Galaxy A51 Faces Off Against iPhone SE... Pre-orders Start on the Same Day

Samsung and Apple to Start Pre-Orders Simultaneously on 29th for Mid-Range Phones Priced Around 500,000 KRW
'Galaxy A51' Featuring Quad Camera and Large Battery
'iPhone SE' with Old Design but Latest AP
LG Velvet Launching on May 15 with Differentiated Design Strategy

[Asia Economy Reporter Han Jinju] Samsung Electronics is going head-to-head with the iPhone SE 2nd generation with its 5G smartphone in the 500,000 KRW range, the 'Galaxy A51 5G.' The company plans to start pre-sales on the same day as Apple with a product in a similar price range. May is typically considered an off-season for smartphones, but following Samsung and Apple, LG is also launching new products to target the market.

On the 28th, Samsung Electronics announced that pre-sales of the Galaxy A51 5G will begin on the 29th. The official launch is scheduled for the 7th of next month. This is the day after Apple's budget smartphone iPhone SE is released domestically and the same day LG's new smartphone Velvet is unveiled. The price of the Galaxy A51 (128GB) is 572,000 KRW, which is 22,000 KRW more expensive than the iPhone SE (based on 64GB). The colors available are Prism Cube Black, Pink, and White.

Galaxy A51 vs iPhone SE

Galaxy A51 5G

Samsung Electronics' Galaxy A51 5G features a large 6.5-inch display with a design that fills the screen except for the front camera area (punch-hole), and its bezel is slightly wider than that of the Galaxy S20. The rear camera setup includes four cameras: a 48MP main camera, a 12MP ultra-wide camera, a 5MP macro camera, and a depth camera. The front camera is 32MP. The battery capacity is 4500mAh, which is more than twice that of the iPhone SE (1821mAh). Additionally, it supports 6GB of RAM, 128GB of internal memory, and a microSD slot expandable up to 1TB.

The iPhone SE has a 4.7-inch screen and an older design similar to the iPhone 8 but is equipped with the same A13 chip as the iPhone 11 Pro, enhancing its performance. In first-release countries such as the U.S. and China, orders for the iPhone SE have surged, causing delivery times to extend to 2-3 weeks or more due to its popularity. The iPhone SE will accept pre-orders from the 29th through the three major carriers and Coupang, with an official launch on the 6th of next month. The iPhone SE features a 4.7-inch Retina HD display and a single 12MP camera. It supports Touch ID via the home button. It is available in three models: 64GB, 128GB, and 256GB, priced at 550,000 KRW, 620,000 KRW, and 760,000 KRW, respectively.

'Mid-to-Low-End Phones' Entering the Mainstream... Quick-Moving Consumers

Galaxy A31

The peak season for smartphones has traditionally aligned with flagship product launch schedules. This year, unusually, LG Electronics postponed its new product launch schedule, while Samsung and Apple simultaneously released mid-to-low-end new products, injecting vitality into the smartphone market. As flagship product prices soar to the mid-1,000,000 KRW range and mid-to-low-end phones improve their performance to become competitive, demand has increased, making it difficult for manufacturers and carriers to ignore mid-to-low-end smartphones.

Samsung Electronics' 300,000 KRW range smartphone, the 'Galaxy A31,' sold out on the first day of pre-orders, the 27th, reflecting the changing market atmosphere. It is rare for mid-to-low-end phones to sell out in pre-orders before even being available offline. The Galaxy A31 received positive responses from consumers who value 'cost-effectiveness' with its quad camera and large-capacity battery. The Galaxy A31 will also be officially launched on the 7th of next month alongside the Galaxy A51.

LG Electronics is also joining the smartphone battle in May with its new brand's mass-premium phone, the 'Velvet.' LG will release the new 5G smartphone 'LG Velvet,' which focuses on design, on May 15th. Before the online pre-launch on the 7th of next month, LG will recruit 300 participants for the LG Velvet experience group starting from the 29th. The LG Velvet features a large 6.8-inch display with a waterdrop notch design. The rear camera setup includes three cameras: a main 48MP camera, an 8MP ultra-wide camera, and a 5MP depth camera. It is equipped with Qualcomm's latest 5G chipset, the 'Snapdragon 765 5G,' and has a battery capacity of 4300mAh. It comes with 8GB of RAM, 128GB of memory, and supports microSD expansion up to 2TB.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.