The best smartphones for 2017, those we consider to be the best across all platforms, and I have regularly updated that list as the smartphone world has evolved.
Here we are looking at those. I will be updating this list on a regular basis, with those device rumours we think are credible and exciting, and devices just announced but yet to hit the shelves. We have also just had a glut of new smartphones
Best upcoming phones 2017
Before we dive into the detail, here are some of the anticipated upcoming handsets for 2017:
- Samsung Galaxy S8
- Samsung Galaxy S8 Plus
- HTC U/HTC Ocean
- Apple iPhone 8
- Apple iPhone 8 Plus
- OnePlus 5
- Google Pixel 2
Samsung Galaxy S8 and S8 Plus:
Samsung had sure-fire hits with the Galaxy S7, especially in the S7 edge model. The company's standing in mobile might suffer a little following the Note 7's battery problems, so the Galaxy S8 might have to be extra special.
Rumours have suggested that Samsung might drop the flat version of the S8, only offering curved devices in two sizes. There's also talk of increasing the screen resolution, perhaps with a move to 4K, and talk of 5.8 and 6.1-inch sizes, but with those big screens packed into more compact bodies.
Samsung is sure to pack the S8 with its latest Exynos 8895 chipset for oodles of power, although we had expect a Snapdragon 835 version too, and we had expect to see a move to USB Type-C, following the move of the Note 7. On the software front, we had expect the S8 to launch on Android Nougat with TouchWiz. Given Samsung's great experience, we'd not expect too many changes to Samsung's software experience.
As the Samsung Galaxy S8 release date, it will be announced on 29 March 2017.
HTC Ocean:
HTC's next flagship handset is thought to be going under the name of HTC Ocean. This name came from a video leak which showed off a concept handset, but supported by a leak via Twitter. HTC launched its first handsets for 2017 in the form of the U Play and U Ultra, but at the time said this wasn't the flagship and there was more to come.
It's early days in the rumour cycle for this handset, but the focus of the video was on new methods of interaction, showing a phone with no buttons and using a mixture of voice, gestures and swipes to control it, so that's what we're expecting - as well as a Snapdragon 835 and a launch date at some point later in the year, perhaps April.
Apple iPhone 8:
Yes, already. The paint has barely dried on the iPhone 7, but there's already talk of the iPhone 8, which is reported to shake things up completely.
The iPhone 7, surprisingly, did not make a huge change over the iPhone 6S, but the biggest hint at what to expect from the iPhone 8 might have come from Apple Watch. With the release of the Series 2 device, Apple introduced a ceramic version. This, paired with the jet black colouring for the iPhone 7, might point to future changes in materials for the iPhone 8.
Some are suggesting that the iPhone 8 will be mostly glass and introduce wireless charging, but there's expected to be a special edition ceramic version too. Taking it further, it's suggested that there will be an iPhone 7S and 7S Plus too, alongside this roaring iPhone 8.
OnePlus 5:
No, you are not going mad. There's a rumour that OnePlus will be skipping the 4 number and heading straight to OnePlus 5.
The OnePlus 5 could land with a glass or ceramic body, moving on from the OnePlus 3T to present something a little different. It wouldn't be the first time that OnePlus has used something different, as it did in the OnePlus X.
A 5.3-inch display might meet a Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 chipset for loads of power. This could all be heading your way in May or June.
Google Pixel 2:
The Google Pixel has received great acclaim for it's pure Google phone approach, with a lot of people really loving the camera experience.
Rumours are light on the Google Pixel 2 - we don not even have confirmation of the name but it has been confirmed that there will be a new Pixel device in 2017. That was confirmed by Rick Osterloh, SVP of hardware at Google, i.e., the chap who will be responsible for it. Other details are light, but Osterloh also confirmed that the Pixel 2 would retain its premium positioning.
That's about all we know so far, but you can expect Android O, and potentially another phone manufactured by HTC. We'd expect it to launch about October time, about a year after the original.
Nokia 8:
Nokia made it's play at Mobile World Congress 2017, launching three Android devices. The lead device was the Nokia 6, but notably missing was a true flagship smartphone, colloquially dubbed the Nokia 8.
Originally leaking as the P1, and then finding itself levelled with the name Nokia 8, we're expecting a premium build, with an IP68 rating, a 5.5-inch display with 2560 x 1440 pixel resolution.
Most of the hardware rumours have said Qualcomm Snapdragon 835, but with plenty of mixed messaging coming from the flagship rumours and those wrapped up in the Nokia 6/5/3, we're going to be watching and waiting to see how the story of Nokia's flagship unfolds.
Microsoft Surface Phone:
The Surface Phone is something of a Windows phone holy grail. With Nokia then Microsoft Devices producing plenty of Windows Phones, the spectre of the Surface Phone has been hanging around as the idea of the ultimate Windows mobile device. Given the recent sale of virtually all of its phone patents, and announcement that it's no longer focusing on Windows Phone development, the Surface Phone may never see the light of day.
It's rumoured that the new premium device will be Surface branded and Intel powered, possibly coming in three different variants. Given the same team behind the Surface Tablets are said to be behind the Surface Phone, you can expect a solid build if it ever does appear.
There's also the suggestion that Surface Phone will run a brand new update of Windows 10, aiming to capitalise on the branding and offer the ultimate experience. Launch originally was nott expected until the latter half of 2016, but this has since shifted to 2017. That's if it appears at all.
Upcoming phones already announced
LG G6:
LG announced the LG G6 at MWC 2017, launching a phone with a 18:9 display. It's taller, narrower and designed to make it easier to use the 5.7-inch phone. It's a premium build, powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 821 chipset and packing a pair of cameras on the rear, giving you regular and wide angle shots.
The LG G6 is going to be widely available, but there's no word on price or release date. We have used it, so you can read our full preview of this new handset.
Huawei P10 and P10 Plus:
Huawei announced the P10 and P10 Plus at MWC 2017, delivering an update to the popular P9 handset. One of the visual changes is a range of interesting colours - it's not just black or grey, it's blue and green.
There's a 5.1-inch display on the P10, a 5.5-inch display on the P10 Plus, packed into a metal body. The P10 offers Full HD, the P10 Plus makes a jump to Quad HD, with both being powered by the Kirin 960 chipset. There's a pair of Leica cameras on the rear, offering monochrome and colour capture separately, with optical image stabilisation.
The Huawei P10 will be available from March 2017, costing around 38800 for the smaller model, the larger is expected to be only £50 more. Read our previews for a little more information.
Nokia 6:
The Nokia 6 is now a global device, offering a lovely build on mid-range specs. It has an aluminium body, fronted by a lovely 5.5-inch Full HD display. It's powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 430 chipset and offers a 16-megapixel camera on the rear, 8-megapixel on the front. Most attractive, however, is that it's pure Android, with no bloat at all the only thing Nokia changes is the camera app.
The Arte Black special edition (pictured) is only 21000, the Normal version is 16000, meaning this is a serious bargain for Nokia's return to smartphones. There are also Nokia 5 and Nokia 3 handsets, which drop the specs down - the Nokia 6 is our star pick, however.
Moto G5 and G5 Plus:
Motorola, now under the stewardship of Lenovo, pitched out the Moto G5 and G5 Plus at MWC 2017, updating it's affordable Android device.
The Moto G5 now offers a metal body on both these devices, with a front fingerprint scanner. The G5 is a 5-inch device, the G5 Plus expands to 5.2-inches; the G5 Plus offers a more advanced camera and is the more powerful handset, with more storage too. That difference is also reflected in the price. The Moto G5 is 12000, the Moto G5 Plus is 19000.
Both devices will be available in March.
BlackBerry KeyOne:
BlackBerry is now produced by TCL and the latest device is the BlackBerry KeyOne, formerly known as Mercury. This is a touch and type handset, offering the full glory of Android, with a BlackBerry keyboard on the bottom.
This is a solidly-built handset with a premium finish, with a 3:2 display and powered by a mid-range Qualcomm Snapdragon 625 chipset. There's plenty of innovation here, like the fingerprint scanner in the space bar.
Priced at 35000, it's not hugely expensive for those looking for that keyboard fix paired with an Android experience. It will be available in April.
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