Samsung Galaxy A6+ seems to be a flagship-inspired midrange phone: Hands-on

Priced at Rs 25,990, the Galaxy A6+ appears to be trimmed-down version of Samsung flagship smartphones. In terms of usability, the phone feels solid in hands and the super AMOLED screen looks dazzling

To stay competitive in budget and midrange segments and stave off threat from Chinese smartphone majors like Xiaomi, South Korean electronics manufacturer Samsung launched the Galaxy J6, Galaxy J8, Galaxy A6 and Galaxy A6+ on May 21.

The Galaxy A6+ boasts premium features like super AMOLED 18:9 aspect ratio screen, Samsung Pay Mini, Bixby, dual rear cameras and metallic build. However, being a midrange phone, the Galaxy A6+ cuts down on some features like Bixby personal assistant capabilities, curved screen, powerful processor and complete Samsung Pay capabilities – these features are still limited to Galaxy Note and Galaxy S-series.

Based on our early hands-on, the Samsung Galaxy A6+ seems to have taken inspiration from the Galaxy A8+, launched last year at Rs 32,990. Here are the observations based on the Galaxy A6+ first impressions:

The Galaxy A6+ has a tall instance and metallic unibody that look plush. The front is dominated by a 6-inch super AMOLED 18.5:9 aspect ratio screen that boasts always-on feature for ease of use. Though the phone sports ‘Infinity Display’, there are thick bezels around it that diminish the design language.

On the back, the antenna lines are not linear and look odd, but the matte metallic build seems sturdy and offers a good grip. Thankfully, the fingerprint scanner is aligned vertically with the rear dual-camera set-up which makes it easier to use.

Coming to the features, the Samsung Galaxy A6+ boots a customised Android Oreo-based operating system. The user interface looks smooth, yet it has bloatware installed that might not be appreciated by everyone. Important a specific feature that we find lacking is the pressure-sensitive on-screen home button with tactical feedback that is there in premium Galaxy Note and Galaxy S-series. There is an on-screen home button but that does not unlock the screen. Instead, a double tap on it unlocks the screen, which seems to mock the very purpose of the button. However, the A6+ features face unlock, which is not as swift as the one found in other smartphones, yet manages to work appropriately at least in well-lit environment.

Overall, the Galaxy A6+ seems to be a trimmed down version of Samsung flagship smartphones. It does not have a premium appeal to it due to lack of premium features such as curved screen on the front or glass build. However, in terms of usability, the phone feels solid in hands, thanks to metallic unibody, and the super AMOLED screen looks dazzling – especially while viewing multimedia content. Priced at Rs 25,990, the phone competes with the Nokia 7 Plus, Vivo V9 and Oppo F7 in midrange segment.