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Sprint will begin selling Samsung’s Galaxy Grand Prime 4G LTE smartphone July 10 for $29.99 with a two-year contract after a $50 rebate or for $240 without a contract.
The Galaxy Grand Prime packs a lot of features into a low-priced smartphone, including a 5-inch qHD PLS (quarter high-definition) display with 960×540 resolution, a 1.2GHz quad-core processor, 8GB of onboard storage (which is expandable to 128GB with a microSD card), an 8-megapixel rear-facing camera with autofocus and flash, as well as a 5-megapixel front-facing camera with a wide-angle selfie lens.
Sprint unveiled the device in a July 7 announcement. Starting July 10, it will be available in Sprint stores, on the Sprint.com Website or by calling the company at 1-800-SPRINT1.
The smartphone can be purchased for $0 down and 24 monthly payments of $10 (total $240) with no financing charges, or for $29.99 with a two-year service agreement, after a $50 mail-in rebate for an American Express Prepaid Reward Card. Buyers who want to get the phone without a contract can pay $240.
The Galaxy Grand Prime, which runs on the Android 5.1 Lollipop operating system, also features a stylish brushed metallic bezel and is 5.7 inches long, 2.84 inches wide and 0.34 inches thick, while weighing 5.5 ounces.
A removable 2,600mAh lithium-ion battery powers the handset, while also offering an Ultra Power Saving Mode to extend battery life. When the battery charge reaches 10 percent of its remaining power, the phone automatically shuts off nonessential apps to maximize battery life, which can allow users to make or get calls and texts for up to 24 additional hours, according to Sprint.
The phone also supports WiFi and Bluetooth 4.0 connectivity, with capabilities for international WiFi calling, giving users more flexibility for calling while traveling.
“Every year, parents across the country head to stores looking to get their kids a high-quality smartphone their friends will envy at an affordable price,” Doug Kaufman, director of device strategy for Sprint, said in a statement. “Samsung Galaxy Grand Prime and the Sprint Family Share Pack make it possible for parents to give their kids a premium smartphone and enough high-speed data for the entire family without breaking the bank.”
Through Aug. 6, Sprint is offering a Sprint Family Share Plan data and service package that includes 20GB of shared data per month for up to five lines for $100 per month.