Galaxy A17 5G from Samsung for $200, announced on Tuesdayappears to be a small hardware update to the company's cheaper phone, sharing many similarities with Galaxy A16 what it will replace. However, Samsung notes that the A17 will have access to several artificial intelligence features, including Google Search Circle and Gemini's assistant.
Even though both of these AI features are becoming common to all phones running Android 16 (Motorola phones under $200 also include them), the Galaxy A17 could be one of the biggest ways that Circle to Search and Gemini reach new audiences. That's because Samsung's $200 phone is typically one of the few third-party devices to consistently top the sales charts in the US. For example, the $200 Galaxy A16 is currently ranked fifth. Counterpoint studies the list is behind iPhone 16 from Apple And iPhone 17.
Like the Galaxy A16, the A17 will have a 6.7-inch display with a 90Hz refresh rate, an IP54 water and dust resistance rating (withstands splashes but won't allow the phone to be submerged in water) and is powered by Samsung's Exynos 1330 processor. The cameras are the same, including a 50MP wide-angle camera, a 5MP ultra-wide-angle camera and 2 megapixel macro camera. Around the front is a 13-megapixel selfie camera.
The Galaxy A17 will also feature a 5,000mAh battery, 25W wired charging, 4GB of RAM and 128GB of internal storage, expandable via microSD card, and will receive six years of software as well as security updates. This support period is quite noticeable for phones selling for $200, since most $200 phones receive updates within two to three years.
The Galaxy A17 will go on sale in the US starting January 7 and will be available in blue, black and gray models.
