Samsung Unveils Three New Budget Smartphones In India

Korean electronics giant Samsung has launched three new smartphones – Galaxy Star 2, Galaxy Star Advance and Galaxy Ace NXT - in India, aimed at the budget end of the market. The devices are priced between Rs 5,100 and Rs 7,400, support dual-SIM cards and run on Google's Android 4.4 KitKat.

Samsung has also tied up with Vodafone to offer 200MB of data per month for the first six months, in an attempt to appeal to India's mobile Internet savvy users. The three phones also comes with support for 12 regional languages, further improving its appeal to buyers.

Galaxy Star 2

The Galaxy Star 2 features a 3.5-inch HVGA (320x480 pixels) display and is powered by a single-core 1GHz processor coupled to 512MB of RAM. Internal storage memory stands at4GB while users can expand it up to a maximum of 32GB via a microSD card. Other hardware specs inclued a lone 2MP fixed-focus camera at the rear and a 1,300mAh battery. The Star 2 however lacks 3G connectivity.

Galaxy Star Advance

The Galaxy Star Advance features a larger 4.3-inch WVGA (480x800 pixels) display and is powered by a 1.2GHz processor coupled with 512MB of RAM. As with the Star 2, the device comes with 4GB of onboard storage which can be expanded to 32GB via a microSD card. A 3MP camera and flash unit are housed at the rear, while the phone is powered by a 1,800mAh battery. The Star Advance is also compatible with 3G data networks.

Galaxy Ace NXT

The Galaxy Ace NXT houses a 4-inch WVGA (480x800 pixels) display and is powered by a 1.2GHz processor and 512MB of RAM. Onboard storage stands at 4GB and can be expanded up to 32GB via a microSD card. The camera has a 3MP shooter with an LED flash module and the device is powered by a 1,500mAh battery. Like the Star Advance the Ace NXT features 3G connectivity, meaning faster Internet connectivity for users.

While the smaller Galaxy Star 2 is priced at Rs 5,100, the similarly equipped Galaxy Star Advance and Galaxy Ace NXT are priced at Rs 7,400. However, Samsung hasn't announced when exactly the devices will be available just yet.

Samsung Galaxy Star 2 Plus and Galaxy Ace NXT to retail for Rs 7335 in India at launch

The Android KitKat smartphone market in India is about to be invaded by the Samsung Galaxy Star 2 Plus and Galaxy Ace NXT, both falling in the entry-level category. The new Samsung handsets are currently listed on the official eStore at Rs 7335 and while the share the same price tag, their specs vary.



The Samsung Galaxy Star 2 Plus is essentially an upgraded version of the original phone that went official at the start of this month. While it continues to offer Android 4.4 KitKat with a toned-down version of TouchWiz out of the box, the display size and resolution (previously 3.5-inch HVGA) have been increased to 4.3 inches and WVGA, respectively.

The processor here is the same single core Cortex A7, but the clock speed is 1.2GHz. Additionally, the battery capacity is now 1800mAh, while the rear camera is of 3MP and is accompanied by an LED flash. Memory provisions remain the same at 512MB RAM, 4GB storage and 32GB microSD expandability.

The Galaxy Ace NXT has also been spotted on the company’s website, but some local retailers have already put it up for grabs in the country. The phone is quite similar to the Star 2 Plus where design and specs are concerned, but it does have a few different components.

Overview of the key Samsung Galaxy Ace NXT specifications:

- Android 4.4 KitKat w/ TouchWiz Essence UI
- 4-inch WVGA display
- 512MB RAM, 4GB storage
- 1.2GHz singe core processor
- 3MP rear camera
- Bluetooth 4.0, Wi-Fi b/g/n, HSPA+, GPS
- 1500mAh battery

Be sure to check out the eStore listing for more information on the Samsung Galaxy Star 2 Plus and Galaxy Ace NXT. There’s no word on when the two smartphones will be released.