Samsung Galaxy A18 5G Certified: European Version Incoming
The Bluetooth Special Interest Group (SIG), the organisation that certifies Bluetooth-enabled devices, added the Samsung Galaxy A18 5G to its website today. Since Samsung has yet to officially announce the device, this appears to be merely a formality.
This is a Samsung smartphone from the competitively priced A-series and, given its low model number, also one of the simplest (and therefore cheapest). The Galaxy A18 5G is listed with seven model numbers, two of which are intended for Europe.
Seven model numbers, two for Europe
Anyone familiar with Samsung’s numbering system can deduce the target markets from the model numbers. The two numbers ending in -B are for Europe and other international markets, one of which supports dual SIM. Three are for the United States (SM-A186U, SM-A186U1, and SM-S186V), one is for Canada (SM-A186W), and one is for China (SM-A1860).
| Model number | Market |
|---|---|
| SM-A186B | Europe and international |
| SM-A186B/DS | Europe and international, dual SIM |
| SM-A186U | United States, via carriers |
| SM-A186U1 | United States, SIM-unlocked |
| SM-A186W | Canada |
| SM-A1860 | China |
| SM-S186V | United States, presumably prepaid |
Bluetooth SIG does not provide much information about the A18 5G, aside from the model number. No specifications and no images. Only the obvious is certain: it has 5G and Bluetooth. Samsung did take its time to release a 5G version of the A18: the A18 4G was announced on September 15 and was already available for purchase the next day.
Will the A18 5G be a better buy?
Exactly when the Galaxy A18 5G will be released, and at what price, is still unknown. At the time, we were not very complimentary about the A18 4G, which is clearly suffering from the current shortage of memory chips. For example, the price increased by €80 for a modest chip upgrade. We will only know whether the A18 5G is a better deal once it is announced. Anyone looking for an affordable Samsung with 5G right now does not need to wait: last year’s A17 5G is available and will continue to receive updates for years to come.
(via)
