When you’ve been reviewing smartphones for 14 years, you naturally have an innate understanding of how manufacturers are developing their products over time. Samsung has been at the forefront from the very beginning, repeatedly setting new standards with its Galaxy A series, especially in terms of sales figures.

For a while, Samsung rested on its laurels

These relatively inexpensive phones were bestsellers for a long time and also set many standards for the market. But towards the end of the 2010s, there was a time when you had to search hard to find any progress in Samsung’s low-cost smartphones. The company seemed to be focusing more on expensive models and paying little attention to progress in smartphones for the masses.

Other manufacturers like Xiaomi overtook Samsung

Chinese manufacturers then took advantage of this weakness, offering metal frames, faster processors or more storage than Samsung in their affordable models. The variety of devices continued to grow, but Samsung was reluctant to redesign its models.

The winds have shifted

A few years ago, Samsung seemed to have realized that it was no longer setting trends in the mass market, but rather lagging behind.

New models such as the recently reviewed Samsung Galaxy A17 4G are once again better equipped than many of their competitors at fair prices. The smartphone comes with a dedicated macro camera and a wide-angle camera, as well as a bright AMOLED display, Gorilla Glass Victus screen protection, and decent speakers.

Those who want to learn more about the Samsung Galaxy A17 4G are advised to read our detailed review.

What happens next

It will be exciting to see whether Samsung can continue to keep its competitors at bay with its well-equipped, affordable phones. Advances in battery technology in particular are likely to make all the difference next year.

Editor of the original article: Florian Schmitt – Managing Editor Mobile – 1351 articles published on Notebookcheck since 2009

I initially wrote about gaming laptops when I joined Notebookcheck in 2009. I was then involved with the setup of the comparison portal Notebookinfo and worked with social media concepts for large companies like BMW and Adidas, while also returning to work for Notebookcheck in 2012. Nowadays, I focus on smartphones, tablets, and future technologies. Since 2018 I have been Managing Editor for mobile device reviews, working alongside my colleague Daniel Schmidt.

Translator: Jacob Fisher – Translator – 2477 articles published on Notebookcheck since 2022

Growing up in regional Australia, I first became acquainted with computers in my early teens after a broken leg from a football (soccer) match temporarily condemned me to a predominately indoor lifestyle. Soon afterwards I was building my own systems. Now I live in Germany, having moved here in 2014, where I study philosophy and anthropology. I am particularly fascinated by how computer technology has fundamentally and dramatically reshaped human culture, and how it continues to do so.