With new phones, the market simply can’t seem to get enough. If 2016 was a bustling year for smartphone makers, 2017 is getting even better. Samsung has already shaken the scene with the much-acclaimed S8, and we only have more to look forward to; from Samsung, as well as the other giants, like Google and Apple. We’ve curated a bunch of leaks and rumours floating on the internet to give you a peek at what can be expected:

Galaxy Note 8

Six months ago, we were writing off Samsung’s whole Note line after the Note 7 went through its explosive fiasco. Despite all the bad press, the faith in Samsung is so high that people who didn’t experience problems with their handsets didn’t want to send them back. Now, refurbished Note 7s are actually going to be sold in some markets. On top of that, the Note 8 is being awaited eagerly, even though there are many months to go yet for its possible release.

Android blogs are reporting rumours that the Note 8 will be the first Samsung phone to come with dual cameras. There are many other phones with such a setup but Samsung has been making great phone cameras, so this would be a good reason for photography buffs to get excited. Android Authority says there are rumours that the Note 8 will have a 12MP wide-angle lens paired with a 13MP telephoto lens and 3x optical zoom. Samsung’s Note has traditionally been even more feature-packed than the main flagship. And so the curiosity begins.

Google Pixel 2

The Pixel was not as much of a success as Google might have hoped it would be. It came with an uninspiring design, several glitches, and a price customers were not at all happy with. Support and the availability of accessories has also been an issue, especially in India. But the two Pixel phones also sported a remarkable camera, extremely smooth performance and the first ever Google Assistant. Google reached out to users to crowdsource ideas on what the next Pixel should be like.

Now it’s rumoured that there will be three Pixel variants coming up in big, bigger, biggest sizes. These Pixel 2, Pixel 2XL and Pixel 2XXL are rumoured to be code-named Muskie, Walleye and Taimen.

Not that this tells us much. What is pretty certain is that they’ll come with Android 0 (Possibly Oreo) and will be powerful devices. Again, dual cameras are being hinted at as is a minimal-bezel screen, which of course is set to be the flavour of the day for phones now. Google’s phones are a while away yet.

The HTC U 11

This new flagship from the Taiwanese tech company has just been unveiled but is yet to make its way around the world, including India. Like the earlier U Ultra, it has a shiny glossy back in interesting metallic colours. This looks dramatic but attracts smudges. With the U 11, HTC has debuted a new way of interacting with the phone and that’s by squeezing the side. The feature is called Edge Sense and it lets the user do specified things like launch the camera or trigger the Gmail app. Apparently, the squeeze has to be quite firm, so this may not end up being everyone’s favourite way of input, but an innovation is an innovation. Another interesting thing about the U 11 is that it has three whole virtual assistants to it: HTC Sense Companion, Google Assistant, and Amazon Alexa. You could also add Microsoft’s Cortana via its app and make a party of it.

What users may look forward to on the U 11 is a greatly improved camera. And perhaps a better price this time, though it isn’t that likely.

The OnePlus 5

There have been so many rumours and leaks over this device that it’s difficult to know what to believe. It does go to show the intensity of interest in this ‘flagship killer’. As ever, the OnePlus 5, successor to the OnePlus 3T, is expected to be stuffed to the gills with specs, starting with the Snapdragon 835, which will have either a 6GB or 8GB RAM to work with. A recent photo that leaked seems to show a phone that looks similar to the previous ones and the presumption is that the device will stick to a 5.5-inch format. Leaked pictures have also teased a dual vertical rear camera set for the phone, and a patterned finish on the back. On the other hand, it is also said that the front will have reduced bezels and the device will come in new colours. A 4,000mAh battery is rumoured along with Dash Charging that will improve a good 25 per cent over the previous, which was fast to begin with. The latest leaks say that it could be launched as early as June 15, and the company has also officially announced that the OnePlus 3T will be discontinued.

The iPhone 8

No one knows what the 10th anniversary iPhone will really be called and how many variants there will be (three are rumoured, with one extra large) but despite the fact that a possible launch is half a year away, the rumour mill is churning with purported sightings of components, etc. Fans are also publishing iPhone 8 concepts in the hope that Apple will pick up something from them. One long-standing rumour has it that the iPhone’s screen will be using the OLED technology that Apple has shunned so far and will be edge to edge with curved edges — if that sounds familiar, it’s something similar to the infinity Display on Samsung’s S8 smartphones. In fact, Samsung would have to be the supplier for this. Other reports also say that the latest iPhone will have a tall 18.5:9 aspect ratio; again, like the Samsung S8.

The new iPhone is said to be finally coming with wireless charging and something interesting is happening to the cameras, which are now differently arranged on one of the three editions. It’s said that two iPhones, a 7s and 7s Plus will come with evolutionary changes but the iPhone 8 will be the one with bigger changes — and it will be expensive.

Xiaomi Mi 6

Already launched in China with no official date set for an India release, the Mi 6 is being awaited because it’s packed with everything. It’s a 5.14-inch device, which promises to be a handy size, and it’s running on the Snapdragon 835 processor. The Mi 6 is busy selling out within minutes in flash sales in China. A ceramic edition is particularly hot-selling.

It’s on the latest version of Android and has 6GB of RAM and 128GB by way of storage — non-expandable. The dual camera set features 12MP sensors with a wide angle lens and a zoom. The front camera is an 8MP. With the camera significantly made more capable, Xiaomi will up its game in a fiercely competitive market.

The main Mi 6 is all glass and metal and has a Full HD display. A 3,350mAh battery, splash resistance and dual speakers only add to the smartphone’s desirability.

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