin it’s slender, and the AMOLED screen tech separates it from the pack, while you have a good choice of color options, with the A7 available in black, blue, pink and gold. It’s a clean design, interrupted only by a couple of logos and a slight camera bump around the back.
Two volume buttons and a flat, recessed, easy to hit power button are on the right-hand side of the phone, while on the left is the SIM tray, with our dual-SIM version supporting two SIM cards and a microSD card.
The power button doubles as the fingerprint scanner, a design decision borrowed from Sony phones of old. While it’s not as quick as flagship fingerprint scanners, it works reliably, not even requiring a full press to unlock the A7 securely – and there’s also Face Unlock to work in tandem and get you into your phone fast.
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