Add MobilityArena as a preferred source on Google
The 2024 Samsung Galaxy A16 4G is replacing the bestselling Galaxy A15 4G. If all goes well, it will sell just as well in core markets like the United States, Canada, and the UK. But does the Samsung Galaxy A16 4G have IR blaster? If the terminology is new to you, an IR blaster is the same thing as an infrared port.
If anything, I am excited that more and more phone brands are including an Infra-red port in their products. It isn’t quite mainstream yet, but the pattern is clear: there is a growing trend of the return of infrared ports in smartphones.
Back in the early 2000s, the most advanced mobile phones would have an infra-red port. It was used for data transfer, including internet sharing. Yes; those were the days before Wi-Fi became a thing. To share your phone’s internet, you used an old-school data cable or infra-red.
With the presence of Wi-Fi, the need and demand for infra-red blasters diminished. In recent years, Xiaomi has put an IR blaster in many of its phones. This time, these ports enable the phones to be used as TV controllers. Yes; mobile phones have taken over the roles of everything else; why not add TV controller to it?
It also enables the ability to control the DVD player, air conditioner, and some other household appliances. But a more accurate version of Face ID uses infra-red and, so, we are seeing an upsurge of IR ports in smartphones. So, perhaps, a new IR revolution may yet happen based on this.
I have owned or reviewed a number of phones with an infra-red blaster and enjoyed using the feature. However, I cannot say that I have missed it in all the other phones I have used that did not have it. It has never felt like an essential to me.
- Does Samsung Galaxy A16 4G Have IR Blaster?
- The Last Samsung Phones With IR Blaster
- Your Best Options For Phones With IR Blaster
- Deal-breaker?
- Other Specs of the Samsung Galaxy A16 4G
- Price
Does Samsung Galaxy A16 4G Have IR Blaster?
The Samsung Galaxy A16 4G does not have an infrared port/IR blaster. The thing is, even brands like Xiaomi do not include an IR blaster in their entry-level models. The whole idea of entry-level is a balance between keeping costs low and features. Which means that features found in high-end smartphones often do not make it to lower models.
Does Samsung Galaxy A16 4G Have IR Blaster? It doesn’t.
And some Samsung fans are bitter about this omission. Some have based their phone buying decision on this factor and moved on to other smartphone brands. Here is an example of one of such conversations on Samsung’s own community website.
There are scores of other online platforms where fans are griping about the matter. But I doubt that the answer to the question about whether Samsung Galaxy A16 4G has an IR blaster will have any impact on Samsung’s sales in any way. There are no alternative models with the feature. In this price bracket, forget about infrared in smartphones. Of course, you can always buy an infrared dongle.
The Last Samsung Phones With IR Blaster
The last Samsung models that had an IR blaster were the Galaxy S6 and the Galaxy Note 4. Since then, Samsung has ignored infra-red. And it does not look like the S10 range of phones will have this feature.
Your Best Options For Phones With IR Blaster
If you want a smartphone with an infra-red blaster, your best options are in the direction of Xiaomi and Huawei. The Xiaomi Redmi Note 13 Pro+ and other models in the Note 13 range are extremely popular with young people and both have IR blaster built in. Others include Xiaomi 14 series. Huawei has a number of models with an IR blaster. These include P20 Pro, Mate 10 Pro, and Honor View 10, among others.
Outside of North America and most of Europe, TECNO has released a number of smartphones with IR blaster this year. The brand is fully embracing the trend.
Gionee produced a few smartphone models with infra-red blaster. It is unfortunate that the company has declared bankruptcy. Some of their phones are still available in the market though.
Deal-breaker?
There is a vocal enough community of smartphone enthusiasts who are put off by higher Samsung smartphones not having an Infra-red blaster. I am not sure that it is a large enough community to make a big dent in the fortunes of these products.
Who knows? Part of why Xiaomi and Huawei devices are selling so well (besides pricing) might be that those brands are now on the heels of Samsung? What are the chances that having an IR blaster in key models could be a factor? After all, so many people around the world watch TV, play videos and play music on infra-red controlled home systems.
As said already, entry-level smartphones just don’t get this feature. But wouldn’t it be sweet if a brand like Samsung took up the challenge? If there is any brand with the financial muscles to do it, Samsung is one.
Before we end this article, let’s have a look at the key specs of the Galaxy A16 4G.
Other Specs of the Samsung Galaxy A16 4G
The Galaxy A16 4G will launch with the following specs:
- 6.7-inch 1080×2340 Super AMOLED screen, 90 Hz refresh rate, 800-nit peak brightness
- MediaTek Helio G99 chipset
- 4/6GB of RAM
- 128/256GB of built-in storage,
- IP54 dust and splash resistance rating,
- 164.4 x 77.9 x 7.9 mm in dimensions
- 200g in weight.
- 50MP main camera
- 13MP front camera for selfies
- Colors: Light Green, Blue Black, and Gold.
- Side-mounted fingerprint scanner.
- 5,000 mAh battery
- 25W fast charging
Price
The Galaxy A16 4G is expected to sell for about $150 in the US and Canada, and for €210 in Germany and other EU markets.
Samsung could easily have included an infrared port in this entry-level smartphone. We have seen a few other brands do it already this year. It appears that Samsung is content playing catch-up in certain areas.
Anyway, over to you. Will you be buying one, IR blaster or not?
- Don’t miss our reviews .
- Follow us on Instagram , Facebook , Twitter , and YouTube .
Author:Mister Mobility
Digital Skills and Communication Coach | Mobile Phone Connoisseur since 2001 | Tech Blogging since 2004
Add MobilityArena as a preferred source on Google
As a rule, I do not use a case on my smartphones, but if I had to, it would be one like the Arc Pulse. Here’s why.
- My history with cell phone cases
- What is special about the Arc Pulse case?
- What is Arc Pulse made of?
- Arc Pulse Case for iPhone
- Arc Pulse Case for Samsung Galaxy S-series
- How much do they cost?
- More Arc Pulse case alternatives
My history with cell phone cases
I have owned several hundreds of mobile phones since 2001 when I purchased my first. Between that time and now, I have not used a case on more than ten of them. While I see and acknowledge the advantages of using a phone case, I really have not needed them.
Phone cases provide protection for these fragile gadgets that we use daily, but I am so extremely careful with my phones that they hardly ever come to any harm. In over 20 years of owning cell phones, I have damaged only three of them. Three out of several hundreds. That’s an insane record. Perhaps I ought to apply for a Guineess record for this?
Anyway, apart from being extremely careful with my phones, I also love beautiful phones and hate to hide their beauty behind or inside a case. Why should I spend good money on a sleek or elegant smartphone and then have to hide all that gorgeousness with a case?
Lastly, traditional cases add thinness and heft to phones. I want my phones thin and lightweight. Thick and heavy phones are a turn-off. And every time I have put a phone in a case, the new heft and thickness is unpleasant.
So, as much as it lies within my power, I stay away from phone cases. But the Arc Pulse case has me wanting one. Why? Let me tell you.
What is special about the Arc Pulse case?
The Arc Pulse case is a cell phone case that is actually not a case. It is two separate parts that fit at the top and at the bottom edges of the iPhone – and provides all the protection that the phone needs. This is what it looks like on an iPhone:
Really, you might say? How does that contraption protect an iPhone? Apart from the screens, the most critical parts of smartphones when it comes to the risk of physical damage from falls and shocks are the four corners and the rear camera lenses. These are the very spots that the cases secure. So, if your phone has an Arc Pulse case on and falls to the ground, the very spots on the frame and body that are most vulnerable are protected.
The design of Arc Pulse cases is such that they are super lightweight and do not add significant heft to the phones they protect. Neither do they hide the beauty of your device. Because the whole of the device is not covered, you can also enjoy the feel of the phone in your hand – again without any increase in thickness or weight, at least not any that you can feel.
This design provides the protection of a case without actually being a case. This is what every other case out there should aspire to be like. Every cell phone case in the market should have a minimalist, slim-fit, bumper design similar to this.
What is Arc Pulse made of?
Arc Pulse cases are made an aerospace-grade aluminum or titanium top layer and a shock-absorbing inlay that is not visible to the eyes. This combination provides both strength and shock absorption, respectively. In simple English, this kind of case is not only strong but it also absorbs the shocks and energy from impact when your phone drops to the floor.
Arc Pulse Case for iPhone
Arc Pulse cases have been around since the iPhone 13 series and are available for iPhone 14, iPhone 15, and iPhone 16 series.
Arc Pulse Case for Samsung Galaxy S-series
Arc Pulse phone case for Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra
The good news is that Arc Pulse cases are also available for Samsung smartphones but only for the top devices in the S-series. Which is both good news and bad news. Good news because Samsung S-series owners can get one, but bad news because if you don’t own a Samsung S Ultra, there is no Arc Pulse case for your Samsung phone. Bummer.
But I get why it is this way. These cases are not cheap. The cost of buying one makes sense only for the most premium of devices.
How much do they cost?
Arc Pulse phone cases for iPhone and Samsung cost a pretty penny – in the range of $100+. Whichever device you are buying one for, you will not spend anything less than $100 for it.
If you find Arc Pulse cases too expensive, there are similar products from nameless and lesser known brands that cost as low as $30. You might want to check those out. Do note that there is no way to tell how good they are, so you are on your own. For example, you may want to try out this $29.99 Aidvaia phone case .
The aidvaia frameless protective iPhone case is made of the same materials and structures as Arc Plus cases, offering both strength and shock absorption from falls and impact. It costs much less though. It looks like a valid alternative. The choice is yours.
If I do find one that is designed for my smartphone, I will definitely be giving it a try. Minimalist protective cases of this kind are right up my alley.
More Arc Pulse case alternatives
Here are a few alternatives to check out:
- aidvaia
- Ogranee
- FMF
They all cost less too. But like I mentioned earlier, I can’t verify how well that they work. Considering how affordable they are, it shouldn’t hurt to experiment with them to find out.
Author:Mister Mobility
Digital Skills and Communication Coach | Mobile Phone Connoisseur since 2001 | Tech Blogging since 2004
