AI at the Core: Samsung’s Akshay Rao on the Evolution of the A Series , Urdu Wirsa

webdeskuwمارچ 17, 2025

18 minutes read

AI at the Core: Samsung’s Akshay Rao on the Evolution of the A Series , Urdu Wirsa

Samsung’s A series has long been a driving force in the brand’s mid-range smartphone portfolio, bringing flagship-level innovations at more accessible price points. With the latest Galaxy A56, A36, and A26, Samsung is doubling down on AI-driven experiences, enhanced battery performance, and long-term software support, further strengthening its position in this segment.

On the sidelines of the Galaxy A56, A36, and A26 launch, we sat down with Akshay Rao, General Manager, MX Business, Samsung India, to discuss how the A series continues to evolve, Samsung’s approach to AI integration, and how the brand ensures differentiation across its A, M, and F series. He also shared insights on Samsung’s long-term software strategy, the importance of balanced performance over extreme specs, and the brand’s approach to entry-level 5G adoption.

Here’s an excerpt from our conversation.

Can you take us through your recent launch in the Galaxy A Series?

As you may know, the Galaxy A series is one of our most popular and best-selling smartphone lineups for Samsung. To date, we have sold about 89 million units globally—that’s approximately 8.9 crore devices. Our endeavor is that this year, with the launch of these stylish new devices, we should be hitting the three-digit mark very soon. Looking forward to that.

Talking about the new devices—the Galaxy A56, A36, and A26 are bringing in a host of new features to the segment. It extends the philosophy of bringing flagship innovations at a more affordable price point. Many AI-powered features introduced with the Galaxy S25 have now been integrated into the A series.

For example, Best Face, Auto Trim, Instant Slow-Mo, and My Filters—these features have been widely appreciated, and we believe they add real value to users in this segment. That’s why we’ve included them in what we call the Awesome Intelligence suite of features.

And not just from an AI standpoint, but also on the design aspect, you will see that this device features a metal frame, glass back, and a completely new camera identity, which we’re calling the Floating Camera Island. In fact, these are the slimmest-ever Galaxy A series phones, because style and design is something which our consumers are very conscious about.

From a performance standpoint, we’ve packed in the best-ever processor for the A series, ensuring smooth performance and great battery life. Additionally, for the first time in this price segment, we’ve introduced 45W fast charging support.

And of course, the camera experience is a major highlight. Both the front and rear cameras have seen significant improvements. The rear camera, already well appreciated, now includes enhanced HDR capabilities. On the front camera, we’ve upgraded both the A56 and A36 to 12MP with 10-bit HDR, allowing users to capture true-to-life videos with ease.

Think about bright lighting conditions—earlier, you might have had to adjust your angle multiple times to get the perfect shot. With these upgrades, you don’t have to worry as much anymore.

So, yeah, that’s one of the insights that we picked on.

That’s the kind of meaningful, day-to-day innovation we are bringing to our consumers—enhancing their smartphone experience in ways that truly matter.

You mentioned that many flagship-grade features are now making their way to the Galaxy A series. How do you decide which features to bring to the A series while ensuring that the flagship lineup retains its exclusivity and premium appeal?

That’s a fair question. The way we pick and choose features starts with consumer feedback—understanding what’s truly relevant for users at this price point.

For someone buying a ₹25,000, ₹30,000 or ₹35,000 smartphone, there’s an awareness that some trade-offs are inevitable. So, our first step is to identify those trade-offs and determine which innovations from our flagship lineup would provide the most value in this segment.

Our flagship range, as you know, comes with a wide array of AI features. From that suite, we handpick certain features that are both meaningful and desirable at this price point—features that consumers would appreciate and even be willing to pay a premium for.

This is how the portfolio hierarchy is structured. A flagship consumer expects the best of everything, while a premium mid-range consumer seeks a great overall experience and is open to trading off certain features for a more accessible price point. Balancing these expectations is key to shaping our lineup.

You’ve spoken about how significant the Samsung A series is and its contribution to the market. Internally, when you discuss strategy, how important will the A series continue to be this year, and what are the key plans for its growth?

A series remains our biggest volume driver. From a sales standpoint, it has been our most important lineup, and that’s not going to change—it will always be our bread and butter.

You can rest assured that the A series continues to be a top priority for us. That’s exactly why we’re here today—launching three new devices, introducing new innovations, and bringing Awesome Intelligence to this segment.

AI is a game-changer, and while others aren’t really bringing AI to this price point in a significant way, we are pushing the boundaries. That’s how we differentiate ourselves in the market—delivering meaningful innovations while maintaining the strong legacy of the A series.

Over the years, we’ve seen a shift from purely specs-based marketing to a stronger focus on user experience. Today, AI and software-driven innovations are taking center stage. How do you see this evolution shaping the next phase of smartphone growth?

Right. I wouldn’t just limit this shift to AI alone—it’s about experiences in general.

As I mentioned in my presentation, when we surveyed consumers, one of the stark numbers that comes out is that 89% of people actually evaluate experience before purchasing the device. Consumers today are much more informed and have moved beyond just looking at GBs, processors, or hardware specs on a spec sheet.

They want to see, feel, and experience the product firsthand. That’s why design plays a crucial role—something that can’t be quantified but has a major impact on purchasing decisions. It’s a subjective factor, yet we gather extensive feedback to create designs that appeal to a broader audience.

Beyond hardware, there are a lot of innovations, experiences, and non-spec, non-hardware-related features that will keep growing in significance. In fact, 25% of users prioritize experience over hardware specifications.

I can foresee this becoming even more prominent in the future.

Samsung continues to dominate the mid-range segment with the A series, while brands like iQOO and Realme compete aggressively on price. Unlike them, Samsung focuses on delivering a premium experience. How has this approach benefited the brand, and how do you see it shaping the future of the A series?

I think the philosophy is very clear, and we are consistent in that philosophy—flagship innovation at an affordable price point. That’s the core of the Galaxy A series, and we will continue to build on that.

89 million is not a small number by any stretch of the imagination. This tells us that consumers appreciate what we offer, and it gives us confidence in our approach. The A55 and A35 are the top-selling smartphones in ₹35,000–₹50,000 and ₹25,000–₹35,000 segments, respectively. Again, proof of the pudding.

So, I would say we take inspiration from this success to keep doing what we do best—refining our products, addressing consumer feedback, and innovating with newer products over the course of the year.

But it’s not just about the product; the success of the A series extends beyond hardware.

Go-to-market strategies—such as affordability initiatives, EMI options, and promotions—play a crucial role in making premium devices more accessible. Affordable premium smartphones are one of the fastest-growing segments, driven by rising consumer aspirations and flexible financing options. By continuing to innovate across both product and accessibility, we aim to strengthen our leadership in this space.

Samsung has been expanding its presence in the entry-level 5G segment, which is also where we last met. How do you see this segment contributing to your 89 million milestone, and what role does it play in your overall growth strategy?

It’s really about all segments firing together—each contributing to the bigger picture.

We closely analyze consumer trends and focus on how to address them effectively. Entry-level 5G adoption is an evolving trend, and we see it playing an increasingly important role in the market.

We are talking about how experiences are important. Similarly, there are certain. Technology penetration, which is going to be driving certain segments. Our approach is simple: we will be present where the market is and where we can genuinely deliver a great experience to consumers.

However, we don’t enter price points just for the sake of it. That’s something you’ll hear from all Samsung leaders—we focus on offering a complete and holistic experience rather than just hitting a price target.

This is a principle we are very clear about, and it continues to guide our expansion into new segments.

With the A series, Samsung is now offering six years of software upgrades—a policy that was previously limited to premium models. What prompted this decision to extend long-term support to mid-range devices? How does this align with Samsung’s overall strategy, and what benefits does it bring to consumers?

Fair question. Even last year, with the A55 and A35, we offered four years of version upgrades and four years of security updates.

So why extend it from four to six years? We’ve noticed that consumers are holding on to their phones for longer periods. Additionally, when they do upgrade, they often pass their phones down within the family or resell them. In both cases, users want their device to retain value and deliver a great experience even after years of use.

So, keeping those things in mind, we took the call. These days, hardware is something that can last for that duration of time, plus the durability that we’ve built into these phones, so it makes sense to provide long-term software support. You can drop it in water, it’s not getting damaged easily. So, all of that, if you take into account and then see the consumer behaviour, it’s but natural that a consumer will hold on to the phone longer.

Looking at consumer behavior and product longevity, this move is a natural step forward, ensuring that users get reliable performance and security for an extended period.

One key takeaway from your presentation is that Samsung is addressing a common consumer pain point—battery life and charging speed—in the A series. With these devices now supporting 45W charging, a feature previously seen in premium Samsung smartphones, how does this fit into your broader strategy? Given that some competitors offer 90W, 100W, or even 180W charging, what led to this decision?

It’s all about a balanced experience—delivering the right combination of features rather than chasing extremes.

We carefully analyze how consumers use their phones, leveraging analytics data to determine the optimum level of performance. Why introduce 45W charging now? It’s based on a trend we’ve observed, where battery optimization and overall efficiency matter just as much as sheer wattage.

For example, a 5,000mAh battery in a Samsung device delivers a better overall experience and longer consumption duration compared to others in the same category. Our data shows that with the same 5,000 mAh capacity, the A series can achieve up to 29 hours of video playback.

Realistically, no consumer is watching 29 hours of video in one go—unless they’re attempting a world record. But the key takeaway is efficiency—not just numbers on paper.

We focus on what is optimal rather than going to extremes because an imbalanced approach often leads to compromises elsewhere. The A series philosophy is about bringing a well-rounded set of innovations rather than pushing one specification to its limits at the cost of others.

AI is now at the core of the A series. What role do you see AI-driven enhancements playing in the future of A series smartphones, starting from this launch?

I think this is just the beginning. Personal intelligence is still in its early stages, and we are only scratching the surface of its potential.

Last year, we introduced AI-powered features in the A55 and A35. This year, we’ve taken it even further—expanding Awesome Intelligence to more devices, including the A26.

We’ve also significantly enhanced the AI experience on the A56, especially on the on-device AI front, ensuring that advanced capabilities are more accessible at this price point.

If you look at our historical trend, Samsung has consistently brought premium innovations to lower price segments over time. So, you can expect even more AI-powered enhancements in future A series devices, making cutting-edge technology more widely available to consumers.

My last question is regarding the model saturation in the mid-range segment. There is the A-series, and you also have the M and F series. Do you see this as a challenge, and how does Samsung ensure that these devices don’t end up cannibalizing each other?

That’s a very common question, and it comes up frequently.

To understand why these series exist, we need to go back to their origins—each was created to cater to different types of consumers. Even within a ₹15,000 price point, there is no one-size-fits-all solution. Consumers have diverse preferences, whether it’s in terms of design, camera layout, or feature set.

Unlike other product categories, smartphones don’t allow for customization at an individual level, so each series brings its own unique identity and purpose to the lineup. That’s why I don’t see saturation in the way it’s often perceived.

All three series—A, M, and F—coexist successfully, and we continue to see strong demand across them. As long as each lineup serves a distinct consumer need and delivers value, we will continue to expand and refine our offerings accordingly.

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