Samsung Galaxy J1 flops with high price and low specs

The Samsung Galaxy J1 was officially launched today on Amazon. We were expecting a low-end device with a very low price that could compete with the offerings within the Android One program, as well as other mid-range and low-end smartphones in the entry-level markets around the world. The Samsung Galaxy J1 did manage to be one of the least interesting launches of the year, as it is truly a low-end phone with little to offer.

Still, the outrage upon its launch in India is amazing. Customers are saying on the Amazon page of the Galaxy J1 that the phone isn’t just low-end and of poor quality, but it is much too expensive for what it offers, saying that they can get much better phones from Android One, Xiaomi and Meizu. The Galaxy J1 price is set at $115 in Malaysia and India, which doesn’t seem like a high price for a phone, but it turns out it actually is perceived as a high price, and with good reason.

The Samsung Galaxy J1 comes with a sub-par dual-core 1.2 GHz processor, which is less than on Android One phones, priced under $100. That CPU is backed up by 512 MB RAM and 4 GB internal storage, with a microSD card slot available for additional expansion if necessary. The Galaxy J1 display is a 4.3 inch PLS panel with a 480*800 resolution, which isn’t very spectacular. The handset comes with a 5 MP rear camera, 2 MP front camera and a 1850 mAh battery. Android 4.4 KitKat is running the show, and the handset comes with dual SIM capabilities and a 3G connection.

Those are indeed low-end specs and fit for an entry-level phone, yet customers are angry with Samsung for the pricing, and they are right to be. In India, Android One phones have much better specifications, and the Xiaomi Redmi 1S and Asus ZenFone 4.5 are two alternatives which you can get with far better specs for the same price. Samsung is not handling their entrance to the entry-level market of India too well. If the Galaxy J1 will be launched in the U.S., we would be surprised to see anyone going for it. Don’t forget to check out the reviews on the Amazon page for the Galaxy J1 linked above.