Samsung Unveils Galaxy A56: A Midrange Phone with Cutting-Edge AI Features and Enhanced Design Elements

Although I foolishly anticipated witnessing the Galaxy S25 Edge prior to MWC, my experience at Samsung’s pre-show event last week was different. Instead, I encountered a more budget-friendly option in the Galaxy A56. This model is set to launch later this year at a starting price of $499 (or £499 for customers in the UK), which is a bit less than the initial price of the Pixel 8a. Samsung also introduced the Galaxy A36 and A26, which will retail at $399 and $299, respectively.

Many enhancements in this year’s A series mirror those found in the S25. The A56 is now slimmer than its previous model, measuring 7.4mm compared to 8.2mm and featuring a slightly larger 6.7-inch display. The bezels, previously a significant visual characteristic of the A series, have been further minimized on the A56.

The device’s construction has been refined, now featuring a brushed metal frame along with a subtle design change: a new slight bump on the side near the volume and power buttons. When I briefly held the A56, I found this modification to be beneficial. Despite its 6.7-inch size, it felt surprisingly manageable compared to what I’m used to with 6.3-inch models. The A56 appeared less bulky. (Could it be that Samsung’s designers were influenced by my unhinged editorial on smartphone edges and decided to complicate things further? It’s a possibility.)

This year’s camera specifications present a mixed bag. The A56 sports a lower-resolution 12-megapixel front camera, while its rear features an upgraded system with a 12MP ultrawide lens, a 50MP main sensor equipped with an f/1.8 aperture, and optical image stabilization. Additionally, there remains a 5MP macro lens available for someone out there.

The newly integrated cameras benefit from many advancements found in the S25 lineup, such as enhanced image signal processing for superior low-light capabilities and a variety of AI features, including improved subject recognition in portrait mode. Samsung claims that the A56 will have better recognition of elements like sky, skin tones, faces, hair, and grass to enhance bokeh effects.

On the AI front, the photograph editing capabilities include Object Eraser, automatic video trimming, and Create Filter, which allows you to select an existing image to apply its color and tone to another one. Additionally, there’s the Best Face feature, enabling you to choose from multiple captures to achieve the best expressions for everyone, provided you enable motion photos. These aren’t groundbreaking features for smartphones, but their inclusion brings the A56 closer to the specifications of the Galaxy S25.

With One UI 7, the A56 also receives stylistic elements and home screen upgrades like the Now bar, modified notification panel, and adjustable widgets in a variety of shapes and sizes. Samsung guarantees six generations of OS updates (up from four with the A55) and six years of security updates.

As you’ve likely gathered by now, there are no unexpected elements here. The 5,000mAh battery capacity remains unchanged from the A55, but it now supports a charging speed of 45W. According to Samsung, the device can be fully charged in just over an hour. The company has also transitioned to its own 4nm Exynos 1580 chip, which offers around an 18 percent increase in CPU performance. Once again, the hardware approaches the quality and premium feel commonly associated with Galaxy S phones.

The midrange phone competition is heating up. The Galaxy A56 faces rivals such as the recently unveiled iPhone 16e, and rumors suggest that Google’s Pixel 9a may be revealed shortly.

The Galaxy A36 and Galaxy A26

Samsung also unveiled the Galaxy A36 5G and A26 5G today, both featuring 6.7-inch displays with brightness peaking at 1,200 nits and capable of refreshing at up to 120Hz. They come equipped with One UI 7 as well, introducing features like Circle To Search that were previously seen on higher-end models. Additionally, both models incorporate a triple camera system on the rear, featuring a 50MP primary sensor, although their ultrawide camera is not as sharp as the A56’s, with only 8MP. Certain software features, including Best Face, are exclusive to the A56, although the updated Object Eraser and Filters are available on these more affordable devices.

Ultimately, while the A36 and A26 share the same IP67 rating and the 5,000mAh battery as the A56, they are limited to 6GB of RAM and the A36 is powered by the Snapdragon 6 Gen 3 processor rather than the Exynos 1580 found in the A56.

Galaxy A56 price and availability

In the UK, the Galaxy A56 will be available for preorder beginning March 2nd and will officially launch on March 19th. It will come in four “awesome” colors, according to Samsung: Graphite, Olive, Pink, and Light Grey. Because nothing conveys awesomeness quite like a lighter shade of grey. While US pricing is confirmed, Samsung hasn’t provided specific availability details beyond stating «later this year.»

Engadget will provide updates on all the latest mobile and smartphone news from MWC 2025 as it unfolds during the week of March 2.