The most anticipated smartphones of 2018

SMARTER BY THE DAY

Last year was a fantastic one for phones. We got skinnier screen bezels than ever, cameras that took better pictures than dedicated compacts, and better-than-all-day battery life. But we want more, and that’s exactly what we’re getting in 2018. We’re only a few months into the year, but we’ve already seen some knockout options, with the Huawei P20 Pro and Samsung Galaxy S9 leading the pack. And there’s only more to come, as Apple, Google, OnePlus and others ready their next respective big things. Curious what’s coming before 2019 rolls around? Well, here’s what we know about 2018’s hugest phones.

APPLE: IPHONE XI AND SE 2?

What will Apple do in 2018? If one analyst is to be believed, Apple may extend the X’s full-face screen approach – complete with that divisive notch – to the entire line. Ming Chi-Kuo of KGI Securities believes that Apple will launch an updated 5.8in OLED model, an “iPhone XI” or whatever you want to call it, along with two other models. Meanwhile, rumours are starting to emerge about an iPhone SE 2 – an updated version of Apple’s super-small, entry-level handset. We’re not expecting any massive changes, but updated specs and a rumoured glass backing would make it a much better option in 2018. If it’s coming, we should see it pretty soon – maybe around WWDC in early June.

ONEPLUS: ONEPLUS 6

The OnePlus 6 is officially on the horizon. Also official? An iPhone X-like notch at the top of the display. You’re looking at it! OnePlus boss Carl Pei shared that partial image of the new handset to The Verge, along with an explanation about how they’re approaching the design. Love it or hate it, notches are becoming commonplace now, and our favourite phone in the world (the Huawei P20 Pro) has one.

LG: G7 THINQ

Revealed in early May, the G7 ThinQ adopts the same kind of screen notch seen on a lot of other big phones these days, with a 6.1in LCD offering a “Super Bright” mode for increased visibility. It packs in a Snapdragon 845 chip with 4GB or 6GB RAM, based on model, and doubles up on cameras in the back – both at 16 megapixels. And the G7 ThinQ has a couple other big perks: a seriously loud “Boombox” speaker and a dedicated button for the Google Assistant, along with far-field mics that can pick up your voice commands from afar.

SAMSUNG: GALAXY NOTE 9

Given Samsung’s approach of late, we’d the Galaxy Note 9 to bear more than a passing resemblance to the Galaxy S9, which means it shouldn’t be too far off from the Galaxy Note 8 in design – but rumours suggest potential tweaks. For example, one of the larger rumours pegs an in-screen fingerprint sensor instead of a back-mounted one, which could free up a bit more room inside for a larger battery. That battery could be as large as 4,000mAh, which is the same size as the Huawei P20 Pro, plus a recent rumour suggests a slightly larger 6.4in display this time around.

BLACKBERRY: THE KEY2

Officially teased following building leaks and rumours, the Key2 handset will be properly revealed on 7 June. That said, those leaks have already painted a pretty clear picture of what to expect from the successor to last year’s sharp KeyOne. In short, it should be a nicely refined, slightly upgraded take on the previous edition. Renders show flatter sides and a tweaked keyboard with larger, matte-finished keys.

GOOGLE: PIXEL 3, PIXEL 3 XL, MORE?

Now that the Android 9 P developer preview is out with native support for iPhone X-like camera notches, there’s rampant speculation that the Pixel 3 phones will adopt that approach. Your call on whether that’s a good thing or not. Meanwhile, the “Pixel 3” has been found mentioned in Android source code, and an older rumour suggests that there will be three editions this time around, with one going higher-end in a potentially Apple-like fashion. We’ll find out this autumn whether that ends up being the case or not.

LENOVO: MOTO Z3 AND X5?

Lenovo has just teased a virtually all-screen, notch-less flagship called the Z5. And it’s apparently not just a pretty face with the highest screen-to-boday ratio we’ve seen so far – Lenovo claims it’ll bring four tech breakthroughs. What those features are remains unclear, but we should find out at the Z5’s unveiling on 14 June 2018. The rest of Lenovo’s 2018 range leaked near the start of the year, with the Moto G6, Moto G6 Plus, and Moto G6 Play the first to officially debut. We’ve reviewed the G6 and G6 Play so far and found both to be excellent budget picks.

HTC: THE U12+

The HTC U11+ was a great handset, but by the time it shipped, it felt like too little too late with 2018’s big new phones starting to roll out. Luckily, the company plans to try again with the HTC U12+. Slated to debut on 23 May, the U12+ is rumoured to pack an extra-tall 6in 18:9 display (probably QHD+), a Snapdragon 845 chip with 6GB RAM, and an upgraded version of the squeezable Edge Sense sides seen on the U11 and U11+.

NOKIA: NOKIA X AND MORE

Nokia annonced a big bundle of phones at MWC, with the Nokia 7 Plus and Nokia 6 (2018) released thus far, with the super-cheap, entry-level Android Go-packing Nokia 1 and the high-end Nokia 8 Sirocco both set to release this month. Meanwhile, the Nokia 8110 reboot is a banana-like feature phone – cheap and possibly perfect for festivals and getaways – that should ship sometime in the near future. Beyond those phones, the next big thing from Nokia looks to be the Nokia X (shown), an iPhone X-like handset with a full-screen face and a cutout for the camera up top. Leaks suggest mid-range specs, a 5.8in 1080p screen, and two cameras on the back. Another leak claimed budget pricing, but we suspect something more in line with the mid-range hardware.

SONY: XPERIA XZ2 PREMIUM

What’s next for Sony, then? Well, the firm has just announced the Xperia XZ2 Premium, which expectedly brings in some higher-end components for yet another revision of the XZ2. It’s nearly identical to the standard XZ2 at a glance, but turn on the display and you might be able to tell the difference: it’s a 4K HDR panel instead of 1080p. Elsewhere, the phone picks up a second (12-megapixel monochrome) camera sensor on the back and promises strong low-light performance, thanks to an AUBE fusion image signal processor that hits 51,200 ISO for stills and 12,800 for video. It also has an upgraded front camera.