Samsung's new metal Galaxy A phones don't run Android 6.0

Samsung's metal-and-glass updates to its Galaxy A3, A5 and A7 phones for 2016 settle firmly in the midrange on specs across the board.

Scott Webster

Scott Webster has spent the better part of his adult life playing with cell phones and gadgets. When not looking for the latest Android news and rumors, he relaxes with his wife and son. Scott also is the senior editor for AndroidGuys. E-mail Scott.

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Scott Webster

Jan. 13, 2016 11:12 a.m. PT

The Samsung Galaxy A7 packs a generous 5.5-inch display.
Aloysius Low/CNET

Samsung is kicking off the new year with updates to three of its midrange Android smartphones. Available later this month, the metal-and-glass versions of the Galaxy A3, A5 and A7 for 2016 have the look of a premium phone but without the cost -- or hardware chops -- of a flagship model.

Instead, they're made for people who want a classy-looking phone but need to keep costs down. The phones, which range in size and spec strength from the lowest (A3) to highest (A7), all run Android 5.1 Lollipop and include 16GB of internal storage; each packs a 13-megapixel rear camera and front-facing 5-megapixel shooter.

It's a shame they don't launch with Android 6.0, but hopefully this is something that Samsung will upgrade sooner rather than later. While the new phones share some similarities, they also have distinct features, too. Here's a quick breakdown of the refreshed lineup.