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Latest smartphone releases
Apple iPhone 16 and 16 Plus
A revised rear camera bump, Action button and new Camera Control touch surface mark the iPhone 16 out as one of the bigger upgrades to Apple’s mainstream model in recent years. New, more vibrant colours are on offer, and performance has taken another step up. Apple Intelligence will eventually be on board, too – though not at launch.
Apple iPhone 16 Pro and Pro Max
This year’s flagship iPhones go even bigger, with 6.3in and 6.9in screens. They get the same Camera Control button as the vanilla iPhone 16, alongside the returning Action Button, and are still made from titanium. There are some decent camera upgrades, with both models now getting the 5x periscope zoom.
Honor Magic V3
Honor’s latest book-style foldable is as thin as it gets, measuring a barely-there 4.4m when unfolded. No other rival comes close, at least here in the West where folding options are still thin on the ground. It’s a flagship through-and-through, with Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 CPU, a set of high quality cameras, and a beefy enough battery to comfortably last all day.
Google Pixel 9
Google’s mainstream flagship has been updated with fresh new duds, including a new take on the distinctive camera bar. It sticks with two rear cameras and a 6.3in screen, but makes the leap to Tensor G4 power and 12GB of RAM, which should help it stay speedy for the sorts of Gemini AI-accelerated tasks the firm reckons will be all the rage this year. It’s a harder sell now Google also has a compact Pro variant, though…
Google Pixel 9 Pro / Pixel 9 Pro XL
For the first time, Google is offering its non-folding flagship in two screen sizes. The Pixel 9 Pro has a 6.3in screen, matching the vanilla Pixel 9, while the Pixel 9 Pro XL gets a 6.8in panel. Both have a majorly revised design – which is admittedly Apple-esque from the sides – but stand out with chunky camera bars containing a trio of sensors. They’re packing Tensor G4 chipsets, 16GB of RAM and enough battery for ‘all day use’, along with Gemini AI smarts.
Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold
A huge year-on-year upgrade for Google’s folding flagship, the Pixel 9 Pro Fold is a lot more than a simple name change. It shares its styling with the rest of the Pixel 9 generation, with a 6.3in outer screen and 8in inner panel (that finally folds completely flat). Three rear cameras, Tensor G4 silicon and ‘all day’ battery life make the cut, as do some fold-specific software additions. It’s pricey, but could give the Galaxy Z Fold6 some serious competition in territories where Chinese foldables aren’t readily available.
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip6
Finally closes the gap between Samsung’s foldable phones and the more mainstream Galaxy S series, with a potent Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 for Galaxy chipset, larger 4000mAh battery, and 50MP main camera sensor. The styling has been streamlined and the software upgraded, so while the cover screen hasn’t grown at all (and you still can’t run any app you like on it without some power tool workaround) it’s more usable than ever.
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold6
The world’s most popular book-style foldable has slimmed down a teeny tiny bit for its sixth generation. Shorter but wider dimensions add 1mm to the outer screen and 2mm to the inner one. The frame has been flattened and given a matte finish to better mimic the Galaxy S24 Ultra. Inside there’s a Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 for Galaxy chipset and extra large vapor chamber to keep it cool. A similar trio of cameras and same battery capacity as last year mean this foldable is all about the software, with lots of Galaxy AI additions.
CMF Phone 1
Nothing’s bargain-focused sub-brand has diluted down the already affordable Nothing Phone 2(a) to the bare essentials, while keeping the same fantastic software and the sort of performance you just don’t expect for the cash. A 50MP main camera takes impressively good photos, and the modular accessories make it truly unique. No NFC is a bit of a downer, but otherwise there’s little that can match it for £200.
Motorola Razr 50 Ultra
An even larger cover screen, bigger battery, and majorly upgraded camera hardware help cement the Razr 50 Ultra near the top of the flip-style foldable pile. Being able to use any app you like on the outer display transforms the way you use the phone, and translates to impressive longevity. Performance is right on the money, it looks the business in a range of vibrant colours, and takes a fantastic photo for a clamshell. Undercutting the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 makes it a fantastic flip phone option.
Honor 200 Pro
Photo specialist Studio Harcourt was tapped up for Honor’s new AI-enhanced portrait mode, giving the 200 Pro a leg up over the rest of the mid-range field. You’re getting a lot of hardware for your cash here, with three rear snappers, a giant 5200mAh battery, a bright AMOLED screen and Snapdragon 8s Gen 3 power. It’s not as mainstream as a Pixel 8 or Galaxy S24 – but one-ups them both in a few key areas.
Sony Xperia 1 VI
After multiple generations of Sony doing its own thing with OTT screen resolutions and super-skinny aspect ratios, the Xperia 1 VI is a more mainstream flagship offering. It has a 19.5:9 screen with a Full HD+ pixel count, but benefits from higher brightness and LTPO adaptive refresh rate tech for some of the best battery life you’ll get from a Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 phone. Sony hallmarks like expandable storage, a 3.5mm headphone port and front-firing stereo speakers remain, of course. The three-lens rear camera setup now zooms further and does a great job in auto mode, so amateur smartphone snappers are much better catered for.
Google Pixel 8a
Essentially a Pixel 8 for considerably less cash, with just a few cutbacks, the Pixel 8a is Google proving once again it can create a phenomenal affordable phone. It’s packing lots of Google’s new AI additions, a Tensor G3 processor, an IP67 rating, 120Hz display… the 64MP main camera and 13MP ultrawide are wonderfully capable, too. If £500 is your maximum budget for a smartphone, you’d be hard-pressed to go wrong with one of these.
Asus Zenfone 11 Ultra
Asus broke from tradition with this latest Zenfone. Instead of being pocket-friendly, the 11 Ultra went big with a 6.78in display. It’s flagship-grade everywhere you’d expect, including chipset (a Snapdragon 8 Gen 3), big battery, OLED screen and triple rear camera setup with stabilised main snapper. However, there’s a lot more competition among larger phones than there is at the smaller end of the smartphone spectrum, making it tough to recommend in light of more capable rivals.
Nothing Phone 2a
It’s a big departure from Nothing’s last two phones, and makes a major change on the inside too – but the Nothing Phone 2a is still a compelling alternative to affordable models from big-name rivals. It simplifies the firm’s Glyph lighting, debuts a redesigned rear and uses MediaTek silicon to provide the power. It’s got a big battery and two capable cameras (for the cash), making it a winner in the sub-£350 class.
Honor Magic 6 Pro
Honor’s latest flagship phones doubles down on a speedy set of rear snappers, only this time it also goes hard on the zoom front. A 180MP sensor with OIS and a 2.5x optical zoom promise near-perfect portraits, and AI assistance should mean better subject detection and motion tracking. A top-tier display, Snapdragon silicon and an especially big battery give it plenty of plus points.
Xiaomi 14
The more mainstream of Xiaomi’s two 14 series models has a compact 6.36in screen, but that doesn’t mean it had to skimp on hardware. A sizeable battery capacity, Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chipset, and a trio of very capable Leica-tweaked rear cameras make it a true rival to the likes of Samsung’s Galaxy S24.
Xiaomi 14 Ultra
Arguably the biggest story out of this year’s MWC show, the Xiaomi 14 Ultra promises the best camera hardware you’ll find on any phone – plus a dedicated upgrade kit that adds physical controls into the mix. A 1in sensor main camera with variable aperture, twin telephotos with OIS and an ultrawide with an equally high pixel count make it a force to be reckoned with – and it’s undeniably a flagship phone everywhere else, with slick styling, plenty of power and a beefy battery. It’ll be on sale in Europe and the UK from mid-March.
Asus ROG Phone 8 / ROG Phone 8 Pro
Aggressive styling and mediocre cameras made older ROG phones tricky to recommend to non-gamers. The new ROG Phone 8 Pro changes that with a tempting trio of rear snappers and much more sedate styling. An IP68 rating and AMOLED screen help the ROG Phone 8 Pro go toe-to-toe with big name rivals, while the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 CPU and oversized battery keep it a performance monster.
OnePlus 12
Technically still China-only at the time of writing, OnePlus’ latest flagship killer is expected to land in Europe imminently. We know exactly what to expect: the OnePlus 12 will land with a 6.82in AMOLED screen good for an astounding 4500nits peak brightness, a Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 CPU, and a three-lens rear camera setup headlined by a Sony-developed LYTIA stacked sensor.
Samsung Galaxy A55
The Galaxy A series are easily Samsung’s most popular phones in terms of worldwide sales, and the firm has gone all out with this latest generation to please the masses. It borrows a metal and glass build from the pricier Galaxy S24, and a matching main camera at the rear with a 50MP sensor. It doesn’t skimp on power or battery life, either. As an affordable entry to the range, it looks like the real deal.
Samsung Galaxy S24 and Galaxy S24 Plus
This year’s two mainstream Galaxy flagships see minor styling tweaks compared to their predecessors, and reuse the same camera hardware. Bigger batteries, brighter displays with skinnier bezels, and an unwavering focus on on-device AI help them stand out, with the larger of the two also getting a higher screen resolution and faster wired charging.
Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra
The new hero of the Galaxy line-up has a titanium frame and Corning Gorilla Armor glass, making it super tough as well as super luxurious. That screen is flat now, rather than curved, and there’s a Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 lurking underneath for serious power. AI is a big deal this year, being baked in to multiple apps and especially useful for generative photo edits.
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