Samsung Galaxy A2 Core
How long will it last?
Our estimateSupported until April 2021 · Buy-by April 2019
Apple doesn't publish an end date, but iPhones have a consistent ~2-year update track record — on that basis the Galaxy A2 Core should be supported until around April 2021. Buying it today still gets you about -5.2 years of safe use (Apple's written legal minimum is 5 years).
Source: Samsung's official policy · last verified 2026-06-12 · how we compute this
Our verdict
An Android Go phone built to be the cheapest Samsung possible — disposable, long unsupported, and only viable for the absolute basics.
Pros
- Extremely cheap and widely available in emerging markets
- Lightweight with a user-removable battery
- Android Go keeps the bare essentials running on weak hardware
Cons
- Just 1GB RAM and tiny storage — painfully slow
- No real update support and a very low-res screen
Full specifications
Display
💡 Bigger numbers = smoother scrolling (Hz) and easier outdoor reading (nits).
| Screen | 5.0-inch PLS LCD, 540 x 960 (qHD), 60Hz |
Performance
💡 The phone's brain — it decides speed today and how well it ages.
| Chipset | Samsung Exynos 7870 |
| RAM | 1GB |
| Storage | 8GB / 16GB |
Cameras
💡 Megapixels aren't everything — lens variety matters more day-to-day.
| main | 5MP |
| front | 5MP |
Battery & charging
💡 Capacity in mAh — bigger usually means longer between charges.
| Battery | 2,600 mAh |
| Charging | wired (microUSB), removable battery |
Build
💡 Size, weight, and the materials between your phone and the floor.
| Dimensions | 141.6 × 71.0 × 9.1 mm |
| Weight | 142 g |
| Materials | Plastic body with removable back |
| Water resistance | None |
Software & connectivity
💡 The software it ships with, and how far it can upgrade.
| Software | Android 8.1 Oreo (Go edition) at launch |
| Connectivity | 4G LTE, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.2, GPS, microUSB, microSD, FM radio, removable battery |
| Update policy | ~1 years of updates (our estimate from Samsung's track record — written minimum is 5 years) |
Better-value alternatives
Similar price, lower cost per month of safe ownership.
Frequently asked questions
How long will the Galaxy A2 Core get updates?
As an Android Go entry device it received essentially one OS update and about two years of patches, ending support around 2021.
What is Android Go on the A2 Core?
It's a lightweight version of Android optimized for phones with very little RAM, using slimmed-down Go apps to stay usable on 1GB of memory.
Does the A2 Core have a removable battery?
Yes, the 2600mAh battery is user-removable, a holdover feature common in ultra-budget phones of its era.
Compare it
Specs are collected from manufacturer documentation; prices reflect major US retailers and change often. Support end dates follow each brand's official policy (or, for Apple, its documented historical pattern). Last verified 2026-06-12.