Samsung kicks off 2017 with new photo-centric Galaxy A7, Galaxy A5, and Galaxy A3 handsets

We are less than 48 hours into 2017, and Samsung is already on the ball with a series of new smartphone announcements. Kicking things off for the new year is the updated Galaxy A series -- comprising the Galaxy A7, Galaxy A5, and Galaxy A3.

Available in Black Sky, Gold Sand, Blue Mist and Peach Cloud, the handsets feature 5.7-, 5.2- and 4.7-inch screens respectively. The main focus of the product line refresh is the enhanced camera, but Samsung also highlights the metal frame and 3D glass back which it says draws on the company's "premium design heritage".

All three phones in the range feature cameras that Samsung is pushing hard. The A7 and A5 benefit from front and rear 16MP shooters, while the bottom-of-the-range A3 has a 13MP rear camera, and an 8MP camera on the front. Samsung is clearly keen for users to take full advantage of the cameras in all conditions, as this is the first time the Galaxy A series has IP68 water and dust resistance.

The range sees a move towards reversible USB Type-C ports, and the battery-saving Always on Display means that it's easy to see information such as the time or your calendar without having to fully wake the device.

Here are the full specifications for the three handsets:

Galaxy A7

• Network: LTE Cat.6
• Display: 5.7" FHD Super AMOLED
• Processor: 1.9GHz Octa Core
• OS: Android 6.0.16 (Marshmallow)
• Camera: Rear : 16MP (F1.9), Front : 16MP (F1.9)
• Video: MPEG4, H.265(HEVC), H.264(AVC), H.263, VC-1, MP43, WMV7, WMV8, VP8, VP9
• Audio: MP3, AAC LC/AAC+/eAAC+,AMR-NB, AMR-WB, WMA, FLAC, Vorbis, Opus
• Additional features: MST technology(Samsung Pay), Samsung KNOX, S-Voice, Dual SIM option
• Connectivity: Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, Bluetooth v 4.2, ANT+, USB Type-C,NFC (UICC, eSE)
• Sensors: Accelerometer, Proximity, Geomagnetic, RGB Light, Hall, Fingerprint scanner, Barometer
• IP Code: IP68
• Memory: 3GB RAM + 32GB Storage, Micro SD slot (up to 256GB)
• Dimensions: 156.8 x 77.6 x 7.9mm
• Battery: 3,600mAh, Fast Charging

Galaxy A5

• Network: LTE Cat.6
• Display: 5.2" FHD Super AMOLED
• Processor: 1.9GHz Octa Core
• OS: Android 6.0.16 (Marshmallow)
• Camera: 16MP (rear), 16MP (front)
• Video: MPEG4, H.265(HEVC), H.264(AVC), H.263, VC-1, MP43, WMV7, WMV8, VP8, VP9
• Audio: MP3, AAC LC/AAC+/eAAC+,AMR-NB, AMR-WB, WMA, FLAC, Vorbis, Opus
• Additional features: MST technology(Samsung Pay), Samsung KNOX, S-Voice, Dual SIM option
• Connectivity: Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, Bluetooth v 4.2, ANT+, USB Type-C, NFC (UICC, eSE)
• Sensors: Accelerometer, Proximity, Geomagnetic, RGB Light, Hall, Fingerprint scanner, Barometer
• IP Code: IP68
• Memory: 3GB RAM + 32GB Storage, Micro SD slot (up to 256GB)
• Dimensions: 146.1 x 71.4 x 7.9mm
• Battery: 3,000mAh, Fast Charging

Galaxy A3

• Network: LTE Cat.6
• Display: 4.7" HD Super AMOLED
• Processor: 1.6 GHz Octa Core
• OS: Android 6.0.16 (Marshmallow)
• Camera: Rear : 13MP (F1.9), Front : 8MP (F1.9)
• Video: MPEG4, H.265(HEVC), H.264(AVC), H.263, VC-1, MP43, WMV7, WMV8, VP8, VP9
• Audio: MP3, AAC LC/AAC+/eAAC+,AMR-NB, AMR-WB, WMA, FLAC, Vorbis, Opus
• Additional features: MST Technology (Samsung Pay) Option, Samsung KNOX, S-Voice, Dual SIM option
• Connectivity: Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, Bluetooth v 4.2, ANT+, USB Type-C, NFC (UICC)
• Sensors: Accelerometer, Proximity, Geomagnetic, RGB Light, Hall, Fingerprint Scanner, Barometer
• IP Code: IP68
• Memory: 2GB RAM + 16GB Storage, Micro SD slot (up to 256GB)
• Dimensions: 135.4 x 66.2 x 7.9mm
• Battery: 2,350mAh

Samsung says that the handsets will be available in Russia from early January before expanding to other markets. There's no word on pricing at the moment.