Samsung Galaxy Buddy 5 Surfaces on Google Play Console and Support Page, Revealed as Rebranded Galaxy A17 5G from Last Year

The successor to last year’s Galaxy Buddy 4 (a rebranded Galaxy A16 5G), the Galaxy Buddy 5, has now appeared on the Google Play Console Supported Devices list and the Samsung Korea support page.

Here’s more about it.

Samsung Galaxy Buddy 5 to Arrive as a Rebranded Galaxy A17 5G?

On the Google Play Console Supported Devices list, the model number “SM-A176L” has been listed along with the device code “A17x”, which is associated with the Galaxy A17 5G smartphone. However, under the marketing name, it is mentioned as the Galaxy Buddy 5, thus hinting at the possibility of it being a rebranded Galaxy A17 5G device.

Speaking more, via the Samsung Korea support page, several of its key specifications have been revealed, further pointing to it being a Galaxy A17 5G rebrand. The support page also lists it as an LG U+ carrier-exclusive variant, which is a South Korean telecom operator owned by LG Corporation.

As per the revealed specs, the device (SM-A176L) is said to feature a 169.1mm (6.7″) FHD+ (1080 × 2340 pixels) Super AMOLED display with a 16M colour depth and a 90Hz refresh rate. Coming to the processor, while the exact chipset name has not been specified, it is listed as an octa-core processor clocked at 2.4GHz and 2.0GHz, which aligns with the Exynos 1380 SoC used on the Galaxy A17 5G. It is also revealed to come in a single 6GB RAM and 128GB storage variant, along with support for expandable storage via a microSD card up to 2TB.

In terms of software, the OS is mentioned as Android, and the support page further highlights a security update support deadline of 31st March 2031, suggesting up to five years of security updates. While the exact OS version has not been mentioned, it is likely to run on Android 16 out of the box.

On the camera side, a 50.0MP + 5.0MP + 2.0MP triple rear camera setup with OIS and autofocus is listed, along with support for up to 10x zoom. A 13MP front-facing camera is also given for selfies and video calls.

For connectivity, the device supports 2G, 3G, 4G, and 5G networks with single SIM support, along with Bluetooth 5.3, NFC, USB 2.0, USB Type-C, Smart Switch (PC version), and dual-band Wi-Fi (2.4GHz and 5GHz). The battery specs, as highlighted, confirm that it will pack a 5000mAh battery offering up to 18 hours of video playback.

Only a single Black colour option has been listed as of now, however, more variants could be introduced at the time of launch. The dimensions are noted to be similar to the Galaxy A17 5G at 164.4 × 77.9 × 7.5 mm, with a weight of 192g.

Since the Galaxy Buddy 4 was unveiled in May last year, a similar launch timeline can be expected for the upcoming Galaxy Buddy 5 as well.