2017 was a fantastic year for phones. Samsung set the pace for smartphone design with its amazing infinity display on the
S8, which every other Android OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) copied for the rest of the year.
The headphone jack is fast disappearing, along with display bezels, cameras are doubling and tripling, and thanks to Apple, the ‘notched display’ is now a thing. Generally, the smartphone industry took a big leap in 2017 in both design and performance.
2018 devices might turnout to be more iterative than innovative. Most manufacturers would do more in improving on their 2017 offerings – more RAM, storage, camera, and the latest processor. We also expect devices with less bezels and maybe 90 – 95% screen-to-body ratio.
So here are 5 of the most anticipated devices from the OEMs that rule the smartphone industry.
Samsung S9/S9+/Note 9
Luckily the Samsung S9 and S9+ are already here (Check out our
blog to read up). The most notable difference from the Galaxy S8 is its camera which has a dual aperture technology. Apart from that, we have a faster processor, better fingerprint placement and other a slightly better display.
The Note 9 is still in the works. Not sure what big stuff Samsung will be doing this time, but we expect the Snapdragon 845 + 6/8GB of RAM and optional storage sizes. The Note 8 was a very powerful device and one that’s hard to beat. We keep our fingers crossed.
Apple iPhone 9 / X / X SE
The iPhone X was a device that blew the competition away in 2017. The notch display trend has already overtaken the industry as most new Android phones are now spotting a notch at the top of the display.
Apple might extend the full screen approach of the iPhone X – notch and all – to the entire line-up. Apple might launch an updated 5.8in OLED model, an “iPhone X 2” sort of, along with two other models. One would be a larger model with a towering 6.5in OLED display, and a cheaper 6.1in model which might end up as the iPhone 9. It’s going to be a notchy year for Apple.
Google Pixel 3
Google launched the first Pixel in 2016 and immediately earned badges for its amazing image processing algorithm, and the smooth and fluid stock Android experience. The Google Pixel 2 saw design improvements as the first gen pixels were a bit chunky. Google is one of the OEMs doing things differently – when everyone was packing dual cameras, the Pixel 2 with one camera still delivered breathtaking images thanks to that HDR+ magic.
However, 2018 Pixels must address the screen issues found in last year’s Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL. Skinnier bezels and better OLED screens would be pleasant. There’ll also be improvements to the camera department, maybe they’ll succumb to the dual camera idea finally. The Pixel 3 should also come with the first taste of Android P.
OnePlus 6 / 6T
The flagship killer!
OnePlus always blows the competition away with its amazing performance and seriously cheap devices. The OnePlus 5T was hands down one of the best devices of 2017, it checked all the flagship boxes – amazing camera, speedy performance, nice design and build, good battery, all for half the price of most other flagships.
The OnePlus 6 / 6T is one of the most expected devices of 2018. Although OnePlus fans have already made it clear that they do not want a notch on the display and this kind of makes it hard for the company to achieve higher screen to body ratios. However, the device might still ship with a notch, there’ll be performance improvements with the Snapdragon 845 and 8GB of RAM, and possibly there’ll be a 256GB version. Although their 1080p displays are amazing, a 4k display might also be in the works.
Huawei P20/ P20 pro
The Huawei P20 has already launched and is already being lauded for its amazing camera set up. The P20 Pro packs three Leica back camera sensors, while the other P20 models have “only” two on the rear. They also use the Huawei Kirin 970 Octa-core chip that their killer flagship – the Mate 10 Pro also had. Following the success of the Mate 10 Pro, the P20 Pro and its siblings seem like a worthy upgrade especially in the camera department.
