Samsung's Galaxy A56, A36, and A26 launch party may have been ruined by this comprehensive leak
If you thought you already knew everything there is to know about the next big additions to Samsung's popular Galaxy A family of mid-range smartphones following a number of pretty detailed reports and rumors floating around the web in the last few months, the latest WinFuture leak (translated here) might make you feel like you knew nothing (Jon Snow).
That's because every single major, semi-major, and minor aspect about the technically unannounced Galaxy A56, Galaxy A36, and Galaxy A26 is now out of the bag, including previously unknown details on the three's processor and camera differences, screen size and battery capacity similarities, super-high-quality product images, and last but not least, expected price points.
It's almost like Samsung doesn't need to formally announce the three upcoming Android handsets anymore, which will obviously happen soon enough. Specifically, next week. Without further ado, I give you the full spec sheets of the company's main 2025 contenders for the title of best budget 5G phone in the world:
Galaxy A56 - a Pixel 9a alternative with a big screen
- 6.7-inch Super AMOLED display with 2340 x 1080 pixel resolution and 120Hz refresh rate technology;
- Samsung Exynos 1580 processor;
- Android 15 with One UI 7 software;
- 8GB RAM;
- 50MP primary rear-facing camera with f/1.8 aperture and optical image stabilization;
- 12MP secondary wide-angle lens with f/2.2 aperture;
- 5MP macro sensor with f/2.4 aperture;
- 12MP front-facing camera;
- 5,000mAh battery;
- 45W charging support;
- Corning Gorilla Glass Victus screen protection;
- In-display fingerprint scanner;
- 5G, Wi-Fi, NFC, GPS, Bluetooth 5.3, USB-C;
- IP67 water and dust resistance;
- Stereo speakers;
- 162.7 x 77.5 x 7.4mm dimensions;
- 197 grams weight.
There's nothing very surprising on the above list, especially if you followed any of the previous Galaxy A56 leaks, which is why this upper mid-ranger's predicted €479 price tag in Europe shouldn't come as a shock either.
There's probably no point in converting that number to US dollars, as the A56 is likely to follow the example of last year's Galaxy A55 and never become officially available stateside. That might explain why Samsung is planning to use an Exynos SoC here, but (spoiler alert) a Snapdragon processor on the technically inferior Galaxy A36, which is virtually guaranteed to follow its own predecessor's suit and get a US release in the very near future.
Of course, the A56 is set to hold some pretty clear advantages over the A36 as well, including a more premium build with a metal rather than plastic frame, a superior secondary rear snapper, more memory in an entry-level variant, and better protection against scratches and screen damage in general.
Galaxy A36 - a lower-cost Pixel 9a alternative with the same screen
- 6.7-inch Super AMOLED display with 2340 x 1080 pixel resolution and 120Hz refresh rate technology;
- Qualcomm Snapdragon 6 Gen 3 SoC;
- Android 15 with One UI 7 software;
- 6 and 8GB RAM options;
- 50MP primary rear-facing camera with f/1.8 aperture and OIS;
- 8MP secondary wide-angle lens with f/2.2 aperture;
- 5MP macro sensor with f/2.4 aperture;
- 12MP front-facing camera;
- 5,000mAh battery;
- 45W charging capabilities;
- Corning Gorilla Glass 7+ screen protection;
- In-display fingerprint reader;
- 5G, Wi-Fi, NFC, GPS, Bluetooth 5.3, USB-C;
- IP67 water and dust resistance;
- Stereo speakers;
- 3.5mm headphone jack;
- 162.7 x 77.9 x 7.4mm dimensions;
- 195 grams weight.
Yes, the A36 is obviously set to be priced lower than the A56 and much lower compared to the Pixel 9a, at €379 on the old continent. That makes me confident the device will be able to retain its predecessor's $399 starting price in the US while improving a number of things like the Galaxy A35's raw power, charging speeds, and even design.
The Galaxy A36 is amazingly expected to considerably reduce its forerunner's thickness and weight and yet somehow expand the screen size (a little) to perfectly match both the Galaxy A56 and A26 in that department. On top of everything, there's even a traditional headphone jack and a modern in-display fingerprint sensor on the A36 to consolidate a very strong value proposition.
Galaxy A26 - the notch lives on
- 6.7-inch Super AMOLED display with 2340 x 1080 pixel resolution and 120Hz refresh rate technology;
- Samsung Exynos 1380 processor;
- Android 15 with One UI 7 software;
- 6 and 8GB RAM options;
- 50MP primary rear-facing camera with f/1.8 aperture and OIS;
- 8MP secondary wide-angle lens with f/2.2 aperture;
- 2MP macro sensor with f/2.4 aperture;
- 13MP front-facing camera;
- 5,000mAh battery;
- 25W charging support;
- Corning Gorilla Glass;
- Side-mounted fingerprint scanner;
- 5G, Wi-Fi, NFC, GPS, Bluetooth 5.3, USB-C;
- IP67 water and dust resistance;
- Stereo speakers;
- 3.5mm headphone jack;
- microSD card slot;
- 164 x 77.5 x 7.7mm dimensions;
- 200 grams weight.
If you're a glass-half-full type of person, the first thing you'll probably notice about the Galaxy A26's specs is that they include the same screen diagonal, resolution, and refresh rate as the higher-end and more expensive A36 and A56.
A glass-half-empty approach to today's A26 leak, meanwhile, might make you focus on that outdated display cutout, which annoyingly refuses to die. Of course, the notch is probably the main reason why this phone is tipped to cost just €299. Unlikely to be released stateside, the 5G-enabled Galaxy A26 remarkably stands out from the Galaxy A56 with both a microSD card slot and headphone jack, looking all but guaranteed to sell like hotcakes across Europe.
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