Samsung Galaxy A56 5G (SM-A566B) / Apple iPhone 16 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 16 Pro: 6.3-inch iPhone 16 Pro; 128 GB–1 TB; Black, White, Natural and Desert Titanium. The 6.9-inch iPhone 16 Pro Max is a separate model. The US model is eSIM-only.

SpecificationSamsung Galaxy A56 5G (SM-A566B)Apple iPhone 16 Pro
Release year20252024
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		6.3-inch Super Retina XDR OLED; 2622 × 1206, 460 ppi; ProMotion adaptive refresh up to 120 Hz

ProMotion changes the refresh rate with the content: 120 Hz smoothness when scrolling and gaming, lower rates on still images to save power. Apple quotes 1000 nits typical, 1600 nits HDR peak, 2000 nits outdoor peak and 1 nit minimum; peaks are not sustained full-screen brightness.

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		—
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		48 MP Fusion (24 mm, ƒ/1.78, second-generation sensor-shift OIS); 48 MP Ultra Wide (13 mm, ƒ/2.2); 12 MP 5× Telephoto (120 mm, ƒ/2.8, tetraprism); 2× Telephoto option (48 mm, using the Fusion sensor)

The Pro system covers a 10× optical zoom range from 0.5× to 5×, with digital zoom up to 25×. The 2× image is a 12 MP crop from the centre of the 48 MP main sensor, not a separate camera.

Apple
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		—
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, 4×4 MIMO); Gigabit LTE; Wi-Fi 7 (802.11be, 2×2); Bluetooth 5.3; second-generation Ultra Wideband; satellite Emergency SOS, Roadside Assistance, Messages and Find My

mmWave and satellite services vary by country. Cellular model numbers are A3083 and A3084.

Apple
SIMNano-SIM and eSIM; SIM+SIM, SIM+eSIM or dual eSIM combinations SamsungDual eSIM (two active lines); models sold outside the US also have a SIM tray

Apple notes that iPhone 16 Pro sold in the US is not compatible with physical SIM cards; models for other markets have a SIM tray.

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 Samsung149.6 × 71.5 × 8.25 mm; 199 g Apple
ColoursAwesome Graphite, Awesome Lightgrey, Awesome Olive, Awesome Pink Samsung—
Front and back glass—Latest-generation Ceramic Shield front; textured matte glass back; titanium design Apple
Chip—A18 Pro; 6-core CPU (2 performance, 4 efficiency); 6-core GPU; 16-core Neural Engine

Apple says A18 Pro, built on second-generation 3 nm technology, runs the same workload 15% faster with 20% less power than the previous generation; the GPU is up to 20% faster and hardware ray tracing up to 2× faster. The chip also enables faster USB 3 transfers and ProRes recording.

Apple
Storage—128, 256, 512 GB or 1 TB Apple
Video—4K Dolby Vision up to 120 fps; Log recording and ACES; ProRes up to 4K 120 fps with external recording

4K at 120 fps allows high-frame-rate 4K footage that can be slowed down. Log recording produces a flat image that leaves more room for colour grading. High-bit-rate ProRes needs an external drive.

Apple
Front camera and controls—12 MP TrueDepth (ƒ/1.9, autofocus); Face ID; Camera Control; Action button

Apple says Camera Control combines a tactile switch, a force sensor and a capacitive surface: a click opens the camera, while a light press and finger slide adjust zoom, exposure or depth of field.

Apple
USB-C and charging—USB-C with USB 3 (up to 10 Gb/s); MagSafe up to 25 W (with a 30 W or higher adapter); Qi2 15 W; Qi 7.5 W; up to 50% in 30 minutes with a 20 W adapter

10 Gb/s transfers need a USB 3 cable. Wireless charging power depends on the adapter and charger.

Apple
Battery life—Up to 27 hours video playback; up to 22 hours streamed video; up to 85 hours audio playback Apple
Durability—IP68 under IEC 60529 (6 m for 30 minutes) Apple
Software—Shipped with iOS 18 Apple