Samsung Galaxy A56 5G (SM-A566B) / Apple iPhone 15 Pro

Samsung Galaxy A56 5G (SM-A566B): SM-A566B (Europe/UK); the listed configuration is 8 GB / 256 GB, with 8/128 and 12/256 GB depending on market. The Galaxy A55 (previous generation) and Galaxy A36 5G are separate models.

Apple iPhone 15 Pro: 6.1-inch iPhone 15 Pro (A2848, A2849 and regional models); 128 GB, 256 GB, 512 GB and 1 TB; Black, White, Blue and Natural Titanium. The 6.7-inch iPhone 15 Pro Max is a separate model with a different telephoto and battery.

SpecificationSamsung Galaxy A56 5G (SM-A566B)Apple iPhone 15 Pro
Release year20252023
Display6.7-inch FHD+ Super AMOLED, 2340 × 1080; up to 120 Hz refresh; up to 1,200 nits in High Brightness Mode

120 Hz makes scrolling smoother; 1,200 nits is reached in High Brightness Mode, which switches on automatically in sunlight. Allowing for the rounded corners, the visible area is 6.5 inches.

Samsung		6.1-inch Super Retina XDR OLED; 2556 × 1179 pixels, 460 ppi; Dynamic Island

On OLED each pixel emits its own light, so blacks turn fully off; typical contrast is listed as 2,000,000:1.

Apple
GlassCorning Gorilla Glass Victus+ front and back (camera glass excluded)

Glass on the back as well is uncommon in this class; Samsung notes the camera lens covers are not included.

Samsung		—
ProcessorExynos 1580 (4 nm); octa-core: 1 × 2.9 GHz, 3 × 2.6 GHz, 4 × 1.9 GHz; Xclipse 540 GPU

Samsung says a larger vapor chamber than the previous generation spreads heat better in games and multitasking.

Samsung		A17 Pro; 6-core CPU (2 performance, 4 efficiency), 6-core GPU, 16-core Neural Engine Apple
Memory and storage8 GB RAM, 256 GB storage (234.4 GB available); 8/128 and 12/256 GB options depending on market; no microSD slot

With no card slot, storage cannot be expanded later, so the capacity choice matters for heavy photo and video use.

Samsung		—
Rear cameras50MP wide, ƒ/1.8, autofocus and OIS; 12MP ultra-wide, ƒ/2.2; 5MP macro, ƒ/2.4; 10× digital zoom

Optical stabilisation (OIS) is on the main camera only and reduces shake at night and in video. There is no telephoto camera; zoom is digital.

Samsung		—
Front camera and video12MP front camera, ƒ/2.2, fixed focus; 4K 30 fps recording on the rear camera, 240 fps slow motion in HD; 10-bit HDR video on the front camera

4K recording is limited to 30 fps; smoother video needs a drop to 1080p.

Samsung		—
Battery and charging5,000 mAh (typical); up to 29 hours video playback; 45 W Super Fast Charging 2.0 (adapter sold separately)

45 W speeds need a 45 W USB PD PPS adapter; lower-powered adapters take longer.

Samsung		Up to 23 hours video playback, 20 hours streamed; about 50% in 30 minutes with a 20 W adapter; MagSafe and Qi2 15 W, Qi 7.5 W

No adapter is included. Qi2 is a wireless charging standard with magnetic alignment like MagSafe.

Apple
Connectivity5G Sub-6; Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax, 2.4/5 GHz); Bluetooth 5.3; NFC; USB-C (USB 2.0); no 3.5 mm headphone jack

USB 2.0 is slower than USB 3 ports for large video transfers and has no video output.

Samsung		5G (sub-6 GHz and mmWave), Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.3, second-generation Ultra Wideband, Thread, NFC

mmWave support varies by region. Thread is for low-power networking with smart home devices.

Apple
SIMNano-SIM and eSIM; SIM+SIM, SIM+eSIM or dual eSIM combinations SamsungDual eSIM on US models (no physical SIM); SIM tray plus eSIM on models for other markets Apple
Location and sensorsGPS, GLONASS, BeiDou, Galileo, QZSS; in-display fingerprint, accelerometer, gyro, geomagnetic, light and virtual proximity sensor

A virtual proximity sensor uses software and other sensors rather than dedicated hardware to turn the screen off during calls.

Samsung		—
Water and dust resistanceIP67 (tested in up to 1 m of fresh water for up to 30 minutes)

This is no guarantee against seawater, pool water or pressurised water.

Samsung		—
Software and updatesShips with One UI 7; 6 generations of Android/One UI upgrades and 6 years of security updates (until 31 March 2032 on the UK page)

This is the longest support yet in the Galaxy A series; rollout timing can vary by country and carrier.

Samsung		—
SecuritySamsung Knox Vault, Auto Blocker, Theft Protection

Knox Vault stores sensitive data such as PINs and passwords in an isolated hardware area separate from the main processor.

Samsung		—
Size and weight162.2 × 77.5 × 7.4 mm; 198 g Samsung146.6 × 70.6 × 8.25 mm; 187 g Apple
ColoursAwesome Graphite, Awesome Lightgrey, Awesome Olive, Awesome Pink Samsung—
Refresh rate—ProMotion adaptive up to 120 Hz; Always-On display

The panel rises to 120 Hz when scrolling and gaming and drops its rate for static content to save power, which lets the lock screen stay on.

Apple
Brightness—1000 nits typical, 1600 nits HDR peak, 2000 nits outdoor peak

The outdoor figure is used only briefly in strong sunlight; normal use sits around 1000 nits.

Apple
Storage—128 GB, 256 GB, 512 GB or 1 TB Apple
Main camera—48 MP, 24 mm, ƒ/1.78; second-generation sensor-shift OIS; 24 MP and 48 MP photos

Sensor-shift stabilisation moves the sensor rather than the lens to counter hand shake; the default capture is 24 MP.

Apple
Telephoto and ultra wide—12 MP 3× telephoto (77 mm, ƒ/2.8, OIS); 12 MP ultra wide (13 mm, ƒ/2.2, 120°); 2× (48 mm) option from the main sensor

The 2× image is taken from the centre of the 48 MP sensor; the 15× digital zoom is not optical.

Apple
Video—4K at 24/25/30/60 fps; Dolby Vision HDR up to 4K 60 fps; ProRes 4K 60 fps (with external recording); Log video; spatial video at 1080p 30 fps

ProRes 4K at 60 fps requires recording to external storage over USB-C. Log records a flat profile for colour grading.

Apple
USB-C—USB 3 up to 10 Gb/s; DisplayPort video out up to 4K HDR (with a compatible adapter)

10 Gb/s needs a USB 3 cable; the 1 m cable in the box is a charge cable and does not guarantee that speed.

Apple
Location—Dual-frequency GPS (GPS, GLONASS, Galileo, QZSS, BeiDou, NavIC); digital compass

Receiving satellite signals on two frequencies helps reduce position drift between tall buildings.

Apple
Action button—Assignable to Silent mode, Focus, Camera, Flashlight, Voice Memo, Translate, Magnifier, Shortcut or Accessibility

It replaces the old mute switch; pressing and holding runs the chosen function.

Apple
Durability—IP68 (IEC 60529, up to 6 m for 30 minutes); titanium frame, Ceramic Shield front, textured matte glass back Apple
In the box—iPhone, 1 m USB-C Charge Cable, documentation; no adapter or earphones Apple