Samsung SM-A500 Galaxy Alpha follow-up could have more metal but inferior specs

Specs and details have leaked for the Samsung SM-A500, a new device that may sport an all-metal body and mid-range specifications.

Samsung appeared to be making a statement of a new direction with the launch of the Samsung Galaxy Alpha - one that paid a little more attention to premium design and a little less to cramming every last feature possible into its phones.

That certainly appears to be holding true with a newly leaked handset that goes by the name of the Samsung SM-A500.

As claimed by SamMobile, the SM-A500 will be the next phone in Samsung's new A series (following the Alpha) to launch. Interestingly, the website claims to have learned from its sources that the new phone will sport an all-metal body.

Even the slinky Samsung Galaxy Alpha only goes so far as featuring a metal outer rim, with a plastic rear cover sticking to Samsung's familiar design approach.

While the SM-A500 will feel like a more premium phone than the Alpha, though, it won't prove to be one. It'll have a 5-inch 720p Super AMOLED display (bigger but less pixel-dense than the Alpha's), a decidedly less pokey Snapdragon 400 CPU, and a less capable 8-megapixel camera. 

The front camera will apparently be a 5-megapixel one, though, which hints at the young selfie-obsessed crowd the company is probably aiming for here.

Rounding up the spec leak, we have 16GB of internal storage, a microSD slot (something the Alpha doesn't have), and a 2,330mAh battery. There'll be no fingerprint sensor, nor will it be dust or water proof.

Offering stylish mid-range phones is new territory for Samsung. We're intrigued to see how it turns out.