Competition was really ramping up this year, forcing Samsung's operating profit margin to tumble, propping up LG and Sony, and easing the pressure on HTC. The biggest winners, however, were the Chinese companies like Xiaomi, Huawei, Lenovo and Oppo, which managed to churn out excellent value-for-money proposition, paving the way for their handsets not only in China, but attracting some global spotlight, too
Given this trend of increased competition, we can reasonably expect great handsets from the first half of next year as well, when the big phone makers, save for Apple, are traditionally introducing their flagships. From the CES expo in January, to the MWC one in the spring, and everything further, we are awaiting for Sony, Samsung, HTC, Huawei, Xiaomi and more to chip in, that's why we are rounding up five of the best smartphones that can be expected with reasonable certainty based on rumors and leaks in H1.
While there are a host of smartphone makers in the market with a number of devices aimed at breaking the barrier in technology, this surely isn't the last time we will see hefty innovations being made in the handsets in the sector.
2014 has anyway been a brilliant year in terms of smartphone releases. We have seen the likes of HTC One M8, Samsung Galaxy S5, Sony Xperia Z3 and the Apple-made iPhone 6 hit the ground running. And although it's the end of the year, we are still far away from the smartphone juggernaut offering more handsets.
The coming year is also set to be one of the massive ones in terms of handset releases. We will get to see more new Nexus smartphones and tablets, new Samsung handsets, and obviously a fresh new iPhone. And the list just keeps growing.
Samsung Galaxy S6
The flagship Samsung Galaxy S5 has been on sale for a while now and the firm has seen disappointing sales so it's time to look forward to the Galaxy S6 which is codenamed Project Zero. but the manufacturer still remains the largest phone maker in the world, and the most profitable one after Apple. You can bet that all Samsung execs have taken notice from the S5 underpeformance, and will be coming out in full swing with the S6. Expected to be announced around the MWC expo in the beginning of March, the S6 might feature two versions - one with a dual-edged flexible display, and a standard piece with a 5.2" Quad HD panel, Snapdragon 805/810 processor, high-res camera with OIS, and a brand new design featuring more premium materials for the chassis.
Samsung Galaxy S6 Rumored Key Features
Everyone always bangs on about Samsung's Galaxy S line-up, but it's the Note series that really impresses. The Note 4 was unveiled at a Samsung Unpacked event prior to September's IFA Trade show (3 September 2014), and right now sits at the top of our fastest smartphone and best phablet charts. Like the new iPhone the Note 5 won't be released until September 2015, but it's going to be well worth the wait.
Last 2 years have been something out of imagination and out of sorts with each and every manufacturing giant coming into the groove. With Samsung and Google showing consistency over the past 2 years, the likes of HTC, Nokia, Motorola and Sony have also chipped in. The top 10 smartphones last year included Samsung Galaxy Note 3, Samsung Galaxy S4, LG G2, Nexus 5, Moto X etc. Among all these, the smartphones from the Korean giant Samsung has been the most talked about. In the last 10 months, talks about Galaxy Note series from Samsung have heated up and the excitement among the tech-geeks have reached another level.
The iPhone 6 and 6 Plus were released in September, and in the months leading up to that the rumour mill went mental. Be prepared for more of the same with the iPhone 7, which will launch in September 2015 running iOS 9. As always, we're expecting a faster processor and some upgraded specs, but little change to the design.
Rumored Key Features Expected that the iPhone 7 might have a screen size bigger than that of the iPhone 6 Plus Speculations of having a quad-core A8 processor A 14 megapixel camera is also speculated iPhone 7's memory could be 256GB or even higher a quad-core A8 processor or even higher is expected 4G equipped providing better connectivity A new battery technology is expected to be in the works to provided extended hours of usage
We are massive fans of the HTC One M8, and we just can't wait for a better version of the phone. Little is known about the HTC One M9, but you can bet your last pound that there will be one. And that it will be an extremely desirable handset. Based on HTC's previous form, the Android Lollipop-based HTC One M9 won't be here in time for MWC 2015, but we can expect to see it around March.
This might not be the official title, as the speculation is HTC will stray away from the One titling scheme, and yet the phone is expected to be announced in March, at the MWC expo, and be stuffed to the gills with specs. Reports claim it will have a 5.5-inch 2560 x 1440 display, 3GB of RAM, a Snapdragon 805 SoC, and a 3500 mAh battery, which are the expected upgrades. But, the HTC One M9 is also supposed to feature a 16-megapixel camera with optical image stabilization, meaning HTC could well be leaving behind the UltraPixel hardware. Also, given that Apple purchased Beats, HTC had to find a different audio partner,and that new partner could well be Bose. And, HTC may use an aluminum silicon-carbide composite for the body this time. We can't wait.
Sony updates its flagship handsets every six months, so with the Sony Xperia Z3 released in September 2014 we can expect the Sony Xperia Z4 in March at IFA (running 2- to 5 March 2015). The Xperia Z4's specifications have yet to be confirmed (as has the phone itself), although rumour has it that it will be a super-fast Android Lollipop smartphone with an octa-core processor and a Quad HD screen
First things first, as the Xperia Z4 announcement seems to be just around the corner, with the CES expo in Las Vegas commencing in a month or so. There are conflicting rumors on this one - from "Sony will pull out all stops" and intro a monster with 5.4" QHD panel, to an info one insider sent us that says Sony will keep using 1080p display resolution, but up the chipset to Snapdragon 810. As for the camera, all agree that it will be Sony's newest stacked 21 MP model that allows for real-time HDR stills, and has 192-point AF tech for shooting blur-free fast moving objects.
We stand by our statement that the LG G3 is the very best phone you can buy in 2014. Things can only get better with the LG G4. The LG G3 was officially released in the UK at the end of June 2014. The LG G4 should be here around the same time next summer
Not to be outdone by the competition, LG will probably try to usher in its G4 flagship no later than a year after the G3, which pegs it for a May announcement, and a June release. Nothing has been heard about it so far, but an LG exec said breaking the 700ppi barrier is on the menu, plus LG display introduced the display panel with the thinnest bezel recently, so we can expect more innovation from the G4 in the screen department, besides an eventual pixel density increase. We are also looking forward to an even better screen-to-phone-size ratio, and a higher-resolution camera with OIS. Given the release timeframe, a Snapdragon 810 chipset has the biggest chance to go into the G4, too.
The OnePlus One is an amazing phone if you've managed to get hold of one. It's priced from £229 but has the spec to match a £600 smartphone, hence OnePlus marketing it as a 2014 flagship killer. The OnePlus Two will more than likely be a 2015 flagship killer. (If it can work out is supply-and-demand issues in time.) OnePlus is still struggling to meet demand on its OnePlus One phone. Don't expect to see this one (and certainly not get your hands on it) until at least the middle of 2015. And that's if it ever arrives
It's do or die time for Microsoft's Lumia phone department, as the maker hasn't released a flagship phone for a while, and potential customers were flying away in droves nor knowing what will happen after Microsoft acquires Nokia anyway. The Lumia 930 was released in April, so the rumored first Microsoft Lumia flagship, the 1030, might appear in the spring next year, too. It is expected to sport a 5.5" Quad HD panel, Snapdragon 810 chipset, 3 GB of RAM, and a sweet new PureView camera with the jaw-dropping 50 MP of resolution, not to mention four HAAC mics for excellent surround sound capture.
Given this trend of increased competition, we can reasonably expect great handsets from the first half of next year as well, when the big phone makers, save for Apple, are traditionally introducing their flagships. From the CES expo in January, to the MWC one in the spring, and everything further, we are awaiting for Sony, Samsung, HTC, Huawei, Xiaomi and more to chip in, that's why we are rounding up five of the best smartphones that can be expected with reasonable certainty based on rumors and leaks in H1.
While there are a host of smartphone makers in the market with a number of devices aimed at breaking the barrier in technology, this surely isn't the last time we will see hefty innovations being made in the handsets in the sector.
2014 has anyway been a brilliant year in terms of smartphone releases. We have seen the likes of HTC One M8, Samsung Galaxy S5, Sony Xperia Z3 and the Apple-made iPhone 6 hit the ground running. And although it's the end of the year, we are still far away from the smartphone juggernaut offering more handsets.
The coming year is also set to be one of the massive ones in terms of handset releases. We will get to see more new Nexus smartphones and tablets, new Samsung handsets, and obviously a fresh new iPhone. And the list just keeps growing.
Samsung Galaxy S6
Samsung Galaxy S6 Rumored Key Features
- 5.5 Inch 1440x2560 px display
- Super AMOLED
- Android v5.0 (Lollipop)
- Octa core 2000 MHz processor
- 20 MP Primary Camera
- 5 MP Secondary
- 3G,
- WiFi,
- NFC
- 32 GB Internal Memory,
- Expandable up to 128 GB
- 4 GB RAM
- 3300 mAh Li-Polymer battery
Samsung Note 5
Everyone always bangs on about Samsung's Galaxy S line-up, but it's the Note series that really impresses. The Note 4 was unveiled at a Samsung Unpacked event prior to September's IFA Trade show (3 September 2014), and right now sits at the top of our fastest smartphone and best phablet charts. Like the new iPhone the Note 5 won't be released until September 2015, but it's going to be well worth the wait.
Last 2 years have been something out of imagination and out of sorts with each and every manufacturing giant coming into the groove. With Samsung and Google showing consistency over the past 2 years, the likes of HTC, Nokia, Motorola and Sony have also chipped in. The top 10 smartphones last year included Samsung Galaxy Note 3, Samsung Galaxy S4, LG G2, Nexus 5, Moto X etc. Among all these, the smartphones from the Korean giant Samsung has been the most talked about. In the last 10 months, talks about Galaxy Note series from Samsung have heated up and the excitement among the tech-geeks have reached another level.
Rumored Key Features
- A 5.9 inch 4K SUPER AMOLED display pumping out 600+ ppi.
- 4GB RAM Internal storage capacity.
- 16GB, 32GB and 64GB which would be further expandable upto 128GB.
- Aluminium finished edges with an all metallic curved body.
- Will have the latest Android version which ever be present.
- It will even feature an Octa core processor clocked at 2.9Ghz with a 64 bit architecture which will be the Exynos variant and a Quad Core Snapdragon 808 variant.
- Finger print sensor and retina scanner is more than likely to be included.
- An 18 Megapixel, 1/3″ sensor camera with f2.0 Aperture and 4K recording capabilities.
- 5 Megapixel wide angle front facing camera for selfies.
- Knox Security mode and Heart rate sensor.
- Super Battery Saver mode along with Wireless Charging
- Stylus S pen and Compatible Gear 4.0.
Apple IPhone 7
Rumored Key Features Expected that the iPhone 7 might have a screen size bigger than that of the iPhone 6 Plus Speculations of having a quad-core A8 processor A 14 megapixel camera is also speculated iPhone 7's memory could be 256GB or even higher a quad-core A8 processor or even higher is expected 4G equipped providing better connectivity A new battery technology is expected to be in the works to provided extended hours of usage
Rumored Key Features
- Expected that the iPhone 7 might have a screen size bigger than that of the iPhone 6 Plus Speculations of having a quad-core A8 processor
- 14 megapixel camera is also speculated
- iPhone 7's memory could be 256GB or even higher
- Quad-core A8 processor or even higher is expected
- 4G equipped providing better connectivity
- A new battery technology is expected to be in the works to provided extended hours of usage
HTC one M9
This might not be the official title, as the speculation is HTC will stray away from the One titling scheme, and yet the phone is expected to be announced in March, at the MWC expo, and be stuffed to the gills with specs. Reports claim it will have a 5.5-inch 2560 x 1440 display, 3GB of RAM, a Snapdragon 805 SoC, and a 3500 mAh battery, which are the expected upgrades. But, the HTC One M9 is also supposed to feature a 16-megapixel camera with optical image stabilization, meaning HTC could well be leaving behind the UltraPixel hardware. Also, given that Apple purchased Beats, HTC had to find a different audio partner,and that new partner could well be Bose. And, HTC may use an aluminum silicon-carbide composite for the body this time. We can't wait.
Rumored Key Features
- 5.2-inch screen with 1440 x 2560 resolution
- 2.5GHz snapdragon 805 processor
- Android 5.0 is believed to be pre-installed
- Unit offering 64GB of native storage One with 128GB of memory available
- Higher MP camera on
Sony Xperia Z4
Sony updates its flagship handsets every six months, so with the Sony Xperia Z3 released in September 2014 we can expect the Sony Xperia Z4 in March at IFA (running 2- to 5 March 2015). The Xperia Z4's specifications have yet to be confirmed (as has the phone itself), although rumour has it that it will be a super-fast Android Lollipop smartphone with an octa-core processor and a Quad HD screen
First things first, as the Xperia Z4 announcement seems to be just around the corner, with the CES expo in Las Vegas commencing in a month or so. There are conflicting rumors on this one - from "Sony will pull out all stops" and intro a monster with 5.4" QHD panel, to an info one insider sent us that says Sony will keep using 1080p display resolution, but up the chipset to Snapdragon 810. As for the camera, all agree that it will be Sony's newest stacked 21 MP model that allows for real-time HDR stills, and has 192-point AF tech for shooting blur-free fast moving objects.
Rumored Key Features
- 5.2inch 2,560x1,440 QHD display
- Pack a 64-bit quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 810 Processor, paired with an Adreno 430 GPU
- A whopping 4GB RAM
- Run Google's Android 5.0 Lollipop software
LG G4
We stand by our statement that the LG G3 is the very best phone you can buy in 2014. Things can only get better with the LG G4. The LG G3 was officially released in the UK at the end of June 2014. The LG G4 should be here around the same time next summer
Not to be outdone by the competition, LG will probably try to usher in its G4 flagship no later than a year after the G3, which pegs it for a May announcement, and a June release. Nothing has been heard about it so far, but an LG exec said breaking the 700ppi barrier is on the menu, plus LG display introduced the display panel with the thinnest bezel recently, so we can expect more innovation from the G4 in the screen department, besides an eventual pixel density increase. We are also looking forward to an even better screen-to-phone-size ratio, and a higher-resolution camera with OIS. Given the release timeframe, a Snapdragon 810 chipset has the biggest chance to go into the G4, too.
Rumored Key Features
- Octa-core processor features
- LTE-A Cat 6 network capabilities,giving users the ability to access 4G speeds that reach up to 300mbps
- The Nunclun packs four 1.5GHz ARM Cortex-A15 cores for the tough stuff and four 1.2GHz ARM Cortex-A7 cores for the lighter lifting
- Expected to be anywhere between 15-17/20.7 megapixels
OnePlus Two
The OnePlus One is an amazing phone if you've managed to get hold of one. It's priced from £229 but has the spec to match a £600 smartphone, hence OnePlus marketing it as a 2014 flagship killer. The OnePlus Two will more than likely be a 2015 flagship killer. (If it can work out is supply-and-demand issues in time.) OnePlus is still struggling to meet demand on its OnePlus One phone. Don't expect to see this one (and certainly not get your hands on it) until at least the middle of 2015. And that's if it ever arrives
Rumored Key Features
- OnePlus Two might have a smaller footprint.
- 5.5-inch JDI 1080 full HD display with 401 pixels per inch
- It runs CyanogenMod 11S based on Android 4.4
- 13 MP rear-facing camera
- 5 MP front-facing camera
- Uup to 64 GB storage capacity
- Powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 processor with 2.5 GHz
Microsoft Lumia 1030
It's do or die time for Microsoft's Lumia phone department, as the maker hasn't released a flagship phone for a while, and potential customers were flying away in droves nor knowing what will happen after Microsoft acquires Nokia anyway. The Lumia 930 was released in April, so the rumored first Microsoft Lumia flagship, the 1030, might appear in the spring next year, too. It is expected to sport a 5.5" Quad HD panel, Snapdragon 810 chipset, 3 GB of RAM, and a sweet new PureView camera with the jaw-dropping 50 MP of resolution, not to mention four HAAC mics for excellent surround sound capture.
Rumored Key Features
- 5.8 inch Quad HD display
- Windows 8.2 OS
- Feature a Snapdragon 805 processor
- 3 GB of RAM plus
- 32 or 64 GB of storage, a microSD card slot
- 41 megapixel Pureview back camera and an 8.7 megapixel front camera
- 4300 mAh battery and supports wireless charging
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