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The 2024 Samsung Galaxy A16 5G is replacing the bestselling Galaxy A15 5G . 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 5G 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 5G 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 5G
- Software Updates
- Last Words
Does Samsung Galaxy A16 5G Have IR Blaster?
The Samsung Galaxy A16 5G 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 5G 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 simple question, “Does Samsung Galaxy A16 5G have 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 5G.
Other Specs of the Samsung Galaxy A16 5G
The Galaxy A16 5G will launch with the following specs:
- 6.7-inch 1080×2340 Super AMOLED screen, 90 Hz refresh rate, 800-nit peak brightness
- Software: One UI 6.1 based on Android 14.
- Exynos 1330 SoC or Dimensity 6300 chipsets depending on market/region.
- 4/6/8GB 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.
- Colors: Light Green, Blue Black, and Gold.
- Side-mounted fingerprint scanner.
- 5,000 mAh battery
- 25W fast charging
Software Updates
Samsung says the Galaxy A16 5G will get 6 years of major Android updates and 6 years of security patches. This means that the phone will be supported till 2030.
Last Words
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?
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Author:Mister Mobility
Digital Skills and Communication Coach | Mobile Phone Connoisseur since 2001 | Tech Blogging since 2004
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But if you prefer to have an idea of what Samsung models are available and how much they cost before going shopping, then read along.
- List of 2024 Samsung Galaxy phones Best foldable Samsung device of 2024 Best Samsung flip phone of 2024 Best compact 2024 Samsung smartphone Best affordable big screen Best flagship Samsung smartphone of 2024 Best affordable all-rounder Best budget 2024 Samsung smartphone
- What of Samsung Galaxy A15 5G?
List of 2024 Samsung Galaxy phones
Best foldable Samsung device of 2024
The star of the line-up is the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold6. If there is one Samsung model that can be referred to as the ultimate smart device this year, this is it. It packs a premium flagship chipset, oodles of RAM and storage, and has the new Samsung AI. Best of all, it opens up from a regular phone size and transforms into a tablet form factor.
Best Samsung flip phone of 2024
If you do not like how big and heavy the Galaxy Z Fold6 is but still want a foldable device, your next best bet is the Galaxy Z Flip5. It packs much of the features of the Fold6 in its more compact and lighter form.
Best compact 2024 Samsung smartphone
The vanilla Samsung Galaxy S24 is the most compact regular Samsung phone that you can buy. So, if a candy bar smartphone that is comfortable for one-handed use is your preference, this is the 2024 Samsung phone to buy.
Best affordable big screen
The Galaxy S24 Plus brings the flagship experience in a bigger form factor. As the name implies, it is the S24 in a bigger size. It is available from $919.99.
Best flagship Samsung smartphone of 2024
While the Galaxy S24 Plus offers only a bigger size, the Galaxy S24 Ultra offers more features, including S-Pen support. It is a different beast from the other two Galaxy S24 models.
Best affordable all-rounder
If you want to spend just a little above $500, our recommendation for a 2024 Samsung smartphone is the Galaxy S23 FE. It packs most of the features of the regular Galaxy S23 but at a more affordable price.
The 128GB storage variant of the Samsung S23 FE is available from T-Mobile and Verizon for $599.99. You can buy it unlocked for $629.99 (128GB storage) or $689.99 (256GB storage).
Best budget 2024 Samsung smartphone
For those who are on a budget and unable or unwilling to spend more than $500 on a smartphone, Samsung Galaxy A35 5G is what the doctor ordered.
It does not match the performance levels of the big boys and girls in the Z and S classes, but it offers enough power to keep your apps running smoothly most of the time.
The Galaxy A35 5G is available, unlocked, for $399.99 for the 128GB internal storage option. You can pick it from AT&T and T-Mobile for the exact same price.
It is the best budget 2024 Samsung Galaxy phone you can buy, as its slightly more capable sibling, the Galaxy A55 5G, is not sold in the United States.
Speaking of the Galaxy A55, if you interested in that model, here are a few alternatives to consider .
What of Samsung Galaxy A15 5G?
With a starting price tag of $126, the Galaxy A15 5G is the cheapest 5G-enabled 2024 Samsung smartphone you can buy. If you are opting for this model, you have to tame your expectations, though. It is sometimes sluggish or laggy, and it isn’t great at photography or video recording. But it is a good device for the price.
To round up, if you own an older Samsung device, you might be eligible to take advantage of the Samsung Upgrade Program , which lets you trade-in devices, so do ask. The official Samsung US website is a good place to find out.
Author:Mister Mobility
Digital Skills and Communication Coach | Mobile Phone Connoisseur since 2001 | Tech Blogging since 2004
