Galaxy J2 Core Spotted on Bluetooth SIG Listing, Expected to Be Samsung's First Android Go Phone

Days after being in rumours, the moniker of Samsung's first Android Go smartphone now appears to have been confirmed. The handset has received the Bluetooth Special Interest Group (SIG) certification as the Galaxy J2 Core. As many as seven different variants of the upcoming offering with model number SM-J260F, SM-J260M, SM-J260Y, SM-J260F_DS, SM-J260G_DS, SM-J260M_DS, and SM-J260Y_DS have been certified under the same name. All these variants are already being tested in various markets, including India, Nepal, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka among others, as previously reported. The handset is expected to run Android 8.1 Oreo (Go edition) with Samsung Experience UX on top. Of course, this is not the first time that the name has been tipped, but the first time it has been spotted on an official channel like this.

Samsung Galaxy J2 Core has been listed on the Bluetooth SIG website since July 17 in all the seven variants. This suggests that Samsung could soon make its formal announcement. However, the latest product listing doesn't reveal any specifications or images of the upcoming smartphone.

Having said that, much about the Android Go smartphone aka Galaxy J2 Core already surfaced online. A Geekbench listing of the handset highlighted a 5-inch Super AMOLED and a 1.4GHz quad-core Exynos 7570 SoC, coupled with 1GB of RAM and 16GB of onboard storage. The model is also expected to have an 8-megapixel rear camera sensor, 5-megapixel front camera sensor, and a 2600mAh battery.

Initially leaked images of the Galaxy J2 Core earlier this month pointed out that despite being an Android Go offering, the handset will come with Samsung Experience UX and include features such as an enhanced Quick Panel with toggles for Wi-Fi, Sound, Bluetooth, and Torch as well as on-screen keys. The images also suggested that unlike many new budget smartphones offering thin-bezel displays, the Samsung model will have thick bezels. Furthermore, the overall interface of the smartphone is apparently matching the user experience of the Galaxy S9.

Apart from key markets such as India, Nepal, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka, the Android Go smartphone is likely to debut in the UK, Uzbekistan, Germany, Italy, Russia, and France among others. The presence of Android Go will bring preloaded apps such as Google Go, Maps Go, and YouTube Go.

Price and availability details of the Galaxy J2 Core are so far the mystery. But nevertheless, considering its listing on the Bluetooth SIG site, more information about the handset could emerge in the coming days. The listing was initially reported by SamMobile.