Samsung has revealed its first smartphone with a metal body, dubbed the ‘Galaxy Alpha’, as the world’s biggest mobile maker looks to expand into a more premium style to compete with HTC and Apple.
Galaxy Alpha replaces the plastic seen on previous high-end Samsung smartphones with a metal frame with chamfered edges.
“The Galaxy Alpha was built and designed based on the specific desires of the consumer market,” said JK Shin, Samsung’s CEO and head of IT & mobile communication.
The Galaxy Alpha has a smaller 4.7in HD screen and lower resolution screen compared to the S5, but is thinner and lighter.
The majority of the rest of the device is the same as the S5 on the inside, complete with fingerprint scanner and selfie camera, although the battery capacity is a third smaller.
The main feature difference is the metal edging, which joins to a plastic removable back.
Apple is rumoured to launch a new iPhone that is likely to be larger than the current iPhone 5S, with a 4.7in screen compared to just 4in, but will still be built using premium metal materials.
The Galaxy Alpha is will to be available in September. Samsung did not release pricing, but it is expected to go on sale for around $600 to $700 in the US, or around £400 to £500 in the UK, or cheaper through a mobile phone contract.