Flashback: the Galaxy Alpha was Samsung's attempt at making an iPhone

05 January 2020
The Alpha represented a radical shift in Samsung design - it featured a machined metal frame and was thinner and lighter than the competition.

Sort by:

Galaxy Alpha felt amazing in the hand. Everything about the design was perfect, from bezels to the size and removable battery, perfect. Always had a spare battery in my pocket. It really sucked when it became too old.

The closest thing to it was the Xperia Z3 compact, great size and design even tho it wasn't metal. To this day no phone comes close to that perfect size and design. XZ2 Compact you say? No, too tall display, 18:9 doesn´t work in any size.

    Dunno about Crapsung (Sorry, did a mistake buying their boombox back in eighties) but gimme sapphire glass and Polycarbonat back every day. Nowadays glass sandwiches are just ugly.

      • a
      • alduro
      • spv
      • 05 Jan 2020

      this phone was so dope. i loved it, ofc it had the still living side scuffs ( i have scuffs on my brand new note 9 ) , plastic were peeling off, but the phone who i liked most, this and s6 edge plus

        • B
        • Bewildered
        • StU
        • 05 Jan 2020

        Anonymous, 05 Jan 2020You forgot to add Galaxy Alpha gave birth to the A series p... moreIt did as you say launch the "A" series.

        This phone was everything the iPhone 6 was not completely superior specs https://www.gsmarena.com/compare.php3?idPhone1=6573&idPhone2=6378
        This failed to win over iPhone users and would not appeal to Android as it dispensed with the microSD (Samsung phones without memory expansion was the exception)

        IPhone cost an additional $100 for the next memory

        32Gb is of no use to any iPhone users who needs 33Gb, and if you were already Android you lost your memory card

        Samsung duty was to create an IPhone alternative not to make an IPhone

        This phone had it memory expansion would have sold in buckets, it however managed to really upset two camps

          • n
          • nutter
          • myJ
          • 05 Jan 2020

          most samsung android owners think getting apple is a **downgrade** !!
          Note I am talking about NON-jailbroken apples, that would void any warranty..
          IF you have an 'off the shelf' Apple that IS capable of this list, DO SPEAK UP! :)

          - Apple cannot use Bluetooth to transfer files -on android this is possible with ZERO service signal, and ZERO cost to any contract..
          - I cannot see an app that will work on the homescreen **without** any button press (the screen just has to be 'on')
          - why does Apple use only one button for viewing options?? no I dont mean the side buttons..
          - on android, you can do all these functions with only ONE button press.. yes, three buttons!
          -- show homescreen / desktop while in an app.. HOME button
          -- step backwards through last operations BACK button
          -- show list of currently active apps.. LIST button

            • A
            • AnKor
            • a4g
            • 05 Jan 2020

            Anonymous, 05 Jan 2020I think you forgot S10e. It is a compact flagship phone. Indeed, S10e is, probably, the best replacement for Alpha. I don't know why I skipped it. I think I just hoped for something even smaller, or maybe I just didn't want to replace Alpha as much as I thought :)

              • ?
              • Anonymous
              • 8vE
              • 05 Jan 2020

              Way better than an iphone. Still use it. Replaceable battery meaning that I am never out of juice (I simply charge the secondary battery when I am using), better camera (at the time) amoled screen, first usable 8 core , surprisingly OS for Samsung standards, still feels snappy.

              Samsung f'd up with killing the series. Easily their best phone for years to come...

                • D
                • AnonD-762416
                • d$y
                • 05 Jan 2020

                Anonymous, 05 Jan 2020you think at that time all metal unibody phones got such pr... moreIt's all. There are workarounds, but those are just that. Compromises.

                  123, 05 Jan 2020I had one. Amazing phone. I loved my alpha, one of my fave phones ever. Gorgeous compact design and decent specs which I got for a good price

                    • C
                    • Christian
                    • 0UU
                    • 05 Jan 2020

                    I remember well this phone! Back than I was thorn between ip6 and Samsung Alpha...
                    In the end choose iphone 6,and do not regret it.
                    Glamorous review that got this phone(by gsmarena) that keep me indecisive,in the end turned to be just (payed) marketing!
                    No updates,bad camera,bad display,slow,dismal battery....
                    Lucky me that went Apple route,money well spend!

                      • ?
                      • Anonymous
                      • y{4
                      • 05 Jan 2020

                      AnonD-762416, 05 Jan 2020They were using plastic as the unibody metal everybody else... moreyou think at that time all metal unibody phones got such problems? only early iphone at that time, but the other brands didnt got that problems, plus NFC at that time wasn't popular. When Samsung still use plastic for their flagship, their sales went down and Samsung put blame and fired their designer. You think it was Samsung who steer the industry into right direction by opting the glass back panel? Which brand you think who use the glass back panel first for their phones?

                        • ?
                        • Anonymous
                        • 3Rs
                        • 05 Jan 2020

                        Galaxy Alpha was ultimate failure.
                        It has chronic motherboard error.
                        Mine got swapped after 3 years out of warranty.
                        Paid 100's of dollars for it.
                        And it failed after 6 months again.

                          • g
                          • gerets
                          • 3k6
                          • 05 Jan 2020

                          a nice compact phone but the price was unreasonable. Bad battery..
                          Note 4 was way better at less..

                            • ?
                            • Anonymous
                            • t5{
                            • 05 Jan 2020

                            AnonD-762416, 05 Jan 2020They were using plastic as the unibody metal everybody else... moreSony started with xperia z not Samsung

                              • I
                              • I'mPhone
                              • 6c9
                              • 05 Jan 2020

                              Duryodhan, 05 Jan 2020I want removable batteries to return so I can use a phone f... moreAnd removable battery cancels out IP rating

                                .alpha, 05 Jan 2020Samsung have always been "inspired" by AppleAnd vice versa .You could also say that Apple was powered by Samsung.You do know the iPhones had Samsung processors right???Thought not.

                                  • D
                                  • AnonD-762416
                                  • d$y
                                  • 05 Jan 2020

                                  Anonymous, 05 Jan 2020all I remember at that time was samsung stupidly launch the... moreThey were using plastic as the unibody metal everybody else used was the toot cause of anything from bad reception, slow wifi and non-functional NFC. Samsung did steer the industry in the right direction by opting for a glass backside at a time when everybody else were busy copying the iPhone 5 and 6.

                                    • 1
                                    • 123
                                    • mDu
                                    • 05 Jan 2020

                                    I had one. Amazing phone.

                                      • ?
                                      • Anonymous
                                      • NL{
                                      • 05 Jan 2020

                                      Anonymous, 05 Jan 2020Considering s6 is an iphone 6 with glass. or iphone 6 is galaxy alpha with metal....

                                        • ?
                                        • Anonymous
                                        • JhL
                                        • 05 Jan 2020

                                        AnKor, 05 Jan 2020And I'm still using Alpha I bought in December 2014. I knew... moreI think you forgot S10e. It is a compact flagship phone.

                                          2 of 4