Samsung Galaxy A56 5G (SM-A566B) / Apple iPhone 16

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: 6.1-inch iPhone 16; 128, 256 and 512 GB; black, white, pink, teal and ultramarine. The model number varies by region (e.g. India A3287). The 6.7-inch iPhone 16 Plus, iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16e are separate models.

SpecificationSamsung Galaxy A56 5G (SM-A566B)Apple iPhone 16
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
6.1-inch Super Retina XDR OLED; 2556 × 1179, 460 ppi; Dynamic Island

Typical brightness is 1000 nits, 1600 nits HDR and 2000 nits peak outdoors, with a 1-nit minimum. 2,000,000:1 contrast, P3 wide colour and True Tone. Apple does not list a refresh rate; ProMotion and always-on display are on the Pro models.

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
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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
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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
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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 main camera (26 mm, ƒ/1.6, sensor-shift stabilisation); 12 MP ultra wide (13 mm, ƒ/2.2, 120°); 12 MP 2× telephoto from the main sensor

The 2× view comes from the centre of the 48 MP sensor rather than a separate lens. There is a 4× optical zoom range and up to 10× digital zoom; the ultra-wide camera can shoot macro.

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
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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
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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, 4×4 MIMO); Wi-Fi 7 (2×2 MIMO); Bluetooth 5.3; second-generation Ultra Wideband; Thread; NFC

Ultra Wideband availability varies by region. Emergency SOS and Roadside Assistance via satellite are supported, with service duration and country coverage set by Apple.

Apple
SIMNano-SIM and eSIM; SIM+SIM, SIM+eSIM or dual eSIM combinations SamsungNano-SIM + eSIM or dual eSIM

SIM layout may vary by country model.

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
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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
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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
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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
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Size and weight162.2 × 77.5 × 7.4 mm; 198 g Samsung147.6 × 71.6 × 7.80 mm; 170 g Apple
ColoursAwesome Graphite, Awesome Lightgrey, Awesome Olive, Awesome Pink Samsung—
Chip—A18; 6-core CPU (2 performance + 4 efficiency), 5-core GPU, 16-core Neural Engine

Apple says the A18, built on second-generation 3 nm technology, is up to 30% faster in CPU and 40% in GPU than the A16 Bionic and supports hardware ray tracing. The A18 Pro in iPhone 16 Pro is a different chip.

Apple
Front glass—Latest-generation Ceramic Shield

Apple says it is 50% tougher than the first-generation Ceramic Shield. The back is colour-infused glass and the frame is aluminium.

Apple
Storage—128, 256 or 512 GB Apple
Video—4K Dolby Vision at 24/25/30/60 fps; Cinematic mode up to 4K 30 fps; Action mode at 2.8K 60 fps; spatial video at 1080p 30 fps Apple
Camera Control and Action button—Camera Control (adjusts exposure, depth, zoom, cameras, styles and tone); customisable Action button

Apple says Camera Control combines a tactile switch for clicks, a force sensor for light presses and a capacitive sensor for swipes. It opens the camera, takes photos and starts video recording.

Apple
Front camera and authentication—12 MP TrueDepth (ƒ/1.9, autofocus); Face ID Apple
USB-C—USB-C; USB 2 (up to 480 Mbit/s) and DisplayPort

Wired data transfer is limited to USB 2 speed, so moving large video files by cable is slower than on the Pro models.

Apple
Charging—MagSafe up to 25 W; Qi2 up to 25 W; about 50% in around 30 minutes with a 20 W or higher adapter

Reaching 50% in 30 minutes over MagSafe needs a 30 W or higher adapter. There is no adapter in the box, only a USB-C cable.

Apple
Battery life—Up to 22 hours video, up to 18 hours streamed video, up to 80 hours audio playback

Measured under Apple’s test conditions; real results vary with use and settings. Apple does not publish the capacity in mAh.

Apple
Durability—IP68 (IEC 60529; up to 6 metres for 30 minutes)

Splash, water and dust resistance is not permanent and may decrease over time; liquid damage is not covered by warranty.

Apple
Sensors—Barometer, high dynamic range gyro, high-g accelerometer, proximity sensor, dual ambient light sensors

The high-g accelerometer is used for Crash Detection.

Apple