Shutterstock
The third quarter of 2016 has been rife with excitement in the Android world: ZTE’s impressive Axon 7 was released in late July, the Samsung Galaxy Note 7 was released less than a month later, and the Apple iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus were released just this past week. Let’s not forget IFA, the annual consumer electronics trade show we covered from Berlin at the start of the month, and LG’s unveiling of the V20, the sequel device to last year’s V10 and the first Android device to run Nougat right out of the box. And this barely even scratches the surface.
Yes, it’s been quite an eventful few months, and all good things must come to an end. But don’t reach for your Kleenex just yet. As we head into the fourth quarter of the year — which kicks off October 1 — it seems that 2016 is going out with a bang rather than a whimper. So let’s take a look at what the next few months have in store for us.
See also: Best Android phones531
Google Pixel and Pixel XL
Without question, the most highly-anticipated Android devices on this list are the two newest installments in the smartphone line formerly known as Nexus. In case you’ve somehow missed all our other coverage of the situation, it’s all but confirmed that Google’s upcoming Nexus phones (codenamed “Sailfish” and “Marlin”) will actually be released under the Pixel moniker. The strategy seems to be to consolidate what was previously separate lines of hardware. Over the last couple years, Google’s Chromebooks and tablets bore the name Pixel, while the Nexus was the company’s Android smartphone line. The change from Nexus to Pixel brings harmony to all of Google’s hardware, so as fond as we’ve all become of the Nexus name, this change makes a lot of sense.
Like most of the year’s other releases, we’ve seen quite a few leaks of Google’s upcoming smartphones, the Pixel and Pixel XL. While last year’s Nexus phones were made by Huawei and LG, this year’s Pixel and Pixel XL will both be made by HTC, the first HTC-made Google devices since the first Nexus device (Nexus One) in 2010. There has been quite a bit of information about these devices to be leaked; however, it should be taken with a grain of salt until we get official confirmation from Google.
See also: HTC Nexus ‘Sailfish’ exclusive: new renders & 360-degree video374
The Pixel and Pixel XL will likely be occupying the same spaces as last year’s Nexus 5X and Nexus 6P, respectively, with Pixel being the mid-sized “budget” device and the Pixel XL being the premium phablet. Instead of the devices having different designs, leaked renders show both with the same glass-and-metal construction and exaggerated curves in place of sharp edges as is typical of HTC devices; expectedly, the fingerprint sensors will remain on the back. The Pixel will feature a 5.0-inch 1080p AMOLED display while the larger Pixel XL display will be a QHD AMOLED at either 5.5 or 5.7 inches.
HTC 10 vs Nexus 6P
LG G5 vs Nexus 6P
Nexus 6P Review!
Nexus 5X Review
Most analysts anticipate the devices to have much the same core specs, which would mean Snapdragon 820 or 821 processors, Adreno 530 GPU, and 4GB of RAM. It’s believed that the Pixel XL will carry a respectable 3450mAh battery. The specific battery size of the smaller Pixel isn’t yet known, but the Nexus 5X was shipped with a 2700mAh battery so the Pixel’s battery will probably be comparable.
But wait, there’s more: Leaks suggest that both Pixel devices will feature a 12MP primary camera and an 8MP selfie camera, which is much the same as last year’s setup except the Nexus 5X had a lower-resolution 5MP selfie camera. Last year’s Nexus devices were praised for their camera performance, so it wouldn’t be surprising if the Pixel and Pixel XL featured either the same or slightly improved versions of Nexus 6P camera modules. Unfortunately, the Pixel devices won’t inherit HTC’s wildly popular front-facing BoomSound speakers; in fact, leaks show a speaker on the bottom. It’s possible a second speaker could be embedded in the earpiece on the front in a similar manner as the HTC 10, but we’ll have to wait and see. The front-facing speakers were a favorite feature on both of last year’s Nexus devices.
Nonetheless, you may be happy to know that the Pixel devices will offer a 3.5mm headphone jack — which could become an extinct feature quite soon — and the USB C port Google adopted in the 2015 Nexus devices. And although it should go without saying, the number of new devices that are being released with last year’s Android Marshmallow has made it necessary to clarify that the Pixel and Pixel XL will launch with Android Nougat, which you can learn more about in our Nougat review.
ASUS ZenFone 3 series
When ASUS released the ZenFone 2, it was obvious the company meant business, becoming one of the most well-received ultra-budget smartphones of last year. This year, ASUS appears to be upping the ante by releasing not just one ZenFone 3 device, but a ZenFone 3 series: ZenFone 3, ZenFone 3 Deluxe, and ZenFone 3 Ultra.
The entry-level model is the ZenFone 3, which debuted in late August. It features glass-and-mental construction in the company’s “Zen” design language, paying homage to previous-generation ASUS devices with just a hint of influence from the likes of Huawei and Samsung. ZenFone 3 continues the trend we’ve seen this year wherein the IPS LCD display — either 5.2 or 5.5 inches in 1080p FHD with Corning Gorilla Glass 3 — has 2.5D curved glass edges for a smooth transition from screen to metal chassis. On the inside, the ZenFone 3 uses an octa-core Snapdragon 625 processor, an Adreno 506 GPU, 3 or 4GB of RAM, 32 or 64GB of expandable storage, a 3000 mAh battery, dual-SIM tray, certified High-Res audio, and Qualcomm Quick Charge 3.0 via the USB C port.
See also: Asus Zenfone 3 family hands-on57
If you look on the metal backside, ASUS has provided a fingerprint sensor and continues with the spun-cut, circular finish that made the second ZenFone so unique. However, ZenFone 3 is marketed as the photographer’s smartphone, equipped with PixelMaster 3.0. Essentially, this is the fancy name ASUS has given to the specific combination of hardware and software implemented in the ZenFone line: a 16MP main camera with Sony’s new IMX298 sensor, f/2.0 aperture, TriTech autofocus (a proprietary combination of laser, phase detection, and continuous autofocus) with subject-tracking, and both optical and electronic image stabilization. According to ASUS, the ZenFone 3 has almost instantaneous focus, able to lock on a subject in just 0.03 seconds while shooting both photos and video, which the ZenFone 3 offers in up to 4K UHD resolution.
ASUS Zenfone 3 Family Hands ...
ASUS Zenfone 2 Laser review
ASUS Zenfone 2E review
ASUS Zenfone 2 Review!
The ZenFone 3 is already an impressive device, especially considering that it starts at $249, but the ZenFone 3 Deluxe — which has just been released — takes it to another level. In terms of display technology, the ZenFone 3 Deluxe has an IPS LCD display in both its two sizes, 5.5 and 5.7-inch 1080p FHD, and both are protected by Corning Gorilla Glass 4. Perhaps most importantly, the ZenFone 3 Deluxe is the first device with a Snapdragon 821 processor to go on sale. The 821 is paired with the Adreno 530 GPU and up to 256GB of built-in UFS 2.0 storage that can still be expanded via microSD card; in the larger, 5.7-inch variant, the RAM is bumped to 6GB. And let’s not forget the primary camera, which is increased to 23MP with Sony’s IMX318 sensor; the front-facing selfie camera has 8MP like the standard model. Overall, the Deluxe edition offers a significant boost in processing and graphics performance with more megapixels in the camera at a base cost of $499.
Last but not least is the ZenFone 3 Ultra, which definitely earns its name with its 6.8-inch, tablet-sized IPS LCD display. It’s clear that the Ultra edition of the ZenFone 3 was intended for those who consume a lot of media on or through their devices; it offers high-quality DisplayPort connection via the USB C port, 4K UHD-level display processing that ASUS refers to as True2Life+ technology, and an array of audio technologies — Hi-Res audio, DTS 7.1-channel virtual surround sound with headphones, two 5-magnet internal speakers — that ASUS is called SonicMaster 3.0. The camera setup on the Ultra is the same as on the ZenFone 3 Deluxe, but with the processor and GPU of the standard ZenFone 3. The Ultra is expected to cost $479 when it’s released in the U.S.
Overall, the ZenFone 3 series is an impressive trio of devices that, collectively, will surely appeal to a very broad range of users. The ZenFone 3 Deluxe appears to be targeted at power users who prefer phablet devices; meanwhile, the ZenFone 3 is a perfectly capable Android device for anyone who doesn’t require the performance of the Deluxe and the Ultra will appeal to a similar audience as the standard version, but with a much richer multimedia experience. It’s worth noting, too, that the ZenFone 3 devices have launched or will launch with Android Marshmallow, but they will surely see an update to Nougat in the months following their releases.
Huawei Mate 9
Although it’s certainly not a newcomer, Huawei became a global name after making last year’s Nexus phablet. Since then, Huawei has seen success with the Huawei P9, Huawei P9 Plus, Huawei Mate 8, and Honor 8 among a few others. But with the release of new devices comes speculation as to what comes next. Lately, there’s been anticipation building for the Huawei Mate 9. It hasn’t yet officially been announced, and as you can imagine, the rumor mill has been working overtime. However, a number of the rumored specs for the upcoming Mate 9 seem plausible, so let’s take a look at some of the alleged details.
Honor 8 Review!
Huawei P9 Plus review
Huawei P9 review
Huawei Mate 8 Review
In the vain of the Mate 8, the Mate 9 will likely feature a 5.9-inch, 1080p FHD IPS-NEO LCD display with Corning Gorilla Glass 4 for durability. Also like the Mate 8, it’s believed that the Mate 9 will run on an octa-core Kirin processor, the new Kirin 960. As for the camera, rumor has it that the Mate 9 will have a dual-camera setup like the Huawei P9, increasing the resolution to 20MP from the 16MP of the Mate 8. The device should ship with 4GB of RAM and 64GB of expandable storage. While we can’t be certain what the battery size will be, it’s not unreasonable to expect something comparable to the 4000 mAh battery in the Mate 8. Speaking of the battery, Huawei recently filed a trademark application in the EU for “SuperCharge”, which seems to indicate the company will be implementing the new super-fast-charging technology that they demonstrated last year. This would be great since the demonstration showed a 3000mAh battery could get a 50-percent charge in just five minutes.
We had expected an official announcement for the Huawei Mate 9 at IFA, but alas, we still don’t have an official release date. The Mate 8 launched last November and the Mate 7 launched in October the previous year. Analysts are predicting a December launch for the Mate 9, so at the very least there seems to be strong chance of a fourth-quarter release. Also, according to a product listing the Huawei Mate 9 will ship with Android Nougat.
Sony Xperia X series
Although the fans of Sony Xperia devices are outnumbered by certain other OEMs, they’re definitely a vocal bunch. With the introduction of the Xperia X line this year — the jack-of-all-trades Xperia X, the super-powered Xperia X Performance, the budget-friendly Xperia XA, and the Xperia XA Ultra with the awesome selfie camera — it was clear that Sony was desperately trying to breathe some fresh life into their smartphone lineup. However, each device would come up just short of being truly extraordinary. Then at IFA 2016, Sony announced two more addition to the Xperia X line, the Xperia X Compact and the Xperia XZ, with the latter being particularly promising.
Sony Xperia XZ Hands On at I...
Sony Xperia X Compact Hands ...
Sony Xperia X Performance re...
Sony Xperia X review
Let’s start with the Xperia X Compact. As its name suggests, it’s the most compact of X series devices with a 4.6-inch 720p IPS LCD display, Corning Gorilla Glass 4, and 2.5D curve-edged glass. In fact, both sides of the X Compact are rounded, which is intended to make it more comfortable to hold. On the inside, the device holds a hexa-core Snapdragon 650 processor, an Adreno 510 GPU, 3GB of RAM, and 32GB of built-in storage that can be expanded with a microSD card up to an additional 256GB. In typical Sony fashion, the X Compact has quite the impressive camera for a device in its class, featuring a 23MP rear shooter with f/2.0 aperture, phase detection autofocus, LED flash, and it can record video in up to 1080p at 60 fps. The front-facing selfie camera is 5MP and can also shoot 1080p video.
The charging port on the X Compact is USB C with Quick Charge 3.0 and a 2700 mAh battery. Due to its release — which just started in the UK — the Xperia X Compact is launching with Android Marshmallow with a planned upgrade to Nougat in the future.
As a more mid-sized device, the Xperia XZ will launch with a 5.2-inch 1080p IPS LCD that has 2.5D curve-edged Corning Gorilla Glass 4. It ships with basically the same rear camera as the X Compact, but the front-facing selfie camera has been increased from 5MP to an impressive 13MP; and while the Xperia X Performance lacked 4K UHD video recording, the Xperia XZ has rectified the problem.
See also: No fingerprint scanners for the US Xperia XZ and X Compact models36
Sony refers to the XZ as their “new crown jewel” and the XZ certainly has the specs to back it up: a 64-bit Snapdragon 820 processor, Adreno 530 GPU, 3GB of RAM, and 32GB of built-in storage in the single-SIM variant or 64GB of expandable storage in the dual-SIM variant. Not only is its rounded, all-metal construction comfortable and durable, but the Xperia XZ has IP65/IP68 water and dust resistance. The device offers Quick Charge 3.0 through the USB C port and an addition adaptive charging technology by Qnovo, which is meant to extend battery life far beyond what you’d expect from a 2900 mAh battery.
By all appearances, the Xperia XZ is the hit Sony has been needing. The device will be released in the U.S. in mid- to late-October and, unfortunately, is shipping with Android Marshmallow; however, an upgrade to Nougat is also expected for the XZ within a few months of launch.
The first Tango phone
After buying Motorola from Google in 2014, it became clear that Lenovo planned to take a piece of the smartphone-market pie for itself, and Lenovorola seems to be succeeding. Not only have the past couple years of Motorola devices been some of the most well-received in the brand’s recent history, Lenovo has been designing and releasing noteworthy devices under its own name. In fact, the first Tango-enabled phone is the upcoming Lenovo Phab 2 Pro.
The “Phab” moniker may be so 2000-and-late, but there’s no denying that the Phab 2 Pro is going to be a hit. After all, people have been waiting to get their hands on the first Tango-enabled device since Google announced their partnership with Lenovo at CES 2016. If the term “Tango” doesn’t ring a bell, it’s a new proprietary augmented reality technology Google has been developing. That’s the simplest way to explain it. But to be more specific, Tango will use a variety of sensors in your mobile devices to create depth maps of your surroundings as well as to track your motion through and position in the area. It’s a bit difficult to conceptualize, but Google has released a few short videos with examples of what Tango can do.
See also: Lenovo Phab 2, Phab 2 Plus, Phab 2 Pro hands on17
Although it’s one of three devices in the Phab 2 series, only the Pro edition is Tango-enabled. When you look at the Phab 2 Pro, the first thing you’ll notice is probably going to be its size. The Phab 2 Pro has a 6.4-inch QHD IPS LCD display with 2.5D curve-edged Gorilla Glass 4. This may seem excessive, but remember that this phone is essentially the prototype for a new augmented reality technology, so anyone who ends up buying the Phab 2 Pro to play around with Tango is going to appreciate the extra real estate.
In terms of appearance, it has an all-metal unibody with a design that’s reminiscent of the ZTE Axon 7 and recent Huawei devices. On the inside, the Phab 2 Pro runs on a Snapdragon 652 Tando-Edition processor and an Adreno 510 GPU with 4GB of RAM and 64GB of expandable storage. The backside of the Phab 2 Pro features not one, not two, but three cameras with the primary being a 16MP shooter with phase detection autofocus as well as depth- and motion-tracking sensors; the other two cameras are to allow the camera to render images in 3D. On the front, an eight-megapixel camera provides more than enough resolution for great selfies. As well, the Phab 2 Pro has a fingerprint sensor, which has become an essential security feature on current generations of smartphones.
Related: Tango-powered Lenovo Phab 2 Pro delayed to the fall5
For the audiophiles among us, the Phab 2 Pro is equipped with Dolby Atmos audio and three microphones, which give the device the ability to capture 5.1-channel, 360-degree audio for surround sound. The device will hold a 4050 mAh battery and although it won’t offer Qualcomm’s Quick Charge, Lenovo is including its own proprietary fast-charging technology that will provide 2.4-times the standard charging speed. It’s expected that the Lenovo Phab 2 Pro will run Android Marshmallow out of the box with the Nougat update to follow months after its release. According to Lenovo’s website — where you can submit your contact information to be notified of any announcements and for the device’s official release — the Phab 2 Pro will retail for $499 and after a series of delays, the first Tango-enabled phone is expected to launch sometime in the fourth quarter.
What phones are you excited about?
Are there any phones we didn’t add to this post and you are looking forward to? Hit the comments and let us know! Also share your thoughts on the handsets listed above.