Samsung has officially launched its 2025 mid-range smartphone lineup globally as of March 28, 2025. The Galaxy A56, A36, and A26 are now available worldwide, bringing AI-powered features, enhanced durability, and impressive specifications to the mid-range segment. While these devices had already been introduced in select markets earlier this month, today marks their official global availability, expanding Samsung’s reach to new territories with these feature-packed smartphones. This comprehensive overview explores the capabilities, pricing, and availability of Samsung’s latest Galaxy A series offerings.
Global Launch and Availability
The Galaxy A56, A36, and A26 were first unveiled on March 1, 2025, but today marks their official global launch day. These smartphones are now available across most international markets, with a few regional variations in terms of models, memory configurations, and special offers.
In the United States, only the Galaxy A36 and Galaxy A26 are currently available, while the Galaxy A56 is scheduled to arrive “later this year” according to Samsung’s announcement. American consumers can purchase these devices from Samsung.com, Amazon, and Best Buy, with special promotions including a $50 gift card with the Galaxy A36 purchase.
In various European markets, all three models are now available through Samsung’s official stores and authorized retailers, with availability varying by region. Meanwhile, in India, the complete lineup has been available since early March, including higher RAM variants that aren’t offered in Europe.
Regional Special Offers
Samsung has tailored special offers for different markets to entice consumers:
UK customers purchasing the A56 or A36 receive a free Galaxy Fit3, a 45W charger, and a silicone case—accessories valued at £138.98.
In Germany, Samsung offers a free storage upgrade for the A56 and A36, pricing the 8GB/128GB and 8GB/256GB models identically.
Indian customers can take advantage of launch discounts on the Galaxy A56 and A36.
These regional variations reflect Samsung’s strategy to cater to different market preferences while maintaining the core experience across all regions.
Design and Display Features
All three Galaxy A series devices feature refreshed designs that align more closely with Samsung’s premium offerings for 2025. Most notably, the Galaxy A56 adopts a new camera layout that somewhat resembles the design language seen in the Galaxy S25 Ultra and Z Fold 6.
Galaxy A56 Display
The Galaxy A56 sports a slightly larger 6.7-inch FHD+ Super AMOLED display compared to its predecessor’s 6.6-inch screen. This display maintains a smooth 120Hz refresh rate while boosting peak brightness to 1,200 nits for improved outdoor visibility. The device features a metal frame that adds to its premium feel and durability.
Galaxy A36 Display
Similar to its higher-end sibling, the Galaxy A36 comes with a 6.7-inch FHD+ 120Hz Super AMOLED display. It offers impressive brightness capabilities with up to 1,200 nits HBM (High Brightness Mode) and 1,900 nits peak brightness, ensuring excellent visibility even in challenging lighting conditions.
Galaxy A26 Display
The Galaxy A26 also features a 6.7-inch Super AMOLED display with FHD+ resolution and a 120Hz refresh rate. This represents a size increase over its predecessor, the Galaxy A25. While it retains the older waterdrop notch design for the selfie camera rather than a punch-hole, the display is protected by Corning Gorilla Glass Victus+, offering enhanced durability.
A significant improvement across all three models is the inclusion of IP67 water and dust resistance, making these devices more resistant to everyday hazards.
Performance and Hardware
The three devices are differentiated by their processors, with each targeting different performance tiers within the mid-range segment.
Galaxy A56 Performance
The Galaxy A56 debuts with Samsung’s Exynos 1580 4nm processor, a significant upgrade over previous generations. According to Samsung, this chipset delivers 37% higher efficiency and comes with a GPU that’s 37% faster than the Exynos 1480 found in its predecessor. The phone also features a larger vapor chamber for improved thermal management.
Memory options for the Galaxy A56 include 8GB or 12GB of RAM paired with either 128GB or 256GB of storage, though availability of specific configurations varies by market.
Galaxy A36 Performance
The Galaxy A36 is powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 6 Gen 3 SoC, marking the first implementation of this processor in a Samsung device. Like the A56, it also features an enhanced thermal management system with a larger vapor chamber. Memory configurations include 6GB, 8GB, or 12GB of RAM options with 128GB or 256GB storage variants.
Galaxy A26 Performance
The Galaxy A26 utilizes the Exynos 1380 chipset, which was previously featured in last year’s Galaxy A35. While not as cutting-edge as the processors in its siblings, this chipset still delivers reliable performance for everyday tasks and moderate gaming.
Camera Capabilities
All three devices feature upgraded camera systems with the primary focus on computational photography enhancements through AI.
Galaxy A56 Camera System
The Galaxy A56 features a versatile triple camera setup:
50MP main camera with optical image stabilization (OIS)
12MP ultra-wide lens
5MP macro camera
The front camera has been upgraded to a 32MP shooter (from 12MP in the previous generation) with support for HDR and 4K video recording. The A56 introduces enhanced Nightography capabilities with a new Low Noise Mode for both front and rear cameras, improving low-light photography performance.
The A56 also debuts the Best Face feature, which allows users to capture the perfect group shot by selecting and combining the best expressions or features for up to five people from a motion photo.
Galaxy A36 Camera System
The Galaxy A36 offers a similar triple camera configuration:
50MP main camera with OIS
8MP ultra-wide lens
5MP macro camera
Like the A56, it supports 10-bit HDR recording on both front and rear cameras for more vibrant and dynamic video capture.
Galaxy A26 Camera System
The Galaxy A26 features:
50MP main camera with OIS
8MP ultra-wide lens
2MP macro camera
13MP front-facing camera
While slightly less advanced than its siblings, the A26 still delivers capable photography performance with the main camera being particularly impressive for its price point.
AI Features: Awesome Intelligence
One of the most significant additions to the 2025 Galaxy A series is the introduction of “Awesome Intelligence”—Samsung’s first comprehensive mobile AI feature suite exclusive to these devices. This represents Samsung’s effort to democratize AI features across more affordable devices.
Enhanced Circle to Search
All three phones feature Google’s enhanced Circle to Search functionality, which allows users to search for anything visible on their screen by simply circling it. The latest version can recognize phone numbers, email addresses, and URLs on-screen, enabling users to take action with a single tap. Users can also now instantly search for songs they hear without switching apps.
Object Eraser
The Object Eraser feature has been refined across all three models, enabling users to easily remove unwanted objects from photos—either manually or automatically—resulting in cleaner and more polished images with minimal effort. This feature is particularly useful for removing photobombers or distracting elements in the background.
Best Face and Nightography
The Galaxy A56 introduces the Best Face feature, which makes capturing perfect group photos easier by selecting and combining the best expressions from multiple shots. Additionally, the A56’s Low Noise Mode enhances the Nightography capabilities of both the front and rear cameras, significantly improving low-light photography results.
Battery and Charging
All three Galaxy A models come equipped with sizeable 5,000mAh batteries, ensuring all-day battery life under typical usage scenarios.
The charging capabilities differ between models:
Galaxy A56: 45W Super Fast Charge 2.0 technology
Galaxy A36: 45W Super Fast Charge 2.0 technology
Galaxy A26: 25W fast charging
The upgrade to 45W charging on the A56 and A36 represents a significant improvement over the previous generation’s 25W charging capabilities, reducing the time needed to fully charge these devices.
Software and Update Policies
Samsung has made impressive commitments to long-term software support for its 2025 Galaxy A series.
All three devices run Android 15 with One UI 7 out of the box, featuring the latest interface enhancements and optimizations from Samsung. More importantly, Samsung has promised six generations of Android OS and One UI upgrades along with six years of security updates for all three models.
This extended support policy means these devices will receive updates until 2031, significantly extending their useful lifespan and providing better value for consumers.
The Galaxy A56 5G Enterprise Edition goes even further, offering seven years of security and One UI updates, three years of warranty, and a two-year product lifecycle guarantee, making it particularly appealing for business users.
Pricing, Variants, and Color Options
Galaxy A56 Pricing and Variants
The Galaxy A56 is priced at €479 for the 8GB/128GB variant and €529 for the 8GB/256GB model in European markets. Memory configurations include:
8GB or 12GB RAM
128GB or 256GB storage
Color options include:
Awesome Lightgray
Awesome Graphite
Awesome Olive
Awesome Pink
Galaxy A36 Pricing and Variants
While specific pricing wasn’t detailed in the search results, the Galaxy A36 offers more memory configuration options:
6GB, 8GB, or 12GB RAM
128GB or 256GB storage
Color options include:
Awesome Lavender
Awesome Black
Awesome White
Awesome Lime
Galaxy A26 Pricing and Variants
The most affordable of the trio, the Galaxy A26 is available in:
6GB or 8GB RAM
128GB or 256GB storage
Color options include:
Black
White
Mint
Peach Pink
It’s worth noting that memory configurations and color availability may vary by region, with some markets receiving specific variants not available elsewhere.
Comparison Between the Three Models
While sharing many similarities, these devices target different segments of the mid-range market:
Display Comparison
All three models feature 6.7-inch FHD+ Super AMOLED displays with 120Hz refresh rates. However, brightness levels differ:
Galaxy A56: 1,200 nits peak brightness
Galaxy A36: Up to 1,200 nits HBM and 1,900 nits peak brightness
Galaxy A26: Standard brightness (specific nits not mentioned in sources)
Performance Comparison
The performance hierarchy is clear:
Galaxy A56: Exynos 1580 4nm (newest and most powerful)
Galaxy A36: Snapdragon 6 Gen 3
Galaxy A26: Exynos 1380 (previously used in last year’s A35)
Camera Comparison
The camera systems also follow a tiered approach:
Galaxy A56: 50MP main + 12MP ultrawide + 5MP macro + 32MP selfie
Galaxy A36: 50MP main + 8MP ultrawide + 5MP macro + front camera (MP not specified)
Galaxy A26: 50MP main + 8MP ultrawide + 2MP macro + 13MP selfie
The main differentiators are the ultrawide and macro sensors, with the A56 offering higher resolution options compared to its siblings.
Charging Comparison
Charging capabilities are another point of differentiation:
Galaxy A56 and A36: 45W Super Fast Charge 2.0
Galaxy A26: 25W fast charging
All three models maintain the same 5,000mAh battery capacity.
Conclusion: Samsung’s Impressive Mid-Range Strategy
The 2025 Galaxy A series represents Samsung’s most compelling mid-range lineup to date, bringing significant improvements across design, performance, and features. The global availability of these devices further solidifies Samsung’s position in the competitive mid-range smartphone market.
The introduction of Awesome Intelligence across all three models demonstrates Samsung’s commitment to democratizing AI features beyond its flagship devices. Meanwhile, the extended software support policy of six years for OS and security updates adds tremendous value, ensuring these devices will remain relevant far longer than typical mid-range smartphones.
For consumers seeking the best balance of features and value, the Galaxy A36 appears to hit the sweet spot, offering many of the A56’s capabilities at what is likely to be a more accessible price point. Those prioritizing camera performance and premium design might prefer the Galaxy A56, while budget-conscious users will find the Galaxy A26 offers an impressive feature set despite being the most affordable option.
With regional promotions further enhancing the value proposition in many markets, Samsung’s 2025 Galaxy A series presents a compelling option for consumers worldwide looking for feature-rich smartphones without the premium price tag of flagship devices.
