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Best smartphones to look forward to in 2014
2/4/2014 5:12:00 PM

With the pace of smartphone evolution moving so fast, there's always something waiting in the wings. No sooner have you spied the latest handset, then there's anticipation of something else, the next big thing.

We've rounded up the best smartphones for 2014, those we consider to be the best across all platforms, and we've regularly updated that list as the smartphone world has evolved over the last year from 2013 in to 2014. You can find those in our Best smartphones 2014 feature.

READ: Best smartphones 2014: The best phones available to buy today

Here we're looking at those phones that haven't yet launched, those we know are coming, or are anticipated. Some will be rumour, some will be fact, but here we'll cut through the speculation to highlight those phones we really want to see. We'll 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.

HTC M8/new HTC One

We've known since July 2013 that the next HTC flagship handset is referred to internally as the HTC M8, the successor to the M7, the device that became the HTC One. With HTC saying that the "One" name is here to stay, it's safe to predict that the final commercial name will be new HTC One or HTC One (2014) or something like that. That much has been mentioned by a judge in a patent case in the UK, along with a launch date of Q1 2014.

HTC is a creature of habit, so we'd predict that the next-gen HTC One will launch in February 2014. Perhaps not at Mobile World Congress 2014, but within a few weeks of the mobile tradeshow with its own global launch event and we'd expect the shipping date to be the end of March or early April.

As for the specs, it looks like HTC will be bringing the M8 up to mark with a 2.3GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 chipset, a 5-inch 1920 x 1080 pixel resolution display and Android 4.4 KitKat with Sense 6.0. There's little to surprise in there and we suspect most of the attention will be on the metal body construction as HTC looks to repeat the luscious looks of the 2013 HTC One.

We'll be keeping a close eye on HTC and bringing you any news we hear on the next HTC handset.

Samsung Galaxy S5

For many, the hottest handset on the horizon will be the Samsung Galaxy S5. Where does Samsung go after packing everything into the Samsung Galaxy S4 and following up with the excellent Samsung Galaxy Note 3?

There are already rumours swirling about the Samsung Galaxy S5, including talk of a 5.2-inch device that bumps the resolution up to 2560 x 1440 (560ppi), meaning it would be super-sharp and class leading for pixel density. We're sure we'll see a matching of the Note 3's SD800 and 3GB of RAM to give it plenty of power. There's also talk of a metal body alongside the plastic version, with Samsung looking to draw those that HTC attracted with its premium finishes.

Perhaps more importantly, Samsung appears to be looking at a refresh for its user interface in the SGS5. We've seen a number of leaks showing a new card-based interface that looks much more mature than TouchWiz of the past.

Samsung has sent out invites for its Unpacked 5 event at Mobile World Congress 2014 in February. We'd expect that to be the Samsung Galaxy S5 launch date.

Sony Xperia Z2/Sirius

Sony used CES 2014 to launch two devices, the Z1 Compact and the Z1S. Neither are a flagship replacement for the Z1. Traditionally Sony has launched a new device at the beginning of the year, but it looks like we're in for an update later in 2014. There are rumours of a new flagship handset, codenamed Sirius, to be launched at Mobile World Congress in February 2014.

The Xperia Z product line has a real strength in design. We love the slim monolitic looks, but felt that the Z1 took things a little too far, with the handset bloating too much to accomodate all the tech within. We'd predict that the Xperia Z2/Sirius will slim things down a little, but keep to a similar, recognisable, design that fits the family.

We'd also expect similar internals to the Z1, with a Qualcomm Snapdragon 800, perhaps 3GB of RAM, a full HD display, with suggestions it might grow to 5.2 inches to match the LG G2. If Sony can do this without growing the size of the phone's body, then it will be an impressive feat. We'd also expect Sony to be supporting 4K video capture with the camera, ready for playback on your Sony 4K TV.

LG G3

LG has seen a return to form in 2013, with the LG G2 doing a lot to restore faith in the company's smartphone ambitions. That, and the new Nexus 5, see growing anticipation for LG's next flagship device, the LG G3.

The LG G3 is said to land with a 2560 x 1440 pixel resolution display, with a slight increase in size. One of the strengths of the G2 is packing a larger 5.2-inch display into a handset that's smaller than some rivals (like the Xperia Z1), so we'd expect to see the same again: more display without the bulk.

There's talk of LG using it's octa-core Odin chipset to power the G3, but as far as rumours go, there's less circulating than there is with other manufacturers.

READ MORE LG G3 news

LG G Pro 2

Alongside the new LG G3 flagship, LG is also rumoured to be launching the LG G Pro 2. Although the details of the new handset haven't been confirmed, LG has mentioned it a number of times, confirming it's coming in February, presumably at Mobile World Congress 2014.

The LG G Pro 2 is claimed to be coming with a 5.9-inch 1080 x 1920 resolution display and LTE connectivity. There have also been suggestions of a fingerprint scanner making its way onto the handset. LG has also said that the G Pro 2 will get itself a 13-megapixel camera with optical image stabilisation.

Other details are scarce at the moment as with the LG G3, but an image claiming to be the LG G Pro 2 shows rear volume controls like the G Flex and LG G2.

READ MORE LG G Pro 2 news

Nokia Lumia 929/Nokia Lumia Icon

Nokia has been going from strength to strength in 2013, making Windows Phone a much more attractive proposition over the past 12 months. The best device so far has been the Lumia 1520, as it breaks new ground for Windows Phone, pushing the display resolution up and making better use of the space available.

The Nokia Lumia 929 looks to be heading to Verizon where it will be called the Nokia Lumia Icon, but it appears to plug a gap in the Lumia line-up. That's perhaps difficult to believe, given the number of handsets that Nokia has, but the Lumia Icon will offer a Full HD 5-inch display, along with a 20-megapixel PureView camera. That's something that might grab the attention of those getting tired of Android.

If the Lumia 929 appears outside of Verizon - which it probably will - it should give you all the goodness of the Lumia 1520, but in a pocketable package closer in size to the current batch of Android flagship devices. Now that's an exciting proposition.

READ MORE Nokia Lumia 929 news

Nokia X (Normandy)

There has been a flurry of leaks surrounding the Nokia Normandy, or Nokia X, said to be the company's first foray into an Android-based operating system. If the rumours are to be believed, it seems it's aligning with the Asha family of handsets, destined for the affordable end of the market.

It looks like it will be coming in a range of colours in the sort of polycarbonate body and design familiar from Lumia devices. The specs, however, tell the budget story, with a rumoured 4-inch display with 854 x 480 pixel resolution, a 1GHz processor and 512MB of RAM. It's said to come with dual SIM compatibility and a user interface that's heavily customised to put Nokia's services before Google's.

Nokia has scheduled a press event for Mobile World Congress 2014, so we may see the Nokia X make an appearance.

Nokia Lumia 1520V

There has been a rush of rumours surrounding Nokia, including mention of a big Lumia 1820, a solar-powered Lumia 1525 and the rather pedestrian Lumia 1520V. There isn't anything like the density of leaks as there is with the Nokia X, but the Lumia 1520V looks interesting. The V it's said, is a smaller version of Nokia's excellent 1520.

The Lumia 1520V is said to a 4.45-inch version of the Nokia phablet launched in late 2013. There's some debate about the resolution, but it looks like 1280 x 768 is likely, given the size. Offering all the power in a smaller package worked for Sony in the Xperia Z1 Compact and we'd love to see Nokia follow suit.

However, the name strikes us as rather odd. With Nokia's numerical naming convention, we can't see why this would be the 1520V, and not the 955 or something.

As we said, there isn't a huge amount to go on, but an April date has been bandied around.

READ MORE Nokia Lumia 1520V news

Samsung Galaxy Note 3 Neo

The Samsung Galaxy Note 3 is undoubtedly a great device. It's king of the phablets and has been a huge success for the company, helping remind us why big devices are also beautiful.

But for some, it's just too much. It's too big, it's too expensive and it's overkill: enter the Neo, to bring the Galaxy Note experience to a wider audience. Samsung has formally announced the Galaxy Note 3 Neo, but it looks like Neo won't be coming to the UK or US. Those in Poland, however, you're in luck.

The Galaxy Note 3 Neo features faux leather back, neatly dressing the 5.5-inch 720p AMOLED display, 1.6GHz quad-core processor and 8-megapixel camera. It sounds like the Note 2 in a new coat and that's pretty much what it is, with LTE thrown into the mix.

LG G Flex

The LG G Flex has already been announced, one of the first devices to launch with a curved display. It's certainly an exciting prospect. Not only is it offering a distinctive form factor, but it has a 6-inch display and plenty of power under the hood with a Snapdragon 800 chipset.

The thing that's the most interesting, however, is not the raw specs themselves, but that LG is seeing what it can do with a flexible display. Some will say it's a proof of concept as much as anything else, but we can see the appeal - not only to make it face hugging, so it's not so crazy when making calls, but also on how your thumb moves around the display.

We've had our hands-on the LG G Flex, which is confirmed to be coming to the UK in February 2014 with EE, and we're impressed with the range of software additions to make the larger format useful.

READ MORE Hands-on with the LG G Flex

Samsung Galaxy Round

The Samsung Galaxy Round is another device, like the LG G Flex, that has already been announced, seeing the two Korean giants going head to head. They're a similar concept, but the curve of Samsung's device is on the opposite axis to that of LG.

The Samsung Galaxy Round has a 5.7-inch 1080p display and seems to take some of its styling from the Galaxy Note 3, with a faux leather back. There's plenty of power with a Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 chipset and 3GB of RAM, and all the normal Samsung software goodies.

We're yet to see the Galaxy Round hit the shelves, but again, like the LG, we're excited to see something a little different and see how the curved display is going to impact on the future of what we want from smartphones.

READ MORE Samsung Galaxy Round news

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PenGadgets

Wednesday, February 5, 2014

Best smartphones to look forward to in 2014