Apple
The iPhone 16 series and the upcoming iPhone SE 4 are among the most anticipated smartphones of this year.
Rumor has it that the “cheap” iPhone SE 4 could be introduced in the spring. It is estimated that the smartphone will have a completely new design for this series, which will be expressed with a notched “frameless” screen. The device will get a body from the iPhone 14, the only difference is that there will be one camera on the back panel instead of two. Therefore, the back panel of the device will resemble the iPhone XR, which was once a bestseller.
Apparently, the iPhone SE 4 will be equipped with a 6.1-inch OLED display with a 60 Hz image refresh rate. This is due to the fact that the iPhone SE 4 will have a body like the iPhone 14 and it will not be possible to squeeze screens of different sizes into the same cases.
The current 2022 model has the same 4.7-inch IPS display as the iPhone 8, with thick bezels on the top and bottom, and a Home button with a Touch ID fingerprint scanner. The new product should receive a modern face scanner Face ID or Touch ID, built into the lock and power button.
The Apple A16 chip will be responsible for the performance of the device, and the main camera will have a resolution of 48 megapixels. Although some sources still believe that the smartphone will retain the 12-megapixel sensor. Moreover, an ultra-wide-angle sensor is definitely not expected in the iPhone SE 4.
Therefore, positioning the device as a budget device can be a big question mark, because you cannot save much money by just giving up the ultra-wide-angle camera.
In the iPhone 16 series, according to leaks, the changes will not be that serious. For example, all models will feature an action button, which was introduced on the iPhone 15 Pro and 15 Pro Max last year.
The new items are expected to receive new hardware, and Apple will no longer install last year’s chips in base models. Thus, the iPhone 16 and 16 Plus will receive the 3-nanometer Apple A18 chips, and the flagship iPhone 16 Pro and 16 Pro Max will receive the A18 Pro.
Some insiders also pointed out that the screen, which can be called Ultra, on the iPhone 16 Pro Max has been increased from 6.7 inches to 6.9 inches. However, the credibility of these leaks is still questionable as such rumors have been around for several years.
The new items will be similar to the existing iPhone 15 series in many aspects, including design. Presentations are expected in the fall of 2024.
Samsung Galaxy S24
The flagship series of Samsung Galaxy S24 will be presented as one of the first among all the devices collected in this collection. Rumor has it that the presentation will take place on January 17. There will be three models in the series: Galaxy S24, S24+ and S24 Ultra.
There will be little difference between the first two. So, while the base S24 will have a 6.2-inch display with Full HD + resolution, the S24 + will offer a 6.7-inch panel with QHD + resolution. In both cases, the screen will have a high refresh rate of up to 120Hz.
The Samsung Exynos 2400 chip will be responsible for the performance of the Galaxy S24, while the Galaxy S24+ model will receive the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chip. RAM will be 8 GB in the basic version, and 12 GB in the “plus” version.
The cameras in both cases are the same: a 50-megapixel main camera, a 12-megapixel ultra-wide-angle module and a telephoto lens with 3x optical zoom with a resolution of 10 megapixels.
The batteries in the two models will have a capacity of 4000 and 4900 mAh with fast charging support.
The most interesting in this series seems to be the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra. The older model will get a 6.8-inch display with QHD+ resolution and up to 120 Hz refresh rate, Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chip and 12 GB RAM.
The camera set in the flagship model will look like this: 200-megapixel main sensor, 12-megapixel ultra-wide-angle module, 10-megapixel telephoto lens with 3x zoom and 50-megapixel telephoto lens with 5x optical zoom and 120x digital zoom.
The most important change of the S24 Ultra compared to its predecessor will be the titanium frame like the iPhone 15 Pro and 15 Pro Max.
Google Pixel
Google Pixel smartphones are popular only among enthusiasts in Russia and the CIS countries. But these devices always offer some of the best cameras, so fans eagerly await new models every year.
Already in late spring or early summer, the budget Pixel 8a will be presented, which will receive similar features to the flagship Pixel 8 and 8 Pro at a lower price.
It is currently known that Pixel 8a will be equipped with a compact OLED display with a 90 Hz refresh rate. The exact dimensions are not specified, but from the “live” photos of the smartphone leaked online, it is clear that it will have quite thick bezels around the entire perimeter of the screen.
The performance of the device will be the same as the older flagship models – the smartphone will receive a Google Tensor G3 chip and 8 GB of RAM.
The strongest point of Google smartphones has always been their cameras, or more precisely, their image processing algorithms. Thanks to Google’s post-processing magic, sensor resolution, model, and size don’t matter much on the Pixel 8a. However, exact information about the cameras is still unknown.
Other features of the upcoming Pixel 8a include wireless charging (only 5W), albeit very slow, and long-term support from the manufacturer, where the smartphone will receive updates until 2031.
Considering all its advantages and disadvantages, the Pixel 8a smartphone can be priced around $ 500, which distinguishes it from its competitors.
The flagship Pixel 9 and 9 Pro will also be released this year, but there is almost no information about these devices yet.
realme 12
Last year’s Realme 11 Pro series stood out from its competitors with its good features, high-quality 200 MP main camera and unique design. This year, the brand’s new mid-budget products will become even more interesting – according to rumors, the Realme 12 Pro series smartphones will receive a telephoto lens.
Little is known about the smartphone yet. However, according to insider information, Realme 12 Pro will come with a dual-zoom 32 MP Sony IMX709 telephoto lens and triple-zoom 12 Pro + and a 64 MP OV64B sensor.
Such a solution for a mid-budget device could be a revolution for this segment, because until recently not every flagship could offer such cameras.
Also, Snapdragon 7 Gen 3 will be responsible for the performance of the old model, perhaps the same chip will be installed in the base model.
Unlike all the above-mentioned smartphones, Realme devices will be available in Russia officially and with a manufacturer’s warranty, which for many is an important point before buying. The release date and price of Realme 12 Pro smartphones are still kept secret.