14 DAY TRIAL // When Samsung launched the Galaxy Alpha smartphone back in August, everybody was pleasantly surprised. The reason why the handset generated more buzz than usual?
Well, as it turns out, Samsung finally stopped and listened to what customers were saying all along – its devices, even the flagships, didn't really seem like premium devices.
That’s because until the Galaxy Alpha, Samsung did not use metal and relied only on plastic when building its handsets.
After receiving all that positive feedback with the Alpha, Samsung made another effort and pushed out two new handsets from the Galaxy A series which were announced with an all-metal construction.
The Galaxy Alpha marks a first in Samsung's design process
Anyway, going back to the Galaxy Alpha, the handset boasts a metal frame and a really compact design, but with it Samsung didn't abandon plastic altogether. The back of the handset still utilizes Samsung’s favorite material ever.
But what if you want your Galaxy Alpha to have an even more premium feel? Luckily enough, a French designer and a fashion brand have partnered up with Samsung in order to produce a Limited Edition series of the handset in question.
Say hello to the Galaxy Alpha Limited Edition Free Lance Bordeaux. The devices come with tailor-made leather back covers brought to us by Jean-Baptiste Rautureau and Free Lance. Only 100 units of these custom devices will be made, so if you want something premium and unique, these designer handsets are exactly the thing for you.
Each model will be numbered and signed with a certificate of authenticity.
Specs of the Limited Edition remain the same
As for the specifications, things remain the same as with the normal Galaxy Alpha. You will get a 4.7-inch handset with 720p Super AMOLED display and an octa-core Exynos 5430 processor embedded in its midst.
The gadget takes advantage of 2GB of RAM, 32GB of internal storage (no microSD card), a 12MP rear camera and a pretty average 1860 mAh battery.
The handset also comes with some nifty features like a fingerprint scanner and heart rate sensor, which basically enables you to use the handset like a fitness tracker.
The Alpha runs Android 4.4.4 KitKat out of the box, but the Android 5.0 Lollipop update is on its way in early 2015.
The limited edition is currently available in France and will cost you a hefty €649 / $793. Sadly, it doesn't seem like these custom designs will be made available anywhere outside the borders of the country, but we might be wrong.
