It has been a very nice 12 months for Android telephones; we bought insane cameras from Xiaomi and Vivo, Google went all-in on AI, OnePlus lastly launched a foldable, and Samsung nonetheless managed to outsell everybody else by having a bigger advertising funds and availability in just about all international locations.
With 2024 simply across the nook, there’s loads to be enthusiastic about. We already know an honest quantity about key launches just like the OnePlus 12 and Xiaomi 14, and with the Galaxy S24 sequence debuting imminently, Q1 2024 goes to be a busy time within the business. Having used nearly all of the telephones launched in 2023, this is what I need to see from Android manufacturers in 2024.
Samsung
With the Galaxy S24 sequence slated to launch in January, we do not have to attend lengthy to see if Samsung rolls out any significant upgrades or if it may be enterprise as normal. What I am extra occupied with is the Galaxy A55; it hasn’t gotten an overhaul in just a few years, and I need Samsung to introduce up to date digicam modules and a brand new design subsequent 12 months.
Whereas leaked renders counsel Samsung goes to proceed with the same design aesthetic, the A55 ought to get barely sooner internals because of the Exynos 1480. It may even provide an AMD-based GPU, and that ought to make issues way more attention-grabbing within the mid-range phase. And as I am making requests, I would actually wish to see a greater wide-angle lens on the again of the mid-range Galaxy A sequence.
However the largest change must be round charging tech; sure, I perceive that Samsung could also be reticent to take action, however the model already presents 45W charging on the S23 Plus and S23 Extremely, and it may well simply deliver that over to the remainder of its portfolio. Samsung additionally wants to handle PWM sensitivity; most producers now provide shows with PWM dimming so that they are simpler on the eyes, however Samsung hasn’t carried out a lot on this phase — you will not discover any Samsung gadgets in our finest telephones for PWM sensitivity checklist.
Whereas Samsung is in a dominant place with its foldables, the {hardware} is nowhere pretty much as good as what Chinese language producers are doing in the mean time. The Galaxy Z Fold 5 felt like an inferior product to all of the Chinese language foldables I used this 12 months, and the one motive it is outselling the whole lot else is as a result of the opposite producers haven’t got a foothold in North America. Samsung must do significantly better with its 2024 foldables, and it may well begin by including a wider cowl display screen to the Z Fold 6.
Google leaned closely on AI with the Pixel 8 sequence, and to its credit score, it really delivered helpful options that make a distinction — Video Enhance and Audio Magic Eraser are my favourite options on the Pixel 8 Professional. I need Google to go even additional in 2024 with these options and create the last word AI-enabled gadgets.Â
Additionally, I would wish to see a few of these AI options present up on the Pixel 8a in 2024; the mid-range phase is the place Google really shines, and I need to see the model proceed to construct on the Pixel 7a‘s strengths.
Like Samsung, Google is simply too conservative in the case of charging tech, and I would wish to see that change in 2024. I am not saying Google ought to begin providing 100W charging on its gadgets, but when it may well handle to go as much as 65W over the USB PD 3.0 normal, that may make the Pixels that rather more alluring.
Greater than anything, Google must type out availability. Its merchandise are nonetheless restricted to only a dozen international locations, and that should change if the model desires to be seen as a critical participant within the {hardware} phase. Actually, I simply need Google to launch the next-gen Pixel Fold in India — is that an excessive amount of to ask?
Xiaomi
Xiaomi had a stellar 12 months on the again of gadgets just like the Redmi Word 12 Professional and Xiaomi 13 Extremely, and I am excited to see how the model’s reimagined software program holds up with the Xiaomi 14 sequence.
For some time, it regarded like Xiaomi would have the ability to measure as much as Samsung in international markets, however that pleasure leveled off this 12 months. Whereas the model continues to do nicely within the funds and mid-range classes, it nonetheless would not fairly have the identical kind of cachet within the high-end phase as Samsung and Google — and that is regardless of the Xiaomi 13 Extremely having the finest total digicam bundle you may get at this time.
The largest challenge with Xiaomi is its lackadaisical perspective in the case of launching its marquee merchandise exterior China. The Xiaomi 13 Extremely launched globally, however it’s only obtainable in a restricted set of nations, and Xiaomi’s largest abroad markets missed out on the machine. Not like Google, Xiaomi has the distribution community to launch its telephones globally, so I am not likely certain what’s stopping the model from doing so. It additionally must deliver its foldables exterior China if it desires to go up in opposition to Samsung and Honor.
OnePlus/OPPO
I used to be going to counsel that OnePlus launch its R sequence gadgets globally, however the firm has simply confirmed that it’s doing simply that with the OnePlus 12R, so it clearly is aware of what I need. The transfer makes lots of sense; the OnePlus 11R delivers the most effective options of the OnePlus 11 — together with the identical main digicam — however it’s way more inexpensive, making it the plain selection for these trying to maximize worth. I did not perceive why the machine was restricted to India, however I am glad to see the 12R goes international — it has the makings of a terrific mid-ranger.
Clearly, the standout machine of the 12 months must be the OnePlus Open, and the producer did a terrific job with the foldable. Whereas I’ll have been a bit harsh in my assessment, OnePlus did an excellent job finding out the software program points just a few weeks after launch, and the foldable is faultless now.
OnePlus may also be trying to proceed its momentum into 2024. The OnePlus 12 is launching globally on January 23, and it’s packing appreciable upgrades — each on the digicam and charging aspect of issues. I need to see respectable upgrades with the Nord portfolio as nicely, together with bringing the Nord numbered sequence to North America. Whereas the Nord N30 is aimed on the funds phase, it has far too many shortcomings, and the Nord 4 ought to get a world launch subsequent 12 months.
Issues have been just a little totally different with OPPO this 12 months, with the model exiting a number of international markets. It additionally did not launch its finest telephone of the 12 months — the Discover X6 Professional — exterior China, and that is a letdown, contemplating how good the cameras are on the machine. It would not seem like OPPO will change its technique going into 2024, and the Discover X7 might be restricted to its residence nation. In international areas, the model is as a substitute specializing in its foldables and the mid-range Reno portfolio.
For 2024, I need to see a OnePlus flip telephone that is based mostly on the Discover N3 Flip. It needs to be comparatively simple to attain because the Discover N3 Flip already has all of the requisite elements — an alert slider, ColorOS, legacy OxygenOS options, and a beautiful design. Launching the machine below the OnePlus label permits OPPO entry to a considerably wider viewers, and it may well go up in opposition to Samsung in North America.
Honor
Actually, I did not assume Honor would do pretty much as good a job with foldables; the Magic V2 is among the finest telephones I used this 12 months, and lots of that’s all the way down to the unbelievably skinny design. Honor can be doing lots of good issues within the mid-range phase, and the Honor 90 is a terrific telephone with a beautiful design.
Whereas I’ve no points with Honor’s {hardware}, the software program wants an overhaul — MagicOS 7.1 nonetheless feels too much like EMUI, and a cleaner design with much less bloatware would go a great distance in making Honor’s telephones stand out.
My largest supply of frustration with Honor is that it takes too lengthy to launch its gadgets. I wrote concerning the Magic V2 three months in the past, and when Honor launched the machine at IFA, I assumed gross sales would kick off instantly. However that wasn’t the case, and the machine is now slated to be obtainable in Q1 2024, and that is simply too late — Honor actually must do higher on this space in 2024.
ASUS
I have been bugging ASUS for the final two years to launch a bigger model of the Zenfone. The Zenfone 10 is the finest small Android telephone you may get, with ASUS by some means managing to cram all of the options you may discover in a flagship right into a small chassis.
Whereas ASUS says it will not launch a bigger mannequin within the Zenfone sequence, the upcoming ROG Cellphone 8 may simply be that machine; leaks level to a design that is way more mainstream, and that ought to permit the machine to cater to a wider viewers. I like what ASUS is doing with its telephone technique, and the one factor I would just like the model to vary is to make its telephones obtainable in additional international locations — I really feel like that is a standard chorus with most manufacturers.
Vivo
Similar to Xiaomi, Vivo had an excellent 12 months. It rolled out thrilling digicam tech on gadgets just like the X90 Professional, cleaned up its software program efforts, and continued its momentum in key markets. Its 2024 flagship, the X100 Professional, is already promoting in just a few areas (assessment out very quickly), and it might simply be probably the greatest digicam packages that we’ll see subsequent 12 months.
The one factor Vivo wants to vary is its launch schedule. The model nonetheless tends to flood the market with new merchandise which can be barely totally different from their predecessors. The V27 sequence launched again in March, and in lower than six months, Vivo debuted the V29 and V29 Professional, with the one distinction being elevated storage, a brand new wide-angle lens, and slight tweaks to charging tech.
Nothing
Nothing had an excellent 12 months on the again of the Cellphone (2), and the model made good on its promise of delivering software program updates sooner. Whereas I did not discuss as a lot concerning the machine (I’ve bought a long-term assessment coming quickly), it’s a respectable total possibility — for those who just like the design.
Trying ahead to 2024, Nothing must give attention to the imaging aspect of issues. Whereas the Cellphone (2) has a greater digicam than its predecessor, it nonetheless would not measure as much as the most effective telephones on this class, and that must be addressed. And whereas Nothing OS 2.0 has a novel design (very similar to the telephone), it additionally has loads of bugs, and I am ready to see if these are lastly addressed with the Android 14 replace.
Motorola
Motorola had a better-than-expected 12 months because of the launch of some slightly compelling telephones. The Motorola Edge Plus (2023) gave us a correct telephone to compete with the highest Pixel and Galaxy gadgets, the Razr Plus is a spectacular flip telephone with the most effective cowl display screen implementation we have seen, and the Moto G Stylus 5G (2023) is maybe probably the greatest bang-for-your-buck midrange telephones in North America. And that is simply speaking {hardware}; Motorola has additionally upped its software program sport a bit with higher replace guarantees for its flagship telephones.
Positive, Motorola might have been voted because the most improved Android model of 2023, however there are nonetheless methods the corporate can enhance going into 2024. Software program is an enormous a part of that, and the corporate has began this annoying behavior with its midrange gadgets the place it’s going to set up annoying ad-like bloatware that is more durable than it needs to be to eliminate. And whereas Motorola’s software program promise has improved with flagship gadgets, it nonetheless falls behind with its cheaper telephones, which is a disgrace when Samsung’s improve promise extends throughout its lineup.
Motorola additionally must be a lot faster and extra communicative concerning its main replace plans. Firms reminiscent of Samsung, Xiaomi, Nothing, and even Sony have all began rolling out Android 14, whereas Motorola has been radio-silent on the matter. What is the level of providing higher software program guarantees once we’re ready longer than everybody else to get these promised updates?
