The year is fading away and most smartphone OEMs have already exhausted their lists of flagships for 2016.
With 2017 just weeks away, we take a look at the best smartphones that are worth waiting for despite the market having the likes of Samsung Galaxy S7, iPhone 7, LG V20, OnePlus 3T, Google Pixel XL and so on.
In essence, all the models released in 2016 will be refreshed in 2017 and as such, we expect to see the likes of Samsung Galaxy S8, iPhone 8, LG G6, OnePlus 4 and even a Samsung Galaxy Note 8, which should be a surprise for some following the Galaxy Note 7 fiasco. So, which of these phones is really worth the long wait, especially since some of them have almost a year from now before they are actually released?
Apple iPhone 8 and 8 Plus
Apple was “laughed at” by some Android fans after it released an iPhone 7 and 7 Plus that look almost the same as the 2014 iPhone 6, 6 Plus and 2015 iPhone 6S, 6S Plus. However, the phones have been selling like nothing else. In 2018, it is rumored that Apple will bring all the changes that people wanted or hoped to see on the iPhone 7.
There is a completely new all-glass design in the works featuring an OLED display screen that is also curved. Wireless charging is also rumored to be on the way alongside an iris scanner, dual-lens camera, and on-screen Home button. As usual, the processor will be bumped to an A11. You don’t want to miss on any of these, do you?
Samsung Galaxy S8
Samsung Galaxy S8 is just around the corner and apparently, the phone is being developed under the codename Dream. Apparently, all models of the flagship Samsung Galaxy S8 will come with a dual-edge screen featuring 4K resolution. We already saw Samsung and Qualcomm team up to unveil the next-gen Snapdragon 835 – a chipset set that is expected to feature on the Galaxy S8.
There is talk of a Force Touch display feature for the Galaxy S8 alongside the company’s own AI assistant. There should be a dual-lens camera on at least one variant of the Galaxy S8 and if reports are right, the phone could come with no bezels at all. This means that the front camera, home button and fingerprint scanner will find a new home under the Super AMOLED screen.
According to reports, Samsung Galaxy S8 may come in two variants of 5.7 and 6.2 inches as the company looks to win back unhappy Galaxy Note 7 buyers.
OnePlus 4
Following the release of OnePlus 3T, the company is also expected to come in with a new OnePlus 4 when the New Year comes around. There are basically no design differences between OnePlus 3 and OnePlus 3T, however, the newer OnePlus 4 is expected to come in with some slight changes.
As for the display, OnePlus 4 could finally make the jump to QHD resolution, but expect nothing to change as far as the Optic AMOLED panels are concerned. A Snapdragon 835 SoC will be used alongside a RAM of 6GB or 8GB. Rumors claim that the flagship will keep the same 16MP selfie snapper used on the OnePlus 3T, but the back camera will be amped to 21MP or 23MP. Other sources are touting a dual-lens camera setup for the 2017 OnePlus 4 flagship.
Like the OnePlus 3T, expect nothing less than 128GB of storage, but this time, Android Nougat should power the phone out of the box.
Samsung Galaxy Note 8
Speaking of the Note 7, the phone’s successor, Samsung Galaxy Note 8, is also another flagship to watch out for in 2017. Reports are that Samsung wants to come back big with the next-gen Note phablet.
LG has been chosen to make not just Note 8’s batteries, but also for the Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8 Edge (Plus). Apart from specs such as a Snapdragon 835, 6GB RAM and 4K display, little is known about what Samsung has in plans for the Galaxy Note 8. But the company seems to be sure that indeed a Galaxy Note 7 successor will still be released in 2017.