Galaxy A36 and A56 expected features, prices, specs, and upgrades
Samsung is preparing to launch two new mid-range phones in 2025 – the Galaxy A36 5G and the Galaxy A56 5G. These build on the foundation of earlier A series models, adding some welcome upgrades.
In 2024, Samsung only launched the A35 5G in the US, so it's possible that this year too only the Galaxy A36 5G lands stateside, while the pricier Galaxy A56 5G might only arrive to markets outside the US.
We have already seen leaks of both phones, and both adopt a new camera style and get a bump in performance. Let's take a closer look.
Jump to section:
- Galaxy A56 5G and A36 5G release date
- Galaxy A56 5G and A36 5G price
- Galaxy A56 5G and A36 5G camera
- Galaxy A56 5G and A36 5G storage
- Galaxy A56 5G and A36 5G design
- Galaxy A56 5G and A36 5G display
- Galaxy A56 5G and A36 5G battery
- Galaxy A56 5G and A36 5G features and software
- Galaxy A56 5G and A36 5G hardware and specs
Galaxy A56 5G and A36 5G release date
Mid-March has traditionally been the time when Samsung announces its Galaxy "A" series. However, the actual release date for the US is usually a month later, in April, so that's what we expect for the Galaxy A36 5G – a release sometime in April, 2025.
For the EU, the release schedule is different. Typically, Samsung releases both Galaxy A models in the same month, so we expect both the A56 5G and the A36 5G to become available there in March, 2025.
| Device family | Announcement | Market release |
|---|---|---|
| Galaxy A56 5G and A36 5G | Mid-March, 2025* | March/April of 2025* |
| Galaxy A55 5G and A35 5G | March 11, 2024 | March 15, 2024 (April 18 for the US) |
| Galaxy A54 5G and A34 5G | March 15, 2023 | March 24, 2023 (April 6 for the US) |
Galaxy A56 5G and A36 5G price
We have little reason to believe Samsung will hike prices to its Galaxy A series in 2025. Any higher price would start encroaching too close into the territory of the Galaxy FE series.
That's why we expect the Galaxy A36 5G to cost $400, just like the Galaxy A35. The base model should still have 128GB on-board storage and it's also possible we see a bump from 6GB to 8GB of RAM.
Even if the prices go slightly up, we expect to see trade-ins and other promotional offers. Samsung often throws in deals with the launch of new phones, and in the past we have seen deals bundling a Galaxy phone with Galaxy Buds or even a Galaxy Watch.
| Model | Starting price |
|---|---|
| Galaxy A56 5G *this model might not arrive in the US | Same or similar as A55 5G* |
| Galaxy A55 5G | Not available in the US £439 in the UK, €479 euro |
| Galaxy A54 5G | $449 in the US £449 in the UK, €459 euro |
| Galaxy A36 5G | Same or similar as A35 5G* |
| Galaxy A35 5G | $399 in the US £339 in the UK, €345 euro |
| Galaxy A34 5G | Not available in the US £349 in the UK, €325 euro |
* - anticipated prices
Galaxy A56 5G and A36 5G camera
Samsung is bringing a new camera style for the new A series.
Leaks show the three camera lenses on the back are no longer separate elements, but are instead grouped into a vertical camera island. We like this new style, even if it only changes the esthetic appearance.
We don't yet have the camera specs, but the A55 5G and A35 5G come with a main, ultra-wide and macro cameras on the back.
Some might hope to see the macro camera replaced by a more useful telephoto zoom shooter, but that is not very likely. Zoom cameras are typically considered a higher-end feature.
What we can hope for is improved camera sensors and quality for the main and ultra-wide cameras, but so far we have no further information about that.
We also expect the new A series to have some form of Galaxy AI. One leak suggests we are getting 8GB of RAM, the minimum required for Galaxy AI support. And the presence of AI means you are getting at least some AI editing features and possibly more.
Galaxy A56 and A36 storage
Samsung's mid range phones are typically available in a base 128GB version and a souped up 256GB model, and we expect to see the same storage tiers for the Galaxy A56 5G and A36 5G.
Memory is the only area where we can expect a slight bump from 6GB to 8GB, as already mentioned.
Galaxy A56 5G and A36 5G design
This year Samsung introduced some design changes to its A series in the form of a slight bump where the volume buttons are. The company also equipped the A55 with an aluminum frame and a more durable glass back panel. So, considering these recent changes, we don't expect any major visual overhauls for the A56 and A36.
There is some possibility that the Galaxy A36 adopts some of those more premium materials, such as an aluminum frame, for example, but we wouldn't bet on that as it would mean a needless increase in production cost.
As far as colors go, we still don't have any idea what the Galaxy A56 and A36 hues will be, but here are the ones we saw with the 2024 A series:
Galaxy A55 5G and A35 5G colors:
- Iceblue
- Lilac
- Navy
- Lemon
Galaxy A56 5G and A36 5G display
Leaks show that Samsung is increasing the screen size a tiny bit on the new A series. The A36 5G specifically is said to get a 6.64-inch display, a bump over the 6.6-inch screen of the preivous model. The resolution is likely to remain the same 1080p on both phones, and both also support 120Hz refresh rate.
Samsung reduced the bezel size, added more durable glass, and introduced variable display refresh rate with the 2024 A series. What both mid-rangers are lacking and what we hope to see from the Galaxy A56 and A36 next year is higher brightness levels.
We measured max brightness of 930 nits (at an all-white screen) with both the A55 5G and A35 5G. Flagship models typicall score much higher than that, so there is room for growth here.
Galaxy A56 and A36 battery
Currently, there are no leaks about the battery size of the new A series, but the previous models had a 5,000 mAh battery inside, so we expect a similar number.
Battery life has always been quite good on the A series with their more frugal chips, so we don't expect much of a change there.
Interestingly, rumors suggest the Galaxy A56 5G will be the first A series phone to support 45W fast wired charging, a bump up from 25W speeds. The A36 5G model is not getting that upgrade and it will still likely charge at those 25W speeds.
We don't expect to see wireless charging support on these two, as that is considered a premium feature.
Galaxy A56 5G and A36 5G features and software
Both the Galaxy A56 5G and A36 5G are said to come with Android 15 on board. We are yet to see which version of Samsung's One UI interface they will be running, but chances are they will get the new One UI 7.
As for Android 15, it brings small changes, some of which are:
- Satellite support — users will be able to connect to satellite networks and send messages through them. This includes developing a user-friendly interface and allowing messaging apps to utilize satellite connections. Will the Galaxy A series have this feature? Now that depends on the hardware and we are betting on "no".
- Sensitive notifications — users will be able to decide how sensitive information is displayed on their device, whether it's on the lock screen, in notifications, or only when the phone is unlocked. They can also control how much interaction is allowed with these notifications and even mark specific notifications as sensitive for extra privacy protection.
- Bluetooth Popup Dialog Enhancements — the popup that appears when you turn on Bluetooth will now offer more options. Users can access shortcuts to Bluetooth settings, quickly approve or deny Bluetooth actions, and potentially other new features.
- App Archiving — this feature allows users to save space by temporarily storing unused apps without losing their data or updates. Archived apps can be easily restored at any time.
- In-app camera controls — the new update will allow users to adjust the intensity of the flash for both photo and flashlight use. This feature is designed to improve photo quality in low-light conditions.
...and more
As for Galaxy AI features, for now it remains unclear whether the new chipsets expected to come with the Galaxy A56 and A36 will support any.
We are also yet to hear how many years of software updates will we get on these new A series. The previous A55 5G and A35 5G got four years of Android OS upgrades and five years of security updates.
Galaxy A56 5G and A36 5G hardware and specs
Here is what we know so far about the Galaxy A56 5G and A36 5G specs:
| Galaxy A56 5G | Galaxy A36 5G |
|---|---|
| Possibly same 6.64-inch screen | 6.64-inch display |
| unknown | 162.6 x 77.9 x 7.4 mm size |
| Aluminum frame Glass back | Plastic frame Glass back |
| Samsung Exynos 1580 | Snapdragon 6 Gen 3 OR Snapdragon 7s Gen 2 |
| Android 15 on board | Android 15 on board |
| 45W wired charging | 25W wired charging |
Leaked Geekbench results also show us what performance we can expect from the Galaxy A56 5G.
First, the Geekbench listing shows an Exynos 1580 chip inside, the successor to the Exynos 1480 in the Galaxy A55 5G. The results are marginally better than the previous model: 1,046 points in Geekbench single-core, and 3,678 points in the multi-core test for the new chip, only 5% to 10% faster.
| Galaxy A56 5G | Galaxy A55 5G |
|---|---|
| Single-core: 1163 | Multi-core: 1046 |
| Single-core: 3487 | Multi-core: 3678 |
As for the Galaxy A36 hardware, we unfortunately don't have any news just yet, but it is highly likely we will also see a new chipset for it.
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