Friday, January 27, 2017

New & upcoming Android phones (January 2017)

back to school gadgets smartphones headphones

2017 is upon us and we've already seen the first smartphone announcements of the year in the form of the HTC U Ultra, Asus ZenFone AR, and the US release of the Huawei Mate 9. There's also plenty of rumors swirling around LG, Samsung, and even Huawei's next flagships.

In the first half of this post we talk about new Android phones that have either been formally announced or have been on the market for 90 days or less. In the second part we turn on our crystal balls and talk about phones that have yet to be confirmed, pointing out some of the biggest rumors we've been hearing so far.

So without further ado, let's take a look at some of the most interesting upcoming and new devices heading our way in the hopefully not too distant future!

See also:

Best Android phones

3 weeks ago

New Android phones

HTC U Ultra

Things have been rough for HTC over the last few years, despite their best attempts to change the company's falling fortunes. Enter the HTC U Ultra. The Ultra breaks some of the company's traditions moving away from the HTC numbered nomenclature and ditching metal in favor of a glass-clad design.

While the HTC 11 is still expected to happen later in the year, the U Ultra currently stands as the company's flagship, with the U Play filling the mid-range niche. 

Spec wise, the HTC U Ultra offers flagship worthy specs including a Snapdragon 821 processor with 4GB RAM and a solid (on paper at least) camera package. Whether that is enough to gain HTC the much needed attention it is after? Only time well tell for sure. The HTC U Ultra has already been formally announced but won't hit the market until March this year. However, if you are interested you can pre-order now.

Specs

  • 5.7-inch Super LCD5 display with Quad HD resolution
  • 2.15 GHz quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 821 processor
  • 4GB of RAM
  • 64/128GB of on-board storage, microSD card expansion up to 2TB
  • 12 MP HTC Ultrapixel 2 camera, 16MP front camera
  • Non-removable 3,000 mAh battery
  • Android 7.0 Nougat with Sense
  • 162.41 x 79.79 x 3.6-7.99mm, 170g

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Pre-order now

Asus Zenfone AR

The ZenFone line started out pretty modestly back in 2015 but over the years it has evolved quite a bit and this year it is set to climb even further heights. At CES 2017 Asus formally announced the ZenFone AR, the world's first high-end Tango-powered handset.

Powered by a Snapdragon 821 processor with a whopping 8GB of RAM, the ZenFone AR is the very definition of a powerhouse device. Other key specs include a 5.7-inch QHD Super AMOLED display, a 23MP rear cam, and all the special cameras and sensors required for Tango's AR functions. Additionally, the AR will be completely ready for Google's Daydream VR platform and will even offer its own VR headset that works with the standard.

As for when it is coming? That's a less easy to answer question. Asus is no stranger to announcing phones and then waiting forever to actually launch them. For Asus' part they currently suggest a Q2 launch, though exactly when in Q2 remains a mystery.  Nonetheless, this is certainly a phone worth looking out for.

Specs

  • 5.7-inch 1440×2560 Super AMOLED
  • Qualcomm Snapdragon 821
  • 8GB of RAM
  • 32/64/128/256 GB of on-board storage, microSD card expansion up to 256GB
  • 23 MP rear camera, 8MP front camera, extra cameras and sensors included for Tango experience
  • Non-removable 3,300mAh battery
  • Android 7.0 Nougat
  • 158.7 x 77.7 x 9 mm, 170g

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OnePlus 3T

We weren't expecting OnePlus to release another new flagship in 2016, but it happened. If you were a fan of the OnePlus 3, you'll certainly love the OnePlus 3T. While it has been around for a little bit now, it's still relatively new enough to make this list for now.

With its powerful Snapdragon 821 processor backed by 6GB of RAM, the 3T absolutely flies through web browsing, gaming and most other everyday tasks. It also has a bigger battery this time around (3,400mAh to be exact), which is more than enough to get you through a full day of use on a single charge. In addition, the 3T now sports 16MP rear and front-facing camera sensors, a dual-SIM card slot, plenty of on-board storage, and a fast front-facing fingerprint sensor on the front.

Basically the OnePlus 3T is a better OnePlus 3, and we're certainly not complaining. You can buy it right from OnePlus' website in Gunmetal and Soft Gold color options.

Specs

  • 5.5-inch Optic AMOLED display with 1920 x 1080 resolution, 401ppi
  • 2.35GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 821
  • 6GB of RAM
  • 64/128GB of on-board storage, no microSD card expansion
  • 16MP rear camera, 16MP front camera
  • Non-removable 3,400mAh battery
  • Android 7.0 Nougat
  • 152.7 x 74.7 x 7.35mm, 158g

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Buy now from OnePlus

Huawei Mate 9

Huawei has done a great job at making its way to the mainstream over the past few years – first with the Huawei P9, and now with the Mate 9. While the Mate 9 has been on the market since late 2016, in January the company finally brought its flagship over to the US, making it a very new device for the US market and marking the first time we've ever seen a high-end Huawei flagship in the states.

With a big 5.9-inch display, powerful Kirin 960 processor, dual-SIM capabilities, and an impressive camera setup, the Mate 9 may be one of the best big phones of the year. While its display is 'only' 1080p and its software is a bit odd sometimes, we still think the high price tag is worth it. If you're after a smartphone that offers exceptional battery life and incredible performance, the standard Mate 9 delivers in spades. If money is no object and you want a smartphone that is unattainable to most customers, the Porsche Design Mate 9 might be worth your while.

Specs

  • 5.9-inch IPS LCD display with 1920 x 1080 resolution, 373ppi
  • Octa-core Hisilicon Kirin 960 processor
  • 4GB of RAM
  • 64GB of on-board storage, microSD expansion up to 256GB
  • Dual 20 and 12MP rear cameras, 8MP front camera
  • Non-removable 4,000mAh battery
  • Android 7.0 Nougat
  • 156.9 x 78.9 x 7.9mm, 190g

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Buy now from Amazon

Upcoming phones

Samsung Galaxy S8

Unofficial render of the Galaxy S8 based on rumors

With Samsung pulling the plug on the Note 7, it's only natural that rumors would turn to the Samsung Galaxy S8. While the handset isn't expected until sometime in late April (based on most recent rumors), there are a number of alleged features heading to the device.

First, the Galaxy S8 will reportedly offer up two variants. Previously it was believed they would  be 5.1-inch and 5.5-inch in size. More recently, we've seen an image leak that lends credence to a claim that Samsung is significantly jumping up screen sizes to 5.7 and 6.2-inches. While that seems pretty massive, these larger sizes are said to be achievable in much smaller than expected packages thanks to slim bezels, curved displays, and a tall screen ratio that sees Samsung ditch its physical keys in favor of software buttons.

Other rumors claim that Samsung will introduce a dual camera setup and will offer different processor configurations depending on the market: Snapdragon 835 or Exynos 8895. None of these changes are that unexpected, given Samsung's past behaviors in terms of using mixed processors and adapting to new technology trends. Obviously there's a lot unknown about this device, but below you'll find some of the rumored specs — just keep in mind this list will be updated as we hear more.

Unconfirmed specs

  • Standard model: 5.7-inch AMOLED QHD, curved
  • Phablet model: 6.2-inch AMOLED (possibly 4K), curved
  • Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 or Exynos 8895, depending on market
  • No solid rumors on RAM, but likely in the 4 to 6GB range
  • No solid details on storage, microSD or external UFS likely
  • 16MP/8MP dual camera setup
  • Rear mounted fingerprint scanner a possibility, that or an under-the-glass front scanner
  • Non-removable battery
  • Android Nougat

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LG G6

LG G5 pictured above.

While the LG G5 attempted to really change up the way LG designed its phones, ultimately it didn't end up faring all that well in the market. The whole modular thing didn't catch on quite like they had hoped, and frankly so many other OEMs were doing a better job last year that LG found in hard to keep up. Will things be different with the G6? LG certainly hopes so and for what it is worth, they seem to have pretty big plans.

First, the LG G6 is expected to ditch removeable batteries and modules in favor of a glass and metal design. Second, it will be moving to a taller format (similar to the rumored Galaxy S8) with a ratio of 18:9. Google and LG are also reportedly working together to bring Google Assistant to the LG G6 and we expect at least a few other tricks up the phone's virtual sleeves as well.

As for the rest of the specs? Obviously there are a lot of unknowns at this point, though some of the rumors suggest we are looking at a Snapdragon 835 or 821 (depending on the rumor you believe) with 6GB RAM. It really comes down to when the phone plans to launch, as the Snapdragon 830 has yet to officially ship with any handsets and is still reportedly a little ways out.

Unconfirmed specs

  • 5.7-inch QHD display with 18:9 ratio
  • Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 or 821
  • 6GB RAM
  • 64GB likely, microSD expected
  • dual camera setup, few details currently rumored
  • Rear mounted fingerprint scanner
  • Non-removable battery
  • Android Nougat

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Huawei P10

Huawei P9 pictured above.

Frankly, we don't know much about the Huawei P10 for sure. We don't even know if that will end up its name or not. All we know for sure is that Huawei has indicated that at MWC 2017 it will show off its next flagship, and it seems pretty likely that it will be a successor to the Huawei P9.

Based on current rumors, the Huawei P10 is said to be a mostly metallic flagship, as per Huawei's usual style. Under the hood we can expect a Kirin processor, very possibly the same Kirin 960 found in the current Mate 9 phablet. One area where the P10 is supposedly going to differ from the P9 is the screen size, jumping from 5.2-inches to 5.5-inches. Additionally, the display is supposedly going to be an AMOLED with a QHD resolution, a jump forward from the LCD 1080p display of its predecessor. On the camera front, we expect the Leica partnership to continue, with the phone offering a dual-camera setup, though the specfics aren't known just yet.

Bottom-line, there are a ton of unknowns about the next flagship from Huawei, all we know is it will be formally unveiled at MWC and is expected to hit store shelves sometime in March or April.

Unconfirmed specs

  • 5.5-inch QHD AMOLED display
  • Octa-core Hisilicon Kirin 960 processor
  • 4 or 6GB of RAM likely, possibly multiple configurations here
  • 32/64/128GB likely, microSD very likely
  • Dual camera setup, possibly similar or the same as the Mate 9's
  • Android 7.0 Nougat

Read more

What phones are you excited about?

Are there any phones we didn't add to this post and you are looking forward to? Hit the comments and let us know! Also share your thoughts on the handsets listed above.



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