Samsung today unveiled the Galaxy A56 5G, Galaxy A36 5G and Galaxy A26 5G, the latest additions to its Galaxy A series. For the first time, the Galaxy A series integrates Galaxy AI (dubbed as Awesome Intelligence), bringing AI-powered features to enhance creativity while also offering improved durability, security, and longevity for a safer and more reliable mobile experience.
All three devices enable users to take advantage of features such as Circle to Search, which allows instant searches directly from the screen, and enhanced image editing tools like Object Eraser. Additionally, the phones include AI-driven camera enhancements that improve image quality, low-light performance, and video recording.
Samsung Galaxy A56 5G
The Galaxy A56 introduces several key upgrades, including support for 45W wired charging—making it the first A-series device to feature this capability. It also debuts Samsung’s Exynos 1580 chipset, offering a notable performance boost over its predecessor. The phone features a 6.7-inch Super AMOLED display with a Full HD+ resolution, a peak brightness of 1,900 nits, and Gorilla Glass Victus+ protection. The design is slimmer at 7.4mm and features a refined camera module with no protruding lenses.
The Exynos 1580 chipset brings a 2.9 GHz CPU, AMD-based GPU with 2x WGP, and an NPU with 14.7 TOPS, resulting in a 37% performance improvement over the previous model. The device comes with 8GB of RAM but does not offer a 12GB variant.
The camera system remains unchanged, featuring a 50MP f/1.8 main camera, a 12MP f/2.2 ultra-wide lens, and a 5MP f/2.4 macro lens. The front camera is a 12MP f/2.2 sensor. AI-powered enhancements improve image quality with features such as context-aware image enhancement and better nighttime performance. Samsung has also doubled the zoom transition speed between the main and ultra-wide cameras.
The Galaxy A56 runs on Android 15 with One UI 7.0, offering a refreshed user interface and more customization options. It houses a 5,000mAh battery with 45W Super Fast Charge 2.0, allowing a 65% charge in 30 minutes and a full charge in 68 minutes.
Samsung Galaxy A36 5G
The Galaxy A36 features the Snapdragon 6 Gen 3 chipset, marking a shift from the Exynos and Dimensity chips used in previous generations. Samsung has equipped it with a larger vapor chamber, matching the one found in the Galaxy S24+ for better thermal management. The device offers a base memory configuration of 6GB RAM and 128GB storage, with options for 8GB RAM and up to 256GB storage.
It shares the same 6.7-inch Super AMOLED display with a Full HD+ resolution and 1,900-nit peak brightness as the A56. The front and back panels are protected by Gorilla Glass Victus+, while the frame is polycarbonate. It retains an IP67 rating for dust and water resistance.
The rear camera system consists of a 50MP f/1.8 main camera with OIS, an 8MP f/2.2 ultra-wide lens, and a 5MP f/2.4 macro camera. The front camera has been upgraded to a 12MP sensor, and video HDR (10-bit up to 4K at 30fps) is now available on both front and rear cameras.
The A36 has a 5,000mAh battery, now supporting 45W charging—an upgrade from the 25W of its predecessor. A 30-minute charge reaches 66%, while a full charge takes 68 minutes. It launches with Android 15 and One UI 7, supporting six OS updates and six years of security patches. AI-driven features like Circle to Search, Object Eraser, and custom image filters are included.
Samsung Galaxy A26 5G
The Galaxy A26 shares many similarities with last year’s A35 but comes at a lower price point. It is powered by the Exynos 1380 chipset, which was used in the A35, and delivers an 8% lower CPU performance compared to the Snapdragon 6 Gen 3 in the A36. Unlike the A36, the A26 does not feature an enhanced vapor chamber for cooling.
It offers a base memory configuration of 6GB RAM and 128GB storage, with an option for 8GB RAM and 256GB storage. A microSD card slot is included, which is absent from higher-tier A-series models. It runs Android 15 with One UI 7 and supports six OS updates and six years of security patches.
The A26 also features a 6.7-inch OLED display with Full HD+ resolution. However, it has a notch instead of a punch-hole design for the selfie camera, and the fingerprint scanner is side-mounted instead of under-display. The selfie camera remains a 13MP sensor without video HDR support. The rear camera setup includes a 50MP main camera with OIS, an 8MP ultra-wide lens, and a 2MP macro lens.
Samsung has made improvements to the A26’s body, reducing its thickness from 8.3mm to 7.7mm, though the weight has increased slightly to 200g. The phone now has an IP67 rating for dust and water resistance, matching the A36 and A56. The battery remains 5,000mAh but is limited to 25W charging.
The Galaxy A56 5G will be available in Awesome Lightgray, Awesome Graphite, Awesome Olive, and Awesome Pink. The Galaxy A36 5G comes in Awesome Lavender, Awesome Black, Awesome White, and Awesome Lime, while the Galaxy A26 5G is available in Black, Mint, and Peach Pink.
Samsung promises six years of security updates and six OS updates for all three models. The Galaxy A56, Galaxy A36, and Galaxy A26 will go on sale in Malaysia starting 18 March 2025. However, Samsung has yet to disclose the local pricing for these models.
(Source: Samsung Malaysia press release / official website)
