- Samsung's midrange smartphones are feeling the effects of the ongoing global chip shortage.
- The Galaxy A52 5G and Galaxy A72 are reportedly facing delays in launching in key markets due to the lack of chipsets.
- This has apparently impacted Samsung's global launch plans.
The global chip shortage may have claimed its latest victim in the form of Samsung's new mid-range devices. According to The Elec (above SamMobile) Samsung has delayed the release of its Galaxy A52 5G and Galaxy A72 in key markets due to manufacturing issues due to the lack of chips.
Samsung is reportedly having a hard time sourcing chipsets from Qualcomm, namely the Snapdragon 720G and Snapdragon 750G - the two 8nm chips that power the mid-rangers. Without a reliable supply of this silicon, it is impossible for Samsung to produce a steady stream of these devices. This leads to a shortage in important markets.
While the Galaxy A52 5G and A72 are available in parts of the US and EMEA, respectively, finding these phones outside of those regions is a difficult task.
See also: The best Samsung smartphones available
However, the impact of the chip shortage on Samsung's products comes as no great surprise. The company recently warned of this possibility in an investor report. However, the lack of mid-range chips is particularly bad news for Samsung. Samsung also claimed that the Galaxy A line is among the top performers and has the best growth prospect in 2021.
Are the upcoming Samsung phones affected?
It is unclear whether other smartphones or Samsung product lines are currently affected. Samsung will be releasing a number of new devices soon, including the Galaxy S21 FE and Galaxy Z Fold 3. It remains to be seen whether the lack of chipsets will affect the launch date or availability of these devices.
In particular, the Snapdragon 720G and 750G are not used exclusively by Samsung. Several Xiaomi, Realme, Vivo and Motorola devices use the chips. It is unclear how or if the shortage affected these companies.
