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One of Samsung’s most promising new budget-friendly smartphones, the newly revealed Galaxy A55, isn’t coming to the U.S.
Samsung confirmed that the A55—one of the first in Samsung’s A-series lineup to feature Knox Vault, the company’s on-device security system—won’t be making an appearance in the U.S. when talking to CNET this week, stating, “we will not be carrying the Galaxy A55 5G at this time.” It’s a really sad bit of news, especially since this is the first time that I can remember that Samsung hasn’t featured one of its A5x devices in the U.S. The more affordable but less powerful Galaxy A35 is expected to reach the U.S. at release, though.
This move has spurred some interesting speculation in the smartphone market, especially given that the Galaxy A54 did so well for Samsung in the U.S. In fact, I actually recommended the A54 to a couple of close family members who love Samsung phones but needed a more affordable option from the Galaxy S23 last year, and they’ve been extremely happy with the device.
So why isn’t Samsung bringing the A55 to the U.S.? Well, that’s where a lot of the speculation comes in. Some folks believe it might be because Samsung wants to continue pushing the Galaxy S23 and S23+, both of which are now discounted thanks to the release of the Galaxy S24 and Galaxy S24 Ultra earlier this year. Others believe it could be tied to the A55’s possible competition with the Galaxy S23 FE, which offers closer-to-flagship performance but at a discounted price.
Given the upgrades to the A55 this year, both of these theories likely play a part. Regardless, the result is that Samsung is holding back one of its best budget-friendly phones yet from U.S. consumers. If you were hoping to upgrade to the newer budget device and are looking for alternatives, then the Galaxy S23 FE is a solid option—though it typically costs $599.99 at most retailers.
If you aren’t married to using a Samsung phone, though, the OnePlus 12R is another solid budget-friendly device, which retails for $100 cheaper than the S23 FE. It also sports last year’s flagship specs, making it a great buy for $499.99. Hopefully, we’ll see a U.S. release of the A55 at some point—but even if we don’t, at least there are still plenty of other great budget-friendly phones out there.
