Samsung's Galaxy A series phones have always been favorites, providing users with an affordable yet feature-rich alternative to flagship models.
The Galaxy A36, the highly anticipated successor to the Galaxy A35, recently appeared on Geekbench and in leaked 3D renders, giving us a glimpse of what Samsung's next mid-range phone could have in store for us.
Here's everything we know so far about its release date, price, and key specs.
When will the Samsung Galaxy A36 be released?
Galaxy A36 expected to launch sometime early 2025.
Since the A35 launched in March 2024, it's likely that the A36 will follow a similar timeline, arriving shortly after the launch of Samsung's flagship Galaxy S25 series. However, there have been no concrete leaks or rumors about the release date yet.
For context, here's when previous generations launched:
- Samsung Galaxy A32 – February 2021
- Samsung Galaxy A33 – March 2022
- Samsung Galaxy A34- March 2023
- Samsung Galaxy A35 – March 2024
How much will the Samsung Galaxy A36 cost?
Although the exact price of the Galaxy A36 is still under wraps, it will likely be in a similar price range as its predecessor.
The Galaxy A35 was priced at £339/$399.99 for the base 8GB/128GB model, with the 8GB/256GB version costing £389 in the UK but not sold in the US. We can expect the A36 to be priced similarly, but a slightly lower or higher price is entirely possible.
What specifications and features will the Samsung Galaxy A36 have?
Leaked 3D renders, courtesy of Giznext and OnLeaks, reveal some potential key features of the Galaxy A36.
Design
According to these renders, Samsung is returning to a camera island design, with the three rear cameras now grouped in a vertical layout, similar to older models such as the Galaxy A30.
Despite this change, some design features, such as the “Key Island” for the power and volume buttons, remain.
The A36 is also expected to be slightly narrower and taller than its predecessor, the A35, with a width of 77.9mm and a height of 162.6mm.
It could also be thinner, with the leak suggesting a thickness of 7.4mm (9.6mm including the camera bump).
Display
The same renders also reveal that the A36 will likely feature a 6.6-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2x display, retaining a 120Hz refresh rate similar to the A35.
Resolution and brightness levels could see slight improvements, and Samsung is expected to shrink the bezels for a more modern look.
Luc Boulanger
The display will likely feature a punch-hole camera and an in-display fingerprint reader, in keeping with the design aesthetic of recent A-series models.
Performance
Samsung's choice of chipset for the Galaxy A36 is still uncertain. A recent Geekbench listing considered for the phone reveals specifications that suggest it could use either the Qualcomm Snapdragon 6 Gen 3 or the Snapdragon 7s Gen 2, both made using Samsung Foundry's 4nm process.
This would mark a change from the Exynos 1380 used in the Galaxy A35, indicating Samsung's decision to rely on Qualcomm for this model. However, this is yet to be confirmed and we could still see Exynos powering the Galaxy A36.
Luc Boulanger
Early benchmark scores suggest slightly lower performance than the A35, but actual usage will determine the real impact.
The Geekbench listing above mentions 5.2 GB of memory, which suggests that the base model may come with 6 GB of RAM. This would be a downgrade compared to the Galaxy A35, which offers 8 GB on both models.
Cameras
SamMobile reports that Samsung could increase the front camera resolution to 32MP, similar to that of the Galaxy A55, and include a 12MP ultra-wide rear camera. Both would be upgrades to the A35, which had a 13MP selfie lens and an 8MP ultra-wide.
The main camera is expected to retain optical image stabilization (OIS), providing good image quality in various lighting conditions. However, it is unclear whether changes will be made to the 50Mp lens or the 5Mp macro.
Luc Boulanger
According to a recent report from Dutch site GalaxyClub, the rear camera will retain the 50Mp sensor from its predecessor and the selfie camera will be upgraded to a 12Mp sensor, replacing the 13Mp sensor used in previous A3x models.
This change should provide better photo quality. Interestingly, while the Galaxy A56 will also feature a 12MP selfie camera, the A56's implementation would produce superior results compared to the A36.
It remains unclear whether Samsung will make any changes to the A36's ultra-wide or macro cameras, but given the company's tendency to only introduce minor updates to its A-series devices, significant changes are unlikely.
Battery and charging
Although details on battery capacity are unconfirmed, it is likely that the A36 will retain the A35's 5,000mAh battery.
This large battery, combined with the efficient 4nm chipset, could improve the already solid battery life.
Luc Boulanger
With no rumors or leaks regarding charging speeds, it's safe to assume that the Galaxy A36 will stick to 25W wired. On such an affordable phone, it would be a surprise to see wireless charging introduced.
Software
The Galaxy A36 will likely come with Android 15 and Samsung's One UI 7.0 out of the box.
Samsung recently committed to six major Android updates for the cheaper Galaxy A16, meaning the A36 could receive updates up to Android 21. That would make it one of the most popular phones in the world. best supported mid-range.
Luc Boulanger
That's everything we currently know about the Galaxy A36. We will update this article when we know more. In the meantime, you can check out what the more powerful Galaxy A56 could offer, as well as the best mid-range phones the two will face.
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