Three of the biggest smartphones of 2018 will be the iPhone 11, Galaxy S9 and Google Pixel 3. These three devices will probably be the biggest sellers in the mobile niche this year, with Google having committed significant resources to the Pixel smartphone range.
But what can we expect from these three devices of this year? Here ValueWalk looks at the potential makeup of three of the most important technology releases of 2018.
iPhone 11
Just as the iPhone X made a big impact for Apple last year, the iPhone 11 will be expected to pick up the baton before the calendar year is out. Murmurings ahead of the release of the next generation Apple smartphone suggest that this will be a revolutionary handset, rather than an incremental upgrade to the already successful iPhone X.
It has been widely reported that Apple is considering three separate iPhone 11 models for 2018, with the largest of these being particularly ambitious. This supposed iPhone 11 Plus device will feature a 6.5-inch screen that is far larger than anything Apple has included in a mobile device previously.
The largest device in the series will feature the OLED technology that was introduced for the first time last year, but the other two iPhones 11 releases are expected to be armed with LCD screens. And the existence of these three models can be considered pretty solid, as it was first reported by the legendary KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo.
As Apple attempts to improve the performance of the 2018 iPhone 11, it has also been reported that modems for the series will entirely manufactured by Intel. This is due to ongoing legal conflict between Apple and Qualcomm, which means that the Californian corporation is reluctant to rely on its products as much as has been the case in the past.
Apple could also surprise consumers by releasing a 4K mobile this year, particularly considering the size of the iPhone 11 display. Significant spec upgrades are also anticipated, while the Cupertino-based company has also reportedly been tinkering with some outstanding camera functionality, according to rumors.
Galaxy S9
Long before the iPhone 11 appears, though, the Galaxy S9 from Samsung will be released. With the unveiling of this device just days away, there are few secrets left regarding this flagship handset. And it seems that it will be somewhat conservative in ethos, representing an update of the Galaxy S8 rather than a revolution in the range.
However, one of the headline decisions that Samsung has seemingly made with the Galaxy S9 is the inclusion of dual-cameras. This may not be uniform across the series, though, as reports have suggested that this dual-lens approach will be limited to the Galaxy S9 Plus.
But the specifications of the Galaxy S9 camera are set to be particularly impressive, with the leaked specs of the snapper said to set new standards for the mobile industry. With an f/1.5 aperture for low-light shooting and macro photography, and a f/2.4 aperture for improved focusing, it is clear that the Galaxy S9 camera will be particularly impressive.
The design of the Galaxy S9 is set to be particularly striking, though, with a slimmed down and virtually bezel-free exterior prominent. This is obviously becoming increasingly fashionable in the smartphone marketplace, after Apple included a wraparound screen in the iPhone X last year.
But the core of the Galaxy S9 appearance will be extremely similar to the Galaxy S8 from last year, at least according to leaked images from Evan Blass. The well-known @evleaks tipper provided a view of the Galaxy S9 ahead of its official appearance which suggests Samsung is reluctant to change too much about the device physically.
Finally, Samsung is rumoured to have struck an exclusivity deal with Qualcomm which will enable the Korean company to have access to the Snapdragon 845 before anyone else in the industry.
Google Pixel 3
The Google Pixel 3 will be charged with improving on last year’s Pixel 2, which was a competent if unexciting offering. The purchasing of a large swathe of the HTC mobile division for over $1 billion was a signal of Google’s intent going forward, meaning that the Google Pixel 3 could be a particularly interesting prospect.
A source-code leak last year suggests that there will be three Google Pixel 3 releases in 2018, with working names of “crosshatch,” “albacore” and “blueline” having been discovered. It is believed that one of these three releases will be an affordable variant of the mainstream Google Pixel 3, ensuring that the manufacturer can challenge in more than one niche.
It is probable that the Google Pixel 3 will also benefit from a dual-camera in at least one of its units. This follows criticism of the Google Pixel 2 for providing merely a single-lens snapper. The smartphone will also be armed with the latest version of Android, as Android P will be available ahead of the emergence of the Google Pixel 3.
Google will also attempt to make the most of its much vaunted artificial intelligence technology by making the Google Pixel 3 more readily integrated with the Google Assistant. With the software giant having been beavering away behind the scenes, it is also predicted that this feature will be compatible with more device types in 2018.
The physical design of the Google Pixel 3 will also be significantly altered, with the new device benefiting from a wraparound display. This would certainly be welcome, as it could be argued that the Google Pixel 2 design was a little dated.
Finally, a concept video ahead of the release of the Google Pixel 3 suggests that the developer is considering producing a smartphone with front-facing speakers. This would make sense in the current mobile climate, with both Apple and Samsung currently working on sophisticated smartphone speaker designs.
