Business Insider
The Samsung Galaxy Alpha
An application for a new Samsung phone with a model number that may belong to an unreleased device called the Galaxy A7 has just appeared on the Federal Communications Commission website (via Phone Arena).
The application itself doesn't tell us much about the device, but it does provide some evidence that Samsung is likely to launch a new phone in its A-series line. We saw similar applications appear just days before Samsung officially unveiled both the Galaxy A3 and Galaxy A5 in October.
What we can tell, however, is how large the phone will be. The FCC's listing says it will measure 150 mm x 75 mm, which hints the phone's screen will probably be larger than five inches diagonally.
If Samsung does release a new phone in its Galaxy A line, it'll be the company's fourth phone to come with its new metal design. We first saw this new design element appear in August on the Galaxy Alpha, which has smooth metal edges similar to those of the iPhone 5 and 5s. Then, a few months later, Samsung announced the metal-rimmed Galaxy A3 and Galaxy A5.
The Galaxy Note 4 comes with metal edges too, and it's Samsung's first real flagship product to do so. Rumors also suggest that Samsung is working on a complete design overhaul for its next major phone, presumably the Galaxy S6, so there's a chance we'll see more metal accents there too.