2015 promises to bring some amazing new smartphones from technology’s biggest names. Samsung, Sony, HTC, LG and Google are all gearing up for some serious competition from relative newcomers like Oppo and OnePlus. With a new OS to play with (Android Lollipop) and more power than ever before (please give a warm welcome to the Qualcomm Snapdragon 810), we're expecting big things. These are the new Android phones to get excited about in 2015.
Project Ara Your Phone
Project Ara won't produce a flagship, and it certainly won't be called "Your Phone". But it will be your phone, your design, built to your own specifications. It will be unique to you, and this is whyyour phone might be the best of 2015.
We've already gotten a glimpse at some of the capabilities of Project Ara, with unique components like a night-vision camera module, and the range of design opportunities that Project Ara presents are extremely exciting. Consider this: typical smartphone manufacturers can't include components to appeal to "niche" user-interests because they are built to attract as wide a demographic as possible. It's not built for you, it's built for everyone. Project Ara is going to change this. What are you into? What do you want to see from a smartphone? You can have – it will be your phone.
Oppo Find 9
Chinese manufacturer Oppo brought a fantastic phablet to the Android table last year with the Find 7 which comfortably made its way onto our best Android phones in the world list. It's no easy task to compete with the other names that dominate Android, but Oppo is doing just that, and we fully expect a Find 9 to appear later this year to take the former audio-equipment and electronics manufacturer to the next level. Details on the Find 9 are a little thin at the moment, but early signs indicate Oppo could be pursuing a bezel-less design like the Sharp Aquos Crystal for the Find 9, on a square device bearing little semblance to the Find 7. It certainly could be interesting.
Samsung Galaxy S6
The Samsung Galaxy S6 could be one of the most important smartphones that Samsung has ever made: after disappointing sales of the Galaxy S5 and criticism of its conservative style, Samsung really needs a blockbuster phone in 2015. From rumors we’re hearing so far the S6 could well be that device: the springtime launch should deliver 64-bit processing, lots of RAM, a better camera and “outstanding” battery performance.
We also believe the Galaxy S6 will come with a metal unibody at the cost of a non-removable battery and no expandable storage, which would be disappointing to more than a few Galaxy S series fans.
Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge
What we thought would be nothing more than a pleasant side-dish to the sumptuous Galaxy S6 main course could actual serve up something pretty special. The word is that the Galaxy S6 won't have a removable battery or expandable storage, and this is where sexy sloped-up Galaxy S6 Edge could really find its niche.
The latest reports say that the S6 Edge will have two curved sides (unlike the Note Edge's single side-panel) and this will open up the opportunities for further functionality and problem free use by lefties! Don't expect it to be cheap, though.
Sony Xperia Z4
The Xperia Z4 is an interesting one: for all the Xperia Z3 was a great phone, it wasn’t a huge step forward from its predecessor. We’re hearing that Sony plans to dump its two-flagships-a-year policy, so the Z4 needs to be good enough to lead the way into 2016.
As ever, we’d expect premium materials and typically stylish Sony design, waterproofing and a similar size to the Z3. The speaker and camera have been moved around, we’re expecting to see a 5.5-inch QHD display, and speedy category 6 LTE, which delivers up to 300 Mbps where available, means it’ll be very quick.
The Xperia Z4's unique selling point is likely to be its main camera. Sony is famed for its camera sensors, which you’ll find in many other firm’s phones, and we’d expect the Z4 to get Sony’s fancy new 21 MP Exmor RS IMX230, which is good for 30 FPS recording at 4K resolution. Expect the Z4’s camera to lead the pack in 2015.
Samsung Galaxy Note 5
Thanks to the iPhone 6 Plus, Samsung no longer has the premium phablet market to itself - even though it created that market when everybody else was still mocking the idea of big-screened phones. That means the Samsung Galaxy Note 5 needs to be something special. Rumours suggest an Ultra HD 4K display and a camera with up to 55 megapixels, although that resolution is possible rather than definite so far - if Sony’s sticking to 21 MP the presence of a higher resolution sensor in the Note 5 might be a gimmick rather than a great leap forward. A 64-bit Snapdragon is a given, and we’d like to see wireless charging and two-day battery life too. We’re hoping that the ground-up redesign of the Samsung Galaxy S6 applies to the Note 5 too: it’s a great device but it could do with a makeover.
LG G4
The LG G4 could be really good. LG beat rivals to market with QHD displays and we’re expecting even higher resolutions in 2015. It’ll have an Optimus-flavored version of Android Lollipop, and we’re expecting to see a 16 MP camera, 64-bit Snapdragon processor and 3 or 4 GB of RAM.
The next Nexus with a brand new name
Google’s silly naming convention means we’ve no idea what the next Nexus will be called - the successor to the Nexus 6 can’t be the Nexus 7, because Google used that two years ago for its 7-inch tablet - and some pundits believe Google will dump the brand completely in 2015. As for who will develop the new Nexus, this is anybody's guess: LG gave us the Nexus 4 and 5, but Motorola most recently took over the reigns and delivered the Nexus 6. Could 2015 bring Motorola's second Nexus outing?
OnePlus Two
Some firms could teach Google a thing or two about sensible names: the next OnePlus handset is almost certainly going to be called the OnePlus Two. The now-familiar blend of great hardware and terrible marketing is likely to continue, and the device currently codenamed lettuce should pack a 64-bit Snapdragon and Lollipop for a very good price.
Motorola Moto X 2015
The 2014 Moto X is a great phone at a great price, and we’re hoping the 2015 version addresses some of its weaknesses: the rubbish battery, the mediocre camera, the just-OK screen and the lack of stereo speakers and microSD slot. But will that be enough to keep Moto at the top table?
HTC One (M9) or HTC One Hima
The HTC One (M9) has to improve upon one of the best smartphones ever made. So no pressure, then. It might turn up as early as MWC 2015 in March, and we don’t expect it to be significantly more expensive than the One (M8): the market’s too competitive for firms to start raising prices like crazy people. We’re hearing that it’ll have a 5.5-inch QHD display, a quad-core Snapdragon with 3GB of RAM, Adrenon 420 graphics, a “larger” battery, “higher MP” camera and “higher” IP rating.
There have also been rumors of an HTC One Hima, which is reportedly not the HTC One M9. This device is also set to come with top notch specs.
What do you think? Which smartphone are you already saving up for
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