Mobile phone line-ups are a little like Hollywood movie franchises, and by now we have a pretty good idea of what we should be expecting to see over the next 12 months: all the big players will be producing sequels to their blockbusters of 2014 and we can look forward to better photos, faster performance and lighter handsets across the board.
We like the sound of a rumoured partnership between Bose and HTC to bring even better audio to the HTC One M9 than the M8 had, as well as the obligatory upgrades to processing power, memory and display resolution (up to 2560 x 1440 pixels no less).
Android phones are still looking for the magic formula as far as high-quality camera optics are concerned, but HTC is a good a bet as anyone to get it right. Hopefully the M9 will build on the progress made with the M8 and finally give the iPhone something to think about in the photography department.
Both the high specs of the Galaxy S5 and the premium style of the Alpha point to where Samsung is going to be heading with the Galaxy S6: its most powerful, best-looking phone yet, (with an all-new look if Project Zero is anything to go by) and that's worth getting excited about.
We're hoping for a thin, curved, all-metal chassis, a resolution boost for the screen and perhaps the overlapping display trick we saw with the Galaxy Note Edge. A 64-bit CPU and Android Lollipop should both make their way into Samsung's next flagship phone too.
You can usually set your watch by Apple's annual iPhone refresh, and 2015 should be no different with the release of the iPhone 6S/7. We hope Apple ditches the 'S' naming system and introduces super-strong sapphire glass as well as applying the usual specs bump.
The refreshed 2014 design is unlikely to change significantly in 2015, but there are early rumours of a major camera upgrade in the pipeline that will bring DSLR-like quality to the iPhone's snaps — if they're true, we're looking forward to seeing it in practice.
The LG G3 impressed us a great deal but we still want more from the LG G4. The rumoured reduction in screen size to 5.3 inches would make handling it a touch easier and we might even see the bendable technology that LG has been working on.
The 20.7MP camera upgrade we've heard rumours about would be most welcome and we want to see an improvement in the chassis design too: how about a metal casing, LG? And better battery performance while you're at it.
There's a lot riding on the Xperia Z4 for Sony, which we might see as early as the CES exhibition in January. A super-fast processor and a camera upgrade are the order of the day but Sony needs to create a big splash if it's to make a dent in terms of market sales.
Of course we'd like to see the 4K video recording feature actually work this time around, while a QHD display is the logical next step up for the screen. The hardware design is due a refresh, too: would smaller bezels, a more svelte form and rounded corners be too much to ask?
Will the Note 5 be Samsung's first device to sport a 4K UHD display? We wouldn't complain at a 2160 x 3840 pixel resolution or a 746ppi density rating, even if we have to wait until October to get our hands on it.
With the line between phones and phablets becoming more and more blurred, the Note 5 will need to do something special to stand out. Be prepared for a 6-inch display and an even better version of the S Pen stylus.
Where does Google take the Nexus smartphone next (if indeed it takes it anywhere at all)? It can't use the Nexus 7 name for one thing, and it needs to overcome the supply problems that have dogged the Nexus 6.
Lollipop is a mobile OS that looks good and works well so its successor should also hit the mark, and as for the hardware we'd like to see something that can be used easily in one hand — and how about a fingerprint scanner too?
We've been waiting for a successor to the Lumia 1020 since 2013 and in that time Microsoft has taken over the reins from Nokia. A leaked image we saw earlier this month suggests the wait might finally be over sometime next year- but not until the second half, at least.
If the rumoured Lumia 1030 is actually a real device then the star of the show is likely to be its 50MP camera. A snapper of that quality with the Lumia technology behind it might even be worth switching to Windows Phone for.
We've only just been treated to a revamped Moto X (originally known as the X+1) so the next version is still some way off. It's a great handset though, and next year's model stands a good chance of stealing some of the Nexus market.
What we really want to see is more of the same from Motorola: clever features like Active Display, competitive pricing, a stand-out screen and some internal improvements would be just the job, with more customisation options as well.
We don't know much about the OnePlus Two but the signs are that it will retain the same low price level as its predecessor, which instantly puts it high on our watch list — a more straightforward buying procedure would be a big improvement, of course.
The OnePlus One delivered high-end specs at a budget price and we'd expect that formula to continue with the 2015 model. One upgrade we can predict is the arrival of Android 5.0 Lollipop to the OnePlus line-up, which should make it more appealing than ever.
- What's the top choice right now? The current best smartphones - 2015 edition
1. HTC One M9
Predicted release date: March 2015We like the sound of a rumoured partnership between Bose and HTC to bring even better audio to the HTC One M9 than the M8 had, as well as the obligatory upgrades to processing power, memory and display resolution (up to 2560 x 1440 pixels no less).
Android phones are still looking for the magic formula as far as high-quality camera optics are concerned, but HTC is a good a bet as anyone to get it right. Hopefully the M9 will build on the progress made with the M8 and finally give the iPhone something to think about in the photography department.
2. Samsung Galaxy S6
Predicted release date: March 2015Both the high specs of the Galaxy S5 and the premium style of the Alpha point to where Samsung is going to be heading with the Galaxy S6: its most powerful, best-looking phone yet, (with an all-new look if Project Zero is anything to go by) and that's worth getting excited about.
We're hoping for a thin, curved, all-metal chassis, a resolution boost for the screen and perhaps the overlapping display trick we saw with the Galaxy Note Edge. A 64-bit CPU and Android Lollipop should both make their way into Samsung's next flagship phone too.
3. iPhone 6S/7
Predicted release date: September 2015You can usually set your watch by Apple's annual iPhone refresh, and 2015 should be no different with the release of the iPhone 6S/7. We hope Apple ditches the 'S' naming system and introduces super-strong sapphire glass as well as applying the usual specs bump.
The refreshed 2014 design is unlikely to change significantly in 2015, but there are early rumours of a major camera upgrade in the pipeline that will bring DSLR-like quality to the iPhone's snaps — if they're true, we're looking forward to seeing it in practice.
4. LG G4
Predicted release date: May 2015The LG G3 impressed us a great deal but we still want more from the LG G4. The rumoured reduction in screen size to 5.3 inches would make handling it a touch easier and we might even see the bendable technology that LG has been working on.
The 20.7MP camera upgrade we've heard rumours about would be most welcome and we want to see an improvement in the chassis design too: how about a metal casing, LG? And better battery performance while you're at it.
5. Sony Xperia Z4
Predicted release date: January 2015There's a lot riding on the Xperia Z4 for Sony, which we might see as early as the CES exhibition in January. A super-fast processor and a camera upgrade are the order of the day but Sony needs to create a big splash if it's to make a dent in terms of market sales.
Of course we'd like to see the 4K video recording feature actually work this time around, while a QHD display is the logical next step up for the screen. The hardware design is due a refresh, too: would smaller bezels, a more svelte form and rounded corners be too much to ask?
6. Samsung Galaxy Note 5
Predicted release date: October 2015Will the Note 5 be Samsung's first device to sport a 4K UHD display? We wouldn't complain at a 2160 x 3840 pixel resolution or a 746ppi density rating, even if we have to wait until October to get our hands on it.
With the line between phones and phablets becoming more and more blurred, the Note 5 will need to do something special to stand out. Be prepared for a 6-inch display and an even better version of the S Pen stylus.
7. The new Nexus
Predicted release date: October 2015Where does Google take the Nexus smartphone next (if indeed it takes it anywhere at all)? It can't use the Nexus 7 name for one thing, and it needs to overcome the supply problems that have dogged the Nexus 6.
Lollipop is a mobile OS that looks good and works well so its successor should also hit the mark, and as for the hardware we'd like to see something that can be used easily in one hand — and how about a fingerprint scanner too?
8. Microsoft Lumia 1030
Predicted release date: September 2015We've been waiting for a successor to the Lumia 1020 since 2013 and in that time Microsoft has taken over the reins from Nokia. A leaked image we saw earlier this month suggests the wait might finally be over sometime next year- but not until the second half, at least.
If the rumoured Lumia 1030 is actually a real device then the star of the show is likely to be its 50MP camera. A snapper of that quality with the Lumia technology behind it might even be worth switching to Windows Phone for.
9. Moto X+2
Predicted release date: September 2015We've only just been treated to a revamped Moto X (originally known as the X+1) so the next version is still some way off. It's a great handset though, and next year's model stands a good chance of stealing some of the Nexus market.
What we really want to see is more of the same from Motorola: clever features like Active Display, competitive pricing, a stand-out screen and some internal improvements would be just the job, with more customisation options as well.
10. OnePlus Two
Predicted release date: April 2015We don't know much about the OnePlus Two but the signs are that it will retain the same low price level as its predecessor, which instantly puts it high on our watch list — a more straightforward buying procedure would be a big improvement, of course.
The OnePlus One delivered high-end specs at a budget price and we'd expect that formula to continue with the 2015 model. One upgrade we can predict is the arrival of Android 5.0 Lollipop to the OnePlus line-up, which should make it more appealing than ever.
Source: Techradar
