Samsung Galaxy A56 launches with modern design, longer updates, and some hardware upgrades

Samsung has officially introduced the Galaxy A56, a direct successor to last year's A55. While the phone may not seem much different from the front, the back has seen a major change. The triple-camera setup now has a pill-shaped module, and the rings somewhat match the newly released Galaxy S25 Ultra and Z Fold 6.

As for the rear camera setup, it remains the same as the predecessor, featuring a 50 MP primary sensor with OIS, 5 MP macro, and 12 MP ultrawide. The front camera, on the other hand, has seen an upgrade, up from a 12 MP selfie shooter to a 32 MP camera with support for HDR and 4K videos.

Speaking of the front, the new Galaxy A56 comes with a 6.7-inch screen, 0.1 inch larger than the predecessor. This AMOLED display has a peak brightness rating of 1,200 nits, another upgrade from the predecessor, but the refresh rate remains the same, at 120 Hz.

Under the hood, the Galaxy A56 features the Exynos 1580, which, according to Samsung, offers 37% higher efficiency and comes with a GPU that's 37% faster than the Exynos 1480 found in the predecessor. A 5,000 mAh battery powers the internals, the same as the A55, but it can charge faster, at up to 45 W instead of 25 W (Anker Nano 65 W charger curr. $29.99 on Amazon).

Software-wise, the Galaxy A56 5G runs on One UI 7, and it brings many AI-powered features. That includes enhanced Circle to Search with Google, a Best Face feature that makes it easier to take group photos, and Object Eraser. Samsung is also promising six major Android updates and six years of security patches.

The Samsung Galaxy A56 5G with 8 GB of RAM and 128 GB of storage costs €479 in the EU, while the 256 GB storage variant is €529. It's available in light gray, pink, olive, and graphite.