With any luck, 2021 will be much better than 2020, but there are at least a lot of exciting smartphones to look forward to.
From high-profile devices like the iPhone 13 to quirks like the LG Rollable, there has to be something for everyone. Below, we’ve highlighted ten of the most interesting options we’ll see before the end of the year.
These are phones that in most cases are likely to be great, and should at least be interesting, unusual, or innovative.
Samsung Galaxy S21 Series
The Samsung Galaxy S21 and its likely siblings – the Samsung Galaxy S21 Plus and Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra – are probably the most anticipated Android phones. There is also no need to wait long for them, as there are rumors that the Samsung Galaxy S21 series may already be announced on January 14th.
So what can you expect from the three phones? It goes without saying that they will have leading power, with rumors suggesting that they will pack the Snapdragon 888 chipset (in the US) or the Exynos 2100 (in most other places) – both will probably be among the most powerful of the year .
Perhaps the most exciting upgrade is support for the S Pen stylus on the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra, a rumored move that could bring the phone much closer to the Galaxy Note range. We also hear talk of high-specifications, with the S21 Ultra possibly offering 10x optical zoom.
iPhone 13 Series
The iPhone 13 series is probably even more expected than the Samsung Galaxy S21 series, but there is a longer time to wait for these phones as it will probably only land in September.
There may be some major upgrades for these new models, with high refresh rate screens, 1TB storage, on-screen fingerprint scanners and a smaller notch. There is also talk of adding a periscope camera, allowing for a larger optical zoom range.
Since the phones are still far away at the time of writing, we are not yet confident in these things. What you can rest assured that it will be very powerful and that Apple will likely offer the same range of phones as in the iPhone 12 series – which means an iPhone 13, an iPhone 13 mini, an iPhone 13 Pro and an iPhone 13 Pro Max .
OnePlus 9 Series
The OnePlus 9 series is likely to land in March or April and offers a slightly cheaper way to get the kind of latest technology we expect to see in phones like the Samsung Galaxy S21.
There will probably be a OnePlus 9, a OnePlus 9 Pro and possibly also a brand new model called the OnePlus 9E.
To be expected, all three phones may use the top-end Snapdragon 888 chipset, and they will likely also have screens with a high refresh rate, and the Pro model will likely offer at least 120Hz.
We do not know much else about it yet, but leaks suggest that the standard OnePlus 9 will have a 48MP main camera, an ultra-wide 48MP and an unknown third lens, as well as 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage. , while the OnePlus 9 Pro is probably the only one of the three that has IP68 certification for water and dust resistance.
Samsung Galaxy Z Vou 3
The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 is probably not as mainstream as most phones on this list, but it may be more exciting than most of them, as foldable phones are probably the future, and the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 is probably the best one yet.
In addition to having a large, foldable screen, the most important Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 rumors so far indicate that it can support Samsung’s S Pen stylus, have a camera on the screen and possibly even an RGB light strip on its hinge.
We did not hear much else at the time of writing, but we expect more rumors to penetrate before the release, which may be in June if the leaks believe, although some sources reckon it will only be in the second half of the year.
LG Rolbaar
The LG Rollable is a very large card, not least because we are not at all sure that it even exists. But there is evidence that LG is developing a phone with a scrolling screen and that it may come out somewhere in 2021.
Based on a patent, it may be a device with which you can protrude the left and right screen edges, but because it rolls rather than folds, and because the mechanism is compactly hidden in the phone, it can look a lot like a normal smartphone looks like the screen is not extended. According to another leak, it could range from 6.8 inches to 7.4 inches.
A trademark application for the ‘LG Rollable’ name, meanwhile, contains the mention of ‘electronic touchscreen pens’, so as with the Galaxy Z Fold 3 you might get a stylus for it.
The LG Rollable sounds ambitious and we have not heard much about it yet, so the chances are high that it will not land in 2021, and if it does, it will probably be very expensive, but it certainly sounds interesting. The only rumor about it so far says it could land in the first half of the year.
Oppo Find X3 Series
Oppo is not as big a name as Samsung or OnePlus, but over the past few years it has been making phones that compete at their best, and the Oppo Find X3 series may be the next to do so.
In fact, it is perhaps more exciting and innovative than most big-name flagships, as rumors suggest that the Oppo Find X3 Pro will have a macro camera that can function a bit like a microscope, with 25x zoom and lights around the lens.
The phone can also have NFC that works on the front and back of the handset, so you can tap on the screen against payment terminals rather than on the back – a small feature, but one we haven’t really seen yet.
In addition, the specifications sound top-end through and through, with 3K resolution, high refresh rate screen, fast charging, lots of camera lenses and more. And you do not have to wait long, because we expect the Oppo Find X3 series to start early in the year.
Nokia 10
We’ve been waiting a long time for the Nokia 10, so much so that it’s been through a few names since the rumors started – originally it’s been thought to launch the Nokia 9.1, but over time it’s changed to Nokia 9.2, 9.3, and now Nokia 10.
Whether 2021 will be the year it lands remains to be seen, especially since we do not know much about it yet, but rumors suggest a selfie camera on the screen, a sapphire glass display, a stainless steel frame and ‘ a top-end Snapdragon 888 chipset, so it can be a very premium phone.
There is also talk of a very different camera setup than the Nokia 9 PureView with penta lens, but in what respects it will differ is unclear.
iPhone SE 3
Although the iPhone 13 series is the most anticipated Apple phones, the company may also launch a successor to the iPhone SE (2020) in 2021.
We have heard very little about the iPhone SE 3 so far and the chances are high that we will only see it later, but if it is launched in 2021, it will probably have an A14 Bionic chipset (same as the iPhone 12 series).
There is also talk of an iPhone SE Plus, which could eventually become the iPhone SE 3. It is believed to have a larger 5.5- or 6.1-inch screen, but to maintain the overall affordability of the iPhone SE series. What is not clear is whether the iPhone SE 3 will retain the physical home button and large edges – a design that is becoming increasingly dated.
Samsung Galaxy Note 21 Series
The biggest question about the Samsung Galaxy Note 21 series is whether it will even be launched, with rumors circulating that Samsung wants to add stylus support to the Galaxy S21 Ultra and Galaxy Z Fold 3, so that it’s the Note series can strike.
At this point, it seems likely that the days of the Note series are numbered, but we can still get a Samsung Galaxy Note 21.
There’s not really news yet on what it offers, but as usual for the series, you can expect an S Pen stylus, a large screen to make the most of it, and plenty of power. If the Samsung Galaxy Note 21 does launch, we’ll probably see it in or around August.
Sony Xperia 1 III Compact
Aside from the expected Sony Xperia 1 III, there are rumors that the company might launch a Sony Xperia 1 III Compact, and it is this phone that we are more excited about as there are not many compact phones these days.
Rumor has it that it may have a 5.5-inch screen and a top-of-the-range mid-range disc set – though we’re hoping for a high-end screen. We still do not know much else about the Compact or the standard Sony Xperia 1 III, but with the phones possibly starting in the first half of the year, we will hopefully learn more soon.