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The Samsung S95F OLED TV Delivers A Stunning Picture But Stumbles On AI
The Samsung S95F OLED TV Delivers A Stunning Picture But Stumbles On AI

Forbes

time4 days ago

  • Forbes

The Samsung S95F OLED TV Delivers A Stunning Picture But Stumbles On AI

Samsung's latest flagship OLED panel, the Samsung S95F OLED TV, aims to take the crown for the best viewing experience. This year, the TV adds in new AI features in addition to panel improvements. After over two weeks of testing for my Samsung S95F OLED TV review, while impressed with the picture, I found some serious caveats that should give you pause, provided you intend to use it. The Samsung S95F OLED TV offers gorgeous colors for an enhanced viewing experience. Illustration: Forbes / Photo: Retailer I spent over two weeks testing the Samsung S95F OLED TV by watching movies and gaming via both my PlayStation 4 Pro and my Nintendo Switch. I evaluated the panel based on a few factors, most notably design, performance, the Samsung Tizen software and more. Read on to learn more about the TV in my full Samsung S95F OLED TV review. Amazon Samsung S95F OLED TV Forbes Vetted Forbes Vetted ratings are based on thorough evaluations by our editorial team to help you choose the best products with confidence. Size: 55, 65, 77 and 83 inches | Type: OLED | Resolution: 4K | Refresh rate: 120Hz (165Hz for PCs) | Operating system: Samsung Tizen OS | HDR: HDR10, HDR10+, HLG Best for: A gorgeous, rich picture that makes movies look stellar A flexible TV setup, thanks to the One Connect Box Skip if: You plan to use any of the Vision AI software Calibrating a TV sounds like too much of a pain Samsung's panels use what Samsung calls the 'One Connect Box,' which essentially removes the 'brain' and all the peripheral connections, including HDMI and USB-C, from the display and sticks it into an exterior box. It's designed to make mounting the TV on a wall easier: You can set this box on your TV console, but if you prefer to rest your TV on said console, you can also slot it into a spot behind the display itself. Historically, the S95 series required a physical cable connection to function, and so you needed to hide an unsightly cable if you separated the One Connect Box from that slot on the back of the TV. The new model now removes the physical cable requirement, making it easier to place the One Connect Box anywhere you prefer. Tuck it inside your TV console, or place it across the room entirely for a more flexible home entertainment setup. I'm a fan of this change—I can now reduce or hide the rat's nest of cables around my TV console, and it's one less cable in which my cat can get tangled. The remote also gets an upgrade, with a new button built for AI. That's how you access AI features like Click to Search, but more on that in a minute. Samsung S95F OLED TV: Performance A Pain To Calibrate, But Worthwhile When You Do First, make sure you take the time to calibrate this one, and plan to spend a good few minutes tweaking. Compared to the Samsung S95D TV and the Samsung S95C TV, I spent more time focused on getting the details right, which is both a boon and a curse. It's worth the extra effort to get the reds and blues to pop on the display, not just for movies and TV shows, but also for gaming. But that comes with some frustrations, too. A flagship TV shouldn't be so difficult to calibrate, but I actually ended up having to calibrate it twice—once for my movies and again for the gaming mode. The action sequences in Mad Max: Fury Road kept the orange desert hues without altering the sky ... More blues. Rebecca Isaacs for Forbes Once properly calibrated, the TV feels brighter and more vivid than the S95D. One of my favorite moments was watching a cloud of red smoke in Mad Max: Fury Road amid the fleet of dust-covered War Boys vehicles. The cloud took an almost velvety, fluffy texture which is what this particular cloud should look like—and few TVs can really accomplish that, from my experience. It's details like that which made the immersive experience this TV could deliver stand out. It also did a solid job of keeping the orange desert hues accurate without desaturating the sky's light blue colors. Other areas of colors shone well, particularly in House of the Dragon . I test every panel on one scene in which Rhaenyra and Alicent speak in the Godswood because it's a good way to showcase the different reds and greens. The Godswood tree should show off vibrant red leaves with the surrounding grass being green without feeling oversaturated. Furthermore, Alicent's dress, a lovely shade of burgundy, should reflect that color—it shouldn't match the leaves, which are brighter. The Samsung S95F does a stellar job of making this happen while keeping the velvety texture of Alicent's dress and the leaves' details. I also felt the TV displayed the detail I sought in Rhaenyra's leather outfit, too. Gaming Looks Impressive One of the biggest standouts when I gamed with the Samsung S95F was Like a Dragon: Ishin! , which uses both nighttime and daytime scenes in the late Edo period of Japan. After calibrating, some of the indoor nighttime scenes were my favorite. Patterns and muted colors on Sakamoto Ryōma's robes looked true to the game developer's intent, and I appreciated that daytime scenes didn't wash out the dusty streets or the bright blue sky. The Samsung S95F OLED TV keeps action sequences crisp and smooth. Rebecca Isaacs for Forbes I also attribute this to the Samsung Gaming Hub settings, which I used to make minor adjustments ahead of my gaming. As usual, you can add crosshairs or tweak shading on the TV. The Hub itself also feels improved. Last year, I experienced pixelation, lag and all other sorts of streaming-related problems. This year, I experienced zero issues on the Samsung S95F—a welcome change to the Samsung Gaming Hub. Samsung S95 OLED TV: Software A Half-Baked Miss For AI This year, Samsung unveiled Samsung Vision AI, an AI-based software built into Samsung Tizen OS, which, for the most part, otherwise remains unchanged and lovely. In theory, Vision AI should help complete a slew of tasks, including translating languages in real time, helping you find an actor, an object or some other subject on-screen and more. Note the burgundy color of Alicent's dress and the deep reds of the Godswood tree. Rebecca Isaacs for Forbes I truly wanted to love Vision AI—it has so much potential. And, to an extent, Samsung laid the groundwork for the future of AI in not only its own displays, but TVs in general. But, in this current iteration, Vision AI feels half-baked, and it's just not quite there yet. Let me explain with two particular features: Live Translate and Click to Search. Live Translate translates languages in real time using AI, but only works for live broadcasts—and it needs to have the captions offered. I can't use it on any streaming service or Samsung TV Plus (or at least I couldn't get it to work), which feels like a miss. I assume plenty of red tape prevents Samsung from using it on, say, Hulu or HBO Max, and so credit is still due for the brand trying to bring an ambitious AI language software to life. Additionally, Samsung offers a Click to Search feature, which should tell me who's on screen and share what to watch next. It's great for suggesting a few more content options, but it feels too constrained by its design. I didn't learn more about any actors because no names showed up on my TV screen. This feature has the potential to help me find a shirt I liked on an actor, or to help me find a dupe for a cooking show recipe, as examples. But it can't do that—yet. You can use the gaming menu to make some adjustments, including adding a virtual aim point, adjust ... More settings and more. Rebecca Isaacs for Forbes It's also available only on Samsung TV Plus, cable and broadcast TV. This is worth noting, since Nielsen reports that streaming surpassed traditional TV platforms for the first time in May of this year. With streaming only growing in popularity, Vision AI needs to account for these users moving forward. I do suspect Samsung is hard at work on building these frameworks, and these features may roll out in the coming months and years. That said, it's also not the first panel to introduce an 'X-ray' feature: Amazon Prime beat Samsung to the punch and, as of right now, Amazon's X-ray feature is better. Samsung also introduced Circle to Search (not to be confused with Click to Search) on its mobile gaming platforms at Samsung Unpacked last week. It's a similar premise: You circle something on-screen, and it 'searches' the web for you. For gamers, you can find walkthroughs and more with this software; the brand is clearly shifting to make AI more friendly to the gaming community. At the moment, though, any kind of AI-based search is available only on mobile platforms, and not Vision AI—and that's a darn shame. Of all the ways Click to Search could help me, using Vision AI to find a The Legend of Zelda: The Echoes Of Wisdom temple walkthrough would be a boon. Samsung S95 OLED TV: Verdict For The Most Part, A Great TV If you're looking for one of the best TVs of the year, the Samsung 95F nails almost everything it offers. Colors are gorgeous, contrast is strong and the TV itself offers plenty of perks for viewers that make it the best TV I've tested all year. Take time to calibrate it, and it makes darker shows like The Last Of Us and moody scenes from House of the Dragon stand out. It's fairly pricey, but it's well worth the investment. But if you're planning on buying a TV based on AI integrations, Vision AI may disappoint you. I applaud Samsung for launching an ambitious AI software, but it still remains to be seen if Samsung can grow this software into something bolder and bigger than what it currently is. This is a lovely TV, with a gorgeous picture. Ultimately, though, I'd love to see Samsung step up to the challenge and enhance Vision AI. How I Tested The Samsung S95F OLED TV I spent over two weeks with the Samsung S95F OLED TV. I first calibrated the TV and then began testing it across movies and TV shows to get a sense of the display performance. In particular, I tested the TV across the following action movies to review how the display handles action sequences, color saturation and viewing angles. Mad Max: Fury Road Dungeons and Dragons: Honor Among Thieves I also tested across plenty of TV shows, both animated and live action, to learn more about the TV's overall performance. I always test across the same scenes in the same TV shows to understand how a TV handles color changes, sudden light fluctuations and more. This way, my time testing TVs is standardized across all panels. In particular, I tested across the following shows: House of the Dragon Arcane Modern Family Archer I reviewed the gaming features on the TV, playing for a minimum of ten hours across multiple games, including The Legend of Zelda: The Echoes of Wisdom , Stardew Valley , Like A Dragon: Ishin!, Don't Starve , Mass Effect: Andromeda and more. I tested on two different consoles: the PlayStation 4 Pro and the Nintendo Switch. Additionally, I used Samsung's game streaming service, Samsung Gaming Hub, to play Batman: Arkham Knight . This way, I could see how the game streaming service played AAA titles with intense action sequences. I also dove deep into the software, noting changes and updates to the Samsung Tizen OS. I reviewed the features Samsung announced with its new Vision AI software and put it to use during real-world settings. I also reviewed the audio as the panel stood, with no soundbar connected, to ensure that the TV provided decent audio quality. Why Trust Forbes Vetted The Forbes Vetted team has published hundreds of tech and electronic guides that leverage our hands-on testing and research, including TV stories for all of your video needs like outdoor TVs , gaming TVs and more. Consumer tech and electronics editor Rebecca Isaacs has been involved in tech journalism for over six years. In her time testing TVs, she focuses on aspects of interest to everyone, from casual, occasional viewers to serious gamers who want to enjoy every single detail on-screen. has been involved in tech journalism for over six years. In her time testing TVs, she focuses on aspects of interest to everyone, from casual, occasional viewers to serious gamers who want to enjoy every single detail on-screen. Isaacs covers many of the latest panel launches as well as providing in-depth reviews, including the LG OLED Evo G4 TV , the LG OLED Evo G3 TV , the Samsung OLED S95C TV , the Roku Plus Series TV and more. , the , the , the and more. Additionally, Isaacs has traveled from coast to coast to get hands-on testing with some of the latest TV launches. She has also interviewed countless TV and home entertainment experts. In some circumstances, she has partaken in demos in which the top screens have been physically removed to review the displays' inner workings, all the way down to the processors and dimming zones to help learn about the inner workings of TV. The story was edited by Forbes Vetted commerce editor Christine Colby. She has over five years of experience with product reviews and recommendations. She recently covered the best robotic pool cleaners and spearheaded testing of patio umbrellas.

How I use Synology and Google Photos to build the perfect photo backup system
How I use Synology and Google Photos to build the perfect photo backup system

Android Authority

time6 days ago

  • Android Authority

How I use Synology and Google Photos to build the perfect photo backup system

Andy Walker / Android Authority Google Photos is the go-to photo backup app for quite literally everyone. It's fast, reliable, and everyone has a Gmail account, so it's the most accessible app out there for backing up your family memories. It's got tons of smart features and uses AI like no other photos app, from its almost magical AI editing to something as simple as natural language searches. It just works. However, a lot of things have weakened the case for Google Photos. For instance, I have to deal with media compression to save space — otherwise, I'd be hitting storage caps if I were to upload everything in full quality. Or worse, I'd have to keep upgrading my subscription and pay Google more every few months just to preserve my media in original quality. My current plan wouldn't even last a couple of months, and 2TB isn't worth the fee for me, despite the perks. I'd rather get my own storage for the same price — and I don't mean an external hard drive that awkwardly dangles from my computer. Would you consider moving away from Google Photos? 0 votes Nope, never ditching Google Photos NaN % Maybe, if I find a nice alternative NaN % I already use a hybrid setup like Synology + Google Photos NaN % I invested in a Synology NAS a few years ago. While it has streamlined my digital life but my most prized setup remains Synology Photos. It has changed how my family and I back up our media and turned it into a unique system. I'll tell you how I pieced it together and why it's perhaps the go-to strategy for a lot of home users who own a NAS. For once, I don't mind a clone Dhruv Bhutani / Android Authority We all know how good Google Photos is. It's the benchmark in smart media management that all other apps should look up to. Besides its AI perks, it's also the easiest tool to create cross-platform shared albums. I have numerous of them with my family and friends, all of which I treasure. So, it was out of the question that I'd ditch the app entirely, no matter the platform I'm on. I want all the convenience, but I wanted something that didn't cap me in any way. When I first got my trusty Synology DS920+, I played around with a lot of its built-in features. What stood out were Synology Drive and Photos — almost exact replicas of Google's apps, as if Synology was trying to make things familiar for people switching over — if their names weren't already a dead giveaway. Synology Photos has quite a lot of similarities with Google Photos, from the general layout to facial tagging for easy searches. You can create albums, share media with your family, cast them to your TV, add widgets that auto-rotate your photos, and whatnot. And the best part — you're not limited by cloud storage capping. Sky's the limit (or the remaining hard drive space). I'll admit Synology Photos isn't the most intuitive app by far, so it's not something I'd want to use every day. It feels more like a 'tool' you pull out when needed — which is why I needed a middle ground. Why pick one when you can go hybrid? Rita El Khoury / Android Authority I didn't want to give up Google Photos and was tempted by the freedom Synology offered. So, I did what any sane person would do — I included both in my setup. And they now work beautifully together. Google Photos remains my primary app to access media on my phone. It's fast, easy, and always accessible. Most importantly, I'm not missing out on the thousand AI features Google keeps adding. Whenever I need to look up an old photo, I fire up Google Photos like it's muscle memory — even on iPhone. It's my default for quick photo editing and album sharing too. Synology Photos is my bottomless pit where I dump all my high-res photos in bloated formats while all my 4K videos stay crisp. Meanwhile, Synology Photos also gets the same copies of my media — but in full quality. It's my bottomless pit where I dump all my high-res photos in bloated formats while all my 4K videos stay crisp. All our phones and devices back up to the NAS with zero worries about running out of space, poor internet, or compressing files. My NAS is my safe space for all our family media. Things happen to our devices and the cloud all the time. Even if I hit the limit with Google Photos, lose my phone, or accidentally delete something from Google, I know a full-res copy still exists on local storage. They live on a server I control, and won't be subjected to random cloud policy changes I must reluctantly agree to. My only hiccup Rita El Khoury / Android Authority But there is one downside to this otherwise flawless system. Indian summers don't let me run the NAS all day — it'd fry the drives if I did. In the little window that it works every day, there are times when Synology Photos misses backing up some media. And if it goes on for a few days, I end up with a backlog of unsaved photos. It's made worse by the fact that I don't open the Synology Photos app on my phone that often, putting it in deep sleep, I have to wake it from every few days — or weeks — depending on my memory. That's the only hiccup in this otherwise fully automated setup. How the twins play together nicely Dhruv Bhutani / Android Authority This setup is the reason I can get by with the basic Google One plan with 100GB shared across my family. Since our photos go up only in storage saver mode, we're all well below that limit. And the full-res versions? They're safe on the NAS. It actually aligns with the expert-recommended strategy of keeping an off-site backup for extra safety. And this dual strategy works really well for anyone tired of ballooning Google One bills, but who can't stop taking a zillion photos and videos on vacations. And honestly, you shouldn't either — capturing memories over everything else, always! This dual strategy actually aligns with the expert-recommended strategy of keeping an off-site backup for extra safety. If you're a first-time NAS user or on a tight budget, any brand would work in case you want something to just set and forget, though Synology Photos remains more intuitive among NAS offerings (not a high bar). Even 8TB is more than enough for regular home use and storing 'unlimited' photos, while Google handles all the smarts in a low-storage version of your library. That double backup is far more trustworthy and gives extra peace of mind. And given how moth-eaten and torn my old, physical photo albums are, I wouldn't take any chances with my memories.

Everything Announced at Samsung Galaxy Unpacked 2025
Everything Announced at Samsung Galaxy Unpacked 2025

CNET

time09-07-2025

  • CNET

Everything Announced at Samsung Galaxy Unpacked 2025

In an all-too common (and annoying) tactic these days, Samsung has been drip teasing its "Ultra-experience" for more than a month prior to Unpacked, despite the lack of anything named "Ultra" besides a new blue version of the Watch that bears the name. And we've gotten hinting views of the new Galaxy Z Fold 7, Z Flip 7 and 7 FE and Watch 8 (and the Watch 8 Classic), which are now officially official. All the devices debut One UI 8, Samsung's skin and apps for Android 16, which brings a new look of its own and increased Gemini AI integration to its partner's products. One UI 7 is still rolling out to Samsung's older phones. Lots of One UI 8's feature updates are agentic AI based thanks to Gemini. Those features include AI Mode, a multistep-capable version of Circle to Search, plus Gemini Live to search via the camera and perform actions across apps. The phones come with 6 months of Google AI Pro, Google AI Ultra's affordable sibling, too. Along with the usual anticipatory reminders, summaries, writing help and so on. Google wants you. Samsung has updated its security to sandboxed apps that are encrypted on-device. On the other hand, Senior Reporter Imad Khan opined during our event group chat "I'm using the Z Fold 6. I'm an AI reporter. I've never seen any of these AI features actually ever surface in my normal use." So there's that. If you want a deeper play-by-play, check out the archived version of our live blog. And if you've decided that the newest Galaxys aren't worth the money, look for upcoming Prime Day deals on other models like the Galaxy Watch Ultra, Galaxy A36 and more. A side view of the Z Fold 7. Numi Prasarn/CNET Galaxy Z Fold 7: Thin is in for this foldable In a pre-Unpacked interview with Senior Editor Abrar Al-Heeti, Samsung implied that it believes the Z Fold 7's thinness and improved cameras will make it a turning point for foldables, stating that its "newest Galaxy Z series is the thinnest, lightest and most advanced foldable yet" -- that there are no more tradeoffs between the type of phones we've become used to and the folding models. And the Z Fold 6 really is chunky; in contrast, the Z Fold 7 is thinner than even the S25 Edge when open. Now Playing: Ultra Thin: First Look at the Galaxy Z Fold 7 and Z Flip 7 02:45 Notably, it incorporates the same 200-megapixel main camera as the thicker S25 Ultra, as well as 12MP ultrawide and 10MP telephoto cameras and a 10MP selfie cameras on the inner and cover screens. The battery capacity stays the same as the previous model. Gemini can run on the cover for quick access. The processor is the new Snapdragon 8 Elite, and apps are optimized for the big screen as well as for transitions between the smaller and larger screens. There is one tradeoff that remains, though: Price. It starts at $2,000, more than most standard phones. It will come in black, blue, silver and light green. Preorders start today, with devices shipping at the end of the month. The Galaxy Z Flip 7. Joe Maldonado/CNET Galaxy Z Flip 7 and 7FE: Bigger or cheaper Samsung redesigned the Galaxy Z Flip 7 for this year's line, with a thinner body -- 6.5mm when unfolded -- 4.1-inch cover screen (FlexWindow) that runs at 120Hz like the main screen (and hits a peak brightness of 2,600 nits), a 6.9-inch main display and a larger 4,300-mAh battery. The FE is more like the last-generation Galaxy Z Flip 6, smaller than the 7 with a 3.4-inch cover screen and the older model's cut-out for the cameras. The Flip 7 has a 50MP wide-angle main camera plus a 12MP ultrawide, the same as on the 6. There are enhancements to the image pipeline, though, and Samsung added 10-bit HDR video, updates to portrait shooting, and a zoom slider. There's a 10MP selfie camera on the main display. On the other hand, the Z Flip 7FE seems less of a "Fan Edition" and more like a "we have to hit a price below $1,000" version: It's essentially the same as the 6, albeit with Samsung's Exynos 2400 processor rather than the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3, likely for its better heat management to compensate for the 7FE's thinner body. It also comes with less storage at the lower price, 128GB, and tops out at a lower 256GB. But it's still not cheap enough. Both phones are now available for preorder, shipping on July 25. The Galaxy Z Flip 7 starts at $1,100 (it comes in blue, black and coral), while the FE model (your options are black or white) is $200 less, starting at $900. The Galaxy Watch 8 Classic brings back the rotating bezel in two color options: white or black. Joseph Maldonado/CNET Galaxy Watch 8 and Watch 8 Classic: Rotate me again Samsung redesigned the latest generation to look more like the Watch Ultra -- circular face set within a rounded rectangle bezel quick-action button, plus a rotating bezel on the Classic -- and thinner and lighter than their preceding models, but with slightly higher battery capacity for the Watch 8. A new band design ensures the sensors are pressed more tightly to your wrist (for more reliable data capture). The watches also have double the storage. More space is essential to handle larger local AI models, especially now that Gemini is now integrated into Samsung's One UI 8 on Wear OS and handling more complex and multistep requests. That's not to say Gemini runs completely locally: It still requires an internet connection, either via an LTE model of the watch or paired with a phone. Watch this: The Rotating Bezel is Back! A Look at Samsung's New Galaxy Watch 8 and Classic 04:31 New health data available to factor into wellness suggestions include a needle-free Antioxidant Index and Vascular Load (strain on your heart during sleep), plus Bedtime Guidance aggregates metrics to AI-your-way to better sleep. Samsung also follows Apple's Workout Buddy with its own Running Coach, but the latter acts more of a personal trainer than cheerleader. Samsung bought Xealth, a company that integrates health provider connections with personal devices; the plan is bringing deeper management into Watch. You can preorder now, with prices for the Watch 8 starting at $350, the Classic starting at $500 and a new Titanium Blue model of the Ultra -- which includes the increased storage -- running $650.

The Galaxy A36 5G just became cheaper than ever for Prime Day
The Galaxy A36 5G just became cheaper than ever for Prime Day

Phone Arena

time08-07-2025

  • Business
  • Phone Arena

The Galaxy A36 5G just became cheaper than ever for Prime Day

Who said you must pay top dollar for AI features on your phone? The Galaxy A36, for instance, packs Circle to Search, Object Eraser, and other nice features, plus it costs just under $400. But now, thanks to this Amazon Prime Day promo, you can get it for $100 off! $100 off (25%) Prime Day makes the Galaxy A36 5G a very compelling pick. For a limited time, you can save $100 on the Snapdragon 6 Gen 3-powered phone. At that price, the phone is hard to resist, for sure. Get yours with Prime membership and save $100 while Prime Day lasts. Buy at Amazon That's right: this Android phone has dropped to its best price for Prime Day. Given that no retailer has offered a deeper price cut before, we'd say this promo is absolutely irresistible. Hurry up if you wish to save, though, as Prime Day won't last forever. And remember: this is a Prime-exclusive a beautiful 6.7-inch Super AMOLED display with a smooth 120Hz refresh rate and excellent brightness levels, the Galaxy A36 definitely packs a punch. It also sports a solid camera setup for the price: a 50MP main sensor, an 8MP ultra-wide lens, and a 5MP macro camera that deliver good-looking photos. Of course, images don't look nearly as good as, say, on the Galaxy S25 Ultra. Still, as shown in our Galaxy A36 review, the photos offer good detail and mostly decent exposure, especially for a phone in this price range. And with AI-powered extras built into the camera app, the device is a good choice for casual photography. What about performance? Well, this Samsung phone is no champ when it comes to benchmarks. With its Snapdragon 6 Gen 3 chip, the handset is about on par with its predecessor in terms of raw horsepower. However, it's more than good enough for everyday tasks and moderate use. Add to this budget package an impressive six-year software support promise, and you've got a pretty solid budget phone. While it might not be an ultra-compelling buy at its standard price, the Galaxy A36 5G is more than good enough at this Prime Day discount. Get yours with Prime and save $100 while the event lasts. Secure your connection now at a bargain price! We may earn a commission if you make a purchase This offer is not available in your area.

Galaxy A56 is doing so, so much better than its predecessor in Europe
Galaxy A56 is doing so, so much better than its predecessor in Europe

Phone Arena

time01-07-2025

  • Business
  • Phone Arena

Galaxy A56 is doing so, so much better than its predecessor in Europe

Samsung's Galaxy A56 has made a positive debut in Western Europe, showing signs of improvement over its predecessor, despite broader challenges for the company in the region. According to data from Counterpoint Research, sales of the Galaxy A56 during its first seven weeks on the market were 12% higher than those of the Galaxy A55 during the same period last year. This uptick stands out because Samsung's overall smartphone sales in Western Europe fell by 11% year-over-year, while the regional market declined by only 2%. In contrast, the Galaxy A55 had seen a 22% drop in sales compared to the A54, even as Samsung's total sales rose by 8% during that time. One possible explanation for the Galaxy A56 's relatively stronger start is its inclusion of Galaxy AI features, a first for Samsung's A-series. Alongside the A36 and A26, the A56 introduces more advanced software tools to the mid-tier market, aiming to make premium features more accessible. Consumers appear to have responded well to this shift, although competition in the segment remains intense. – Jan Stryjak, Associate Director with Counterpoint Research, July 2025 Despite the competitive environment, the success of devices like the Galaxy A56 highlights the growing appeal of mid-range smartphones. These phones now offer many of the same core features once limited to flagship models – high refresh rate displays, capable cameras, long battery life, and increasingly, on-device AI. For many users, especially in mature markets like Western Europe, the gap between mid-range and high-end smartphones has narrowed significantly. That's why the mid-range segment isn't just easier on the wallet – it's also where you'll find the sweet spot between price and performance, without giving up the features that actually matter day to day. Secure your connection now at a bargain price! We may earn a commission if you make a purchase Check Out The Offer

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