Skip to main content

Samsung’s great midrange phones might have a disappointing 2025

A person holding the Samsung Galaxy A55.
Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

The Galaxy A55 is a solid, serviceable midrange phone. It doesn’t have all the bells and whistles that a flagship would have, but if you’re just looking for a day-to-day gadget and you aren’t a power user, it’s more than enough. Today, news broke about its successor, the Galaxy A56 — and it’s both good and bad.

According to Galaxy Club, the Galaxy A56 will get a new front-facing camera and do away with the 32MP one that’s been the same since the Galaxy A51. This is good news as the 32MP camera is outdated, to say the least. The Galaxy A56 could get a 12MP front-facing camera, even possibly the same sensor used in the Galaxy S line.

Recommended Videos

It’s not all good news, though. The A56 will also have a 50MP main camera, a 12MP ultrawide, and a 5MP macro lens. If that sounds familiar, it’s because these are the same exact specs for the Galaxy A55. And the A54. Samsung might be upgrading the front camera, but the rear lenses look to be exactly the same as they have been.

The Samsung Galaxy A55's screen.
Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

The Galaxy A56 is still a ways off, so current information is scarce. With Samsung’s recent announcement that the Galaxy A16 will receive six years of updates, it’s safe to assume the policy will also extend to the A56.

Our best guess for a launch time frame is in spring, sometime after the Galaxy S25 drops in January. As for the price, it’s just a(nother) guess, but the A56 will likely fall into the same range as previous entries in the Galaxy A series.

Patrick Hearn
Patrick Hearn writes about smart home technology like Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, smart light bulbs, and more. If it's a…
Samsung pumps up the Galaxy A56 to make new Galaxy Tab S10 FE tablets
A press image of the Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 FE.

Samsung has announced two new tablets, the Galaxy Tab S10 FE and Galaxy Tab S10 FE+, which bring together the power and AI features found in its Galaxy A56 smartphone with the big screen options provided by its Galaxy Tab S10 series tablets. Confused as to what Samsung means by FE? The name came about in an unusual way, but is now applied to affordable devices which provide good value, such as the Galaxy S24 FE.

What about the two new Tab S10 FE models? There are two primary technical differences between the two new models. The Galaxy Tab S10 FE has a 10.9-inch, 90Hz LCD screen and an 8,000mAh battery, while the Galaxy Tab S10 FE+ has a 13.1-inch, 90Hz LCD screen and a 10,090mAh battery. Obviously this makes the Galaxy Tab S10 FE+ larger and heavier — it’s 664 grams rather than 497 grams — but both measure just 6mm thick. 

Read more
You may have to wait longer for Samsung’s svelte Galaxy S25 Edge
Close-up view of the camera module on Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge.

It seems the ongoing management changes at Samsung will delay the market arrival of its ambitious super-slim smartphone. The Galaxy S25 Edge was expected to launch mid-way through April, but those plans have seemingly been pushed back by a few weeks. 

According to a report from Korea’s ET News, the company has pushed the launch event to some point between May and June. “It has been confirmed that this information was also conveyed to the three mobile carriers that sell the Galaxy S25 Edge,” says the outlet.

Read more
Five reasons I’m excited for the new Google Pixel 9a
Person holds Pixel 9a in hand while sitting in a car.

Google has consistently ranked among the best smartphones for its affordable devices over the past six years, particularly with its Pixel A series. The Pixel 3a set the trend for major phone manufacturers to provide a compelling experience at half the price of flagship models, intensifying competition in this segment.

In the last three months, we’ve seen Samsung introduce the Galaxy A56 and Galaxy A36, which deliver features from the Galaxy S25 series at a significantly lower price point. Then there’s Apple, which entered the market with the iPhone 16e, priced considerably higher than its rivals. Additionally, Nothing offers the Nothing Phone 3a and Phone 3a Pro, arguably the best phones available at $379 and $459, respectively.

Read more