We’ve reported previously on Samsung‘s new metal-clad Galaxy Alpha phone, and we were previously advised that the phone will make it to Australia – but we weren’t told when that would be.
Yesterday, Tech4Geeks‘ Jens Garcia sent us the above picture of the JB Hi-fi store at Westpoint shopping centre in the Sydney suburb of Blacktown – clearly they knew something we didn’t about the device’s release.
We’ve also been tipped that JB will be selling the 32GB version of the Galaxy Alpha for AU $830, and that stock will start arriving in early October. There’s no word on pricing, colours or other configurations. It’s good to see higher capacity models of handsets finally making their way to Australian shelves (we’ve been stuck with 16GB + MicroSD for ages), and it also makes Yatango’s $870 asking price seem about right for the international import units (although it remains to be seen whether you’ll really have a reason to import).
Blacktown isn’t the only JB Hi-Fi store pushing the Galaxy Alpha – similar window dressing has also been sighted at the Artarmon HomeHQ store, and staff confirmed it’s coming in the next couple of weeks, but didn’t have any information on pricing (and did offer to put me on a currently-empty waiting list).
It’s surprising to see Samsung and JB Hi-Fi pushing the Galaxy Alpha when the Galaxy Note 4 is on its way, but it might indicate both JB and Samsung are confident in the handset’s popularity. Either way, it seems the Alpha will make its way to stores before the Note 4 although it might not see a dedicated local launch event.
We’re hoping to hear more about this next Tuesday at Samsung’s Note 4 launch event, but we’re checking with Samsung’s PR folks to see if they have anything they’d like to tell us before then and will update if we get any new information.
Are you interested in the Galaxy Alpha? Would you buy it on cntract or outright? Tell us in the comments!
i saw this outside macquarie centre jbhifi
I’m glad Samsung are doing something a bit different with the alpha. Given I purchased my Z1 compact for $550 half a year ago and its actually got better hardware inside I wouldn’t pay anywhere near the price reported here. However being a Samsung it will probably be successful even at that price.
hmmm…then announced it before iphone 6 and they are releasing it after iphone6 is released 0_o