The most anticipated smartphones of 2016 | HT Tech

The most anticipated smartphones of 2016

What does this year has in store for us smartphones geeks? Here’s our list of smartphones that we’re really looking forward to in 2016

By: ABHINAV MISHRA
| Updated on: Mar 12 2016, 17:13 IST
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What does the year has in store for us smartphones geeks? Here’s our list of smartphones we’re really looking forward to in 2016 (YouTube)
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What does the year has in store for us smartphones geeks? Here’s our list of smartphones we’re really looking forward to in 2016 (YouTube)

With rumors, leaks and reports constantly pouring in, it seems 2016 is going to be an epic year for smartphones. Expect some revolutionary improvements in terms of design and features, along with a top-notch spec list. Heck, there's also a rumor about a mystery Surface Phone in the works, but we won't go there yet. We'll stick to what we know so far about the most anticipated flagship launches of the year.

Here's our list of smartphones we're really looking forward to:

LG G5

Announced at MWC 2016 earlier this year, The highlight of the smartphone is its modular design which gives the phone added capabilities, allowing users to plug-in cameras, high-end sound system or a Virtual Reality (VR) headset.

The LG G5 has a removable battery despite the metal uni-body. The bottom of the phone detaches and a battery slides out with it. At this point, you could just replace the battery or attach the LG CAM PLUS module that claims to give it abilities to take pictures as good as a DSLR camera.
The LG G5 has a removable battery despite the metal uni-body. The bottom of the phone detaches and a battery slides out with it. At this point, you could just replace the battery or attach the LG CAM PLUS module that claims to give it abilities to take pictures as good as a DSLR camera. (LG)
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The LG G5 has a removable battery despite the metal uni-body. The bottom of the phone detaches and a battery slides out with it. At this point, you could just replace the battery or attach the LG CAM PLUS module that claims to give it abilities to take pictures as good as a DSLR camera. (LG)

Key specifications on the smartphone include a 5.3-inch QHD IPS screen featuring an 'Always-on' display, which gives users quick access to check time, notifications, battery level and more, a Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 processor bundled with 4 GB of RAM. It comes with 32GB of built-in storage expandable upto 200GB via microSD slot. LG G5 gets a dual-camera setup with a 16-megapixel 78-degree lens and an 8-megapixel 135- degree wide angle lens. In addition, it has an 8-megapixel front-facing camera.

The LG G5 is expected to go on sale in India sometime in May.

HTC One M10

The company's last year flagship the One M9 wasn't really a standout device, so we expect HTC to go all guns blazing with its forthcoming One M10.. The upcoming flagship will reportedly feature a 5.15-inch QHD display, Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 SoC and 4GB of RAM.

HTC's upcoming flagship is expected to get a 5.15-inch QHD display (2560 X 1440 pixels), a Snapdragon 820 processor and 4GB of RAM, USB Type C and a digital fingerprint reader.
HTC's upcoming flagship is expected to get a 5.15-inch QHD display (2560 X 1440 pixels), a Snapdragon 820 processor and 4GB of RAM, USB Type C and a digital fingerprint reader. (@evleaks)
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HTC's upcoming flagship is expected to get a 5.15-inch QHD display (2560 X 1440 pixels), a Snapdragon 820 processor and 4GB of RAM, USB Type C and a digital fingerprint reader. (@evleaks)

The smartphone is also expected to get a significant overhaul in its camera capabilities, as reports suggest a 12-megapixel UltraPixel camera and a 5-megapixel selfie cam. Rumors suggest that HTC will launch the phone on April 19, before it goes on sale in May.

iPhone 5se

Not all of us are fans of large-screen phones, no wonder Apple is reportedly prepping a compact 4-inch iPhone. The device will likely be called the iPhone 5se and is expected to be unveiled on March 21 alongside the iPad Air 3 and Watch 2.

Leaked schematics reveal that the upcoming 4-inch iPhone's design will incorporate design aesthetics of the iPhone 5s as well as iPhone 6.
Leaked schematics reveal that the upcoming 4-inch iPhone's design will incorporate design aesthetics of the iPhone 5s as well as iPhone 6. (@onLeaks)
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Leaked schematics reveal that the upcoming 4-inch iPhone's design will incorporate design aesthetics of the iPhone 5s as well as iPhone 6. (@onLeaks)

It will reportedly get the latest M9 and A9 processors bundled with 1GB RAM, along with support for Apple Pay and Live Photos. Apple is reportedly prepping three different colour options for the rumored 4-inch iPhone 5se, one of them would be the hot pink colour option. It'll also come in Silver and Space Grey colour variants.

Huawei P9

The sequel to the gorgeous Huawei P8 is almost inevitable. Huawei has already sent out media events for an April 6 event to be held in London. The invite reads "change the way you see the world". Notably, there are two circles on top of the invite which also lead us to believe that the device might get more than one camera sensor. Renders of the Huawei P9 surfaced online last week, which confirm the smartphone's dual-camera setup. The renders also show a circular fingerprint scanner housed on the back below the dual-camera setup.

Two adjoining circles on top of the invite suggest that the upcoming P9 might indeed get a dual-camera setup.
Two adjoining circles on top of the invite suggest that the upcoming P9 might indeed get a dual-camera setup. (Huawei)
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Two adjoining circles on top of the invite suggest that the upcoming P9 might indeed get a dual-camera setup. (Huawei)

The Huawei P9 is expected to sport a 5.2-inch full-HD display, the company's in-house octa core Kirin 950 processor bundled with 3GB of RAM, 32GB of storage, 3600mAh battery capacity and 12-megapixel primary camera with a dual-lens setup featuring Leica optics.

In addition, rumours also suggest that there'll be a premium version of the handset featuring a 6.2-inch screen featuring a 2k resolution, a Kirin 950 processor bundled with 4GB of RAM, 64 GB of storage and a 4,000mAh battery.

Xiaomi Mi 5

The Mi 5 is a classic Android flagship whose primary selling point is its top-notch spec sheet at a relatively economical price point. It comes with Qualcomm's latest Snapdragon 820 chipset bundled with with 4GB of RAM, the latest 16-megapixel camera sensor from Sony (IMX298), and upto 128GB of built-in storage.

The Mi 5 is Xiaomi's first handset with a home button on the front, which also integrates a fingerprint reader. It comes with Qualcomm's latest Snapdragon 820 chipset bundled with with 4GB of RAM.
The Mi 5 is Xiaomi's first handset with a home button on the front, which also integrates a fingerprint reader. It comes with Qualcomm's latest Snapdragon 820 chipset bundled with with 4GB of RAM. (Xiaomi)
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The Mi 5 is Xiaomi's first handset with a home button on the front, which also integrates a fingerprint reader. It comes with Qualcomm's latest Snapdragon 820 chipset bundled with with 4GB of RAM. (Xiaomi)

The Mi 5 is Xiaomi's first handset with a home button on the front, which also integrates a fingerprint reader. The smartphone launched in China on March 1, and has already set a new record with over 16 million registrations during its first flash sale. Xiaomi has confirmed it'll be launched in India shortly.

iPhone 7

After last year's incremental upgrades on the iPhone 6s, we expect the next-gen iPhone to feature a completely revamped design. And given that more and more phones are now blatantly copying iPhone's design, the next iPhone could possibly be one of the most revolutionary designs we'll come across.

The traditional September unveiling is still a long way to go, though reports suggest the upcoming iPhone will ditch the headphone jack, get waterproofing, and will get a 3D Touch-powered panel instead of the physical Home button.

A new report also claims that Apple is planning a 5.8-inch iPhone that will feature a tough AMOLED display. Apple is reportedly planning to release two variants of its large-screen iPhone 7 Plus this year -- one with a single-lens camera and one with a dual-lens camera. The dual-lens variant has been rumoured to be marketed as the iPhone Pro.

One Plus 3

OnePlus came out with some rather solid offerings in 2015. For instance the flagship killer OnePlus 2, and even the OnePlus X which garnered a lot of acclaim for its great design aesthetics.

Hence, we're rather intrigued to see what the company has in store for us this year.OnePlus co-founder said that their upcoming flagship will feature a 'new design' and will be available by the end of the second quarter. Rumours suggest that the OnePlus 3 will be powered by Qualcomm's new Snapdragon 820 processor, 4GB of RAM and USB Type-C. Additionally, we can also expect a larger battery and possibly microSD support.

Given the company's track record in the past, is a reason strong to keep us stoked about their next flagship.

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First Published Date: 12 Mar, 17:04 IST
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