Samsung Galaxy A36 5G wishlist: All the features I want to see

The Samsung Galaxy A35 was just released back in April, so it still has plenty of life ahead of it. I was already pretty impressed by the latest iteration, and there are just a few small changes that would turn this good budget phone an amazing one. With that said, here’s my wishlist for the Galaxy A36 when it inevitably arrives next year.

The Galaxy A36 should add wireless charging

You can only expect so much from a truly budget phone, but the Galaxy A35 retails for around $400, positioning it as more of a mid-ranger. Let’s be real here; there are a lot of other cheap phones around this price range that already offer wireless charging, such as the Moto G Power and the Google Pixel 7a. To be fair, there are also numerous models that still don’t offer wireless charging, but I think the Galaxy A36 should finally add it. After all, this would only better help the phone stand out amid a sea of competitors.

Galaxy AI should make its way to the Galaxy A36

The Samsung Galaxy A35 doesn’t offer any Galaxy AI features, and that’s a shame. While AI features are mostly being pushed on the high end right now, there’s little reason it has to be that way. Sure, the Exynos 1380 on board isn’t exactly a powerhouse, so it’s likely not best suited for many on-device tasks, but Samsung could offload as much of the processing to the cloud as possible. In other words, it’s not the hardware that’s necessarily holding Samsung back, and the lack of availability feels more like an intentional choice than a hardware limitation.

AI features are still exciting and new, so keeping this desirable stuff behind the flagship wall makes business sense, I suppose. Then again, opening up just a few of these features would immediately help the Galaxy A36 stand out from other mid-rangers. Samsung could also limit what features are available so that there’s still more attention focused on the flagship AI experience. Instead, the Galaxy A36 could focus mostly on basic AI features while leaving out advanced functions like Live Translate and Interpreter.

How likely is this? Considering the Galaxy A36 is still close to a year away, I’d say it’s definitely possible. AI continues to be a major buzz word and so the idea of it slowly making its way to more mid-range and budget devices in 2025 sounds right to me. Of course, until we hear actual rumors or whispers about Samsung’s AI plans, it’s all just speculation.

It is time to change up the design a bit   

The Galaxy A series tends to borrow heavily from the Galaxy S design language, albeit with changes like a cheaper plastic frame and a few other cost-saving measures. It’s also, frankly, a bit boring. Devices like the Nothing Phone 2a prove it’s okay to have a little fun with a budget phone’s design. I understand Samsung has always kept to a pretty consistent design language across the board but is that really a good thing? You’re not likely going to fool anyone into thinking your Galaxy A35 is a Galaxy S24 even with their similarities, so why not go in the other direction and make the Galaxy A series stand out as a “fun” option — instead of just a budget one?

I’d like to see a new design for the Galaxy A36, alongside refreshes for the entire line. Samsung doesn’t have to completely change things up either. It just needs to get a bit more creative with the body — maybe choose a unique camera bar that’s different from the S series? Even offering unique, vibrant colors would help it stand out, kind of like what Apple did with the iPhone 5C back in the day (for those who remember it).

The bottom line is the Galaxy A35 is already a great phone for those who don’t want to spend flagship money, but a new design paired with a few extras like wireless charging and Galaxy AI will take the phone to even greater heights.

Will there be a Samsung Galaxy A36?

Considering the Galaxy A35 is only around five months old, it’s unsurprising there haven’t been any rumors around its successor just yet. After all, mid-range and budget phones tend to get less attention from the leakers, simply because there’s less interest. It will likely be at least a few more months still before we start to get actual rumors about the Galaxy A36, but I’m confident it’s happening — unless Samsung decides to totally revamp its A Series structure. There’s been a Galaxy A30 series for years now, so it seems unlikely that will change.

As for when it might arrive? Let’s take a quick look at the Galaxy A30 series history:

• Samsung Galaxy A35 — April 18, 2024
• Samsung Galaxy A34 — March 24, 2023
• Samsung Galaxy A33 — March 17, 2022

So far the new model typically arrives in March or April, and with that in mind, I’d expect a release date sometime in the spring of 2025.

Should you wait for the Samsung Galaxy A36?

The Galaxy A36 is still the better part of a year away, so I’d recommend the Galaxy A35 if you’re looking for something similar that’s under $400. If you have a bit more to spare I’d suggest stepping up the Galaxy S23 FE ($599.99 at Amazon) for those of you in the States, or you also have the option of the Galaxy A55 ($387 at Amazon) if you’re based elsewhere.

Of course, if you just want a mid-ranger from a major brand and are open to slightly more expensive alternatives, I’d also recommend the Google Pixel 7a ($477 at Amazon) or Pixel 8a ($499 at Amazon).