While the iPhone 7 will undoubtedly be the mass market winner in the smartphone niche in 2016, there are plenty of other highlights to look forward to in the coming months and during 2017 as well. It is now strongly indicated that the iPhone 7 will be a relatively modest upgrade over the existing iPhone 6S, which could convince some smartphone consumers to opt for some of the lesser lights of the mobile industry.
Apple iPhone 8
Other consumers, of course, will wait for the release of the iPhone 8, which is looking likely to come to fruition in 2017. Apple attracts a brand loyalty like no other manufacturer, and this is sure to result in another successful release for the corporation when the iPhone 8 hits the stores.
The latest news on the iPhone 8 is that it will be a radical all-glass unit, with a spec list to put previous iPhone releases to shame. The iPhone 8 should also benefit from a resolution upgrade which is sorely needed in the iPhone range, with the iPhone 8 Plus possibly a quad HD phablet, with an attendant full HD iPhone 8 smartphone also expected.
Certain to be the biggest seller of 2017, it is also predicted that the iPhone 8 will incorporate a wide variety of technology which Apple has hitherto decided to exclude from its mobile range. This could include wireless charging, virtual reality functionality, plus a wide range of patents which are already part of the public record. A curved version of the iPhone 8 has also been tipped by certain analysts.
Apple iPhone 7 Pro
However, those Apple fans not willing to wait for the iPhone 8 could instead opt for the iPhone 7 Pro, if indeed this rumored smartphone is released during 2016. The iPhone 7 Pro is reckoned to be an upgraded version of the iPhone 7 Plus, particularly focused on delivering an outstanding photographic experience.
Thus, it is recommended that the iPhone 7 Pro will include a dual-camera setup, and the specs of the device are set to be slightly improved over the standard iPhone 7 smartphone. The have been some doubts that this smartphone will ultimately launch alongside the expected iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus, but if it does then it will surely attract consumers wanting the ultimate Apple experience.
Samsung Galaxy Note 7
Before the iPhone 7 generation hits the stores, Samsung is expected to release the Galaxy Note 7. This could cause a little confusion, as the previous release in the Galaxy Note series was branded Galaxy Note 5. But Samsung has seemingly signalled its intention to skip a generation, in the manner of Microsoft and Windows 9, and release the Galaxy Note 7 before the end of 2016, the smartphone thus logically competing with the iPhone 7.
Could the Galaxy Note 7 be the first Samsung phone to bring 4K resolution to customers? This is possible, but conflicting reports have suggested that this will wait until the Galaxy S8 next year. Nonetheless, massive spec upgrades have been predicted for the Galaxy Note 7, and this should be the most powerful mobile available on the market when it hits the stores later this year.
Galaxy S8
Another major Samsung release in 2017 will be the Galaxy S8, still considered the flagship of Samsung. Usually announced at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, there have been murmurings recently that the Korean corporation will arm this device with 4K functionality. Elsewhere, as usual Samsung will pack its flagship Galaxy S smartphone with some of the most impressive specs in the industry, and one can be certain that the display in the device will be of the usual high standard associated with Samsung products.
Samsung Galaxy X
Aside from its mainstream Galaxy handsets, it has been strongly suggested that Samsung will finally unveil its foldable technology in the shape of the Galaxy X next year. Samsung first began showcasing this foldable screen innovation back in 2008, and market analysts now believe that it is feasible for Samsung to include it in a mainstream smartphone.
Information on specifications is thin on the ground for this very hushed smartphone, but reports have generally suggested that it will be reliant on a Qualcomm Snapdragon processor.
BlackBerry Rome and Hamburg
BlackBerry has not been a major player in the consumer marketplace for quite some time, but the nonetheless iconic producer of mobile devices retains a significant position in the corporate niche. The keyboard included in BlackBerry units remains an attractive and welcome aspect of the design of BlackBerry mobiles, and this has helped the company attain a positive reputation with the business community.
However, the Hamburg is a more conventional smartphone, with the keyboard notorious by its absence. It seems that this is a final attempt by BlackBerry to re-enter the consumer marketplace, while the keyboard-driven Rome will continue to deliver to business customers.
Microsoft Surface
Microsoft has yet to release a mobile phone which has captured the imagination of the public, but reports suggest that the mammoth company has equally sizeable plans for his next generation Microsoft Surface smartphone. Rumored to be releasing with three separate models, the Microsoft Surface is intended to establish Microsoft as a significant player in the mobile niche.
Recent reports have suggested that the Microsoft Surface smartphone will be the first in the industry to include 500GB of internal storage, and it has also been linked with a whopping 8GB of RAM memory.
LG G6
LG has yet to become a household name in the mobile marketplace, if one is brutally honest. Yet those who are acquainted with the quality of devices produced by the Korean company will be fully aware that this is something of an injustice. The LG G series is renowned for delivering some of the most exciting and sleek mobile technology available in the world, and this is likely to continue when the LG G6 is released. It is widely expected that LG will go 4K with the G6, once again delivering an outstanding smartphone.
