While I naively wish to see the Galaxy S25 edge before MWC, this is not what I saw in the Samsung pre-display last week. But what I see might appeal to many of you: cheap galaxy hardware in the form of Galaxy A56. It will be available later this year and starts at $499 (£499 in the UK), which is cheaper than when the Pixel 8a first appeared. Samsung also announced the Galaxy A36 and A26 today, which start at $399 and $299, respectively.
Many of the upgrades to the Series A match this year we saw from the S25. The A56 is thinner than its predecessor, down from 8.2mm to 7.4mm, while packing a 6.7-inch screen with a larger edge. The bezel is usually one of the most prominent visual introductions of the A series, and the bezel of the device is further shaved off the A56.
The hardware has been adjusted and comes with a brushed metal frame and a secondary design twist: a new slightly protruding bump on the side of the volume and power button position. I like this when I briefly processed the A56. Aside from asymmetry, it’s easier to handle, which is surprising because it’s a 6.7-inch device and I’m more used to a 6.3-inch phone. The A56 doesn’t feel that clumsy. (Did Samsung’s designer read my irrelevant edits on the side of the phone and decided to mess up the water further?) Maybe. )
This is a hybrid package on camera specifications this year. The front of the A56 now has a low-resolution 12-megapixel selfie camera, while the back is an upgraded 12MP Ultrawide, 50MP main sensor with an f/1.8 lens and optical image stabilization. There is still a 5MP macro lens Someone There.
These new cameras feature many of the latest upgrades to the S25 family, including improved image signal processing for improved low-light performance as well as a range of AI features including enhanced subject detection in portrait mode. Samsung says the A56 will better identify the sky, skin, face, hair and grass to improve the bokeh effect.
About AI-driven image editing, there is also object eraser that automatically trims videos and creates filters where you can select existing images and apply their colors and tones to other photos. You can also get the best faces, and as long as you enable action photos, you can pick out the best expressions for everyone from multiple captures. These are not new features on smartphones, but their additions bring the mid-range A56 closer to the Galaxy S25.
With a UI 7, the A56 gets a boom of style and home screen improvements such as the current bar, notification panel changes and extensible widgets in different shapes and sizes. Samsung also promises a six-generation OS update (compared to four from last year’s A55) and a six-year security update.
As you can see now, there are no surprises here. Despite the charging speed of 45W, the 5,000mAh battery has the same size as the A55. The company says you can fully charge the device in just over an hour. Samsung also replaced its own 4NM exynos 1580 chip, with a CPU increase of about 18%. The hardware once again brings the quality and quality feel that we usually see on Galaxy S devices closer together.
This is the peak of the mid-range phone season. The Galaxy A56 is opposite to the recently launched iPhone 16E, and rumors suggest Google’s Pixel 9a may break soon.
Galaxy A36 and Galaxy A26
Samsung also announced today’s Galaxy A36 5G and Galaxy A26 5G, both of which have a 6.7-inch screen, with bright screens up to 1200 Nit and up to 120Hz. They also come with a UI 7, including features such as Circle Search, which previously launched on more expensive phones. Also, while their speed-set cameras are not as good as the A56 at 8MP, they also come with a triple camera system on the rear with a 50MP main sensor. Some software features (such as the Best Face) are also reserved for the A56, although you can still find updated object erasers and filters on a pair of cheap phones.
Finally, while the A36 and A26 have the same IP67 rating and a 5,000mAh battery as the A56, they only pack 6GB of RAM, while the A36 uses a Snapdragon 6 Gen 3 processor instead of the Exynos 1580 in the A56.
Galaxy A56 Price and Availability
In the UK, the Galaxy A56 will be pre-ordered on March 2 and will be launched on March 19. It will have four “Great” (worded by Samsung) colors, graphite, olive, pink and light grey. Because nothing can scream like the lighter shade of gray. While we do have our pricing, Samsung has no precise timing to share availability “later this year.”
