“Tolong Jangan Begini Uqasha, Simpan Sikit Untuk Suami Nanti”

Dastan

The best new phones coming in 2020 Coronavirus has been something of a plague in the mobile world as well as the physical one, with Mobile World Congress cancelled for the first time since it began in 2006, and other events including Google I/O also deferring to online-only events. Many mobile manufacturers have had to completely rework their launch strategy for the first half of 2020. On the Monday that would have fallen in the midst of MWC 2020, the likes of Sony, Huawei, Honor and Realme chose to press on with their launch events, albeit as online live streams (for the most part). Meanwhile, Samsung and Xiaomi had already launched the Galaxy S20 line, Galaxy Z Flip and Mi 10. LG has since revealed the V60 ThinQ, and Oppo has the Find X2 and Find X2 Pro, while Nokia has postponed its next launch event to 19 March. All that aside, 2020 is still going to be an exciting year for phones. This year we'll see super-fast 5G connectivity go mainstream, becoming a standard feature across flagships and appearing with increasing frequency within the mid-range space. We're already starting to see screens that refresh at up to 120Hz, which is good news for gaming and video, and camera phones continue to pile on the megapixels and extra sensors, unlike anything we've ever seen before. Foldable designs are going to become cheaper, and more durable, and battery life is going to get better. Later this year we'll see software enhancements too, with the release of Android 11 (now out as a Developer Preview) and iOS 14. 2020 sure is an exciting time to be buying a new phone, but with so much change on the horizon, when is the best time to buy one? In this feature, we've outlined all the major smartphone launches expected or scheduled across 2020, along with an outline on what new features and hardware specifications have been or are likely to be included. Read on to ensure your next smartphone purchase is not immediately followed by the regret and you're now tied into a lonnngggg two-year contract. (Remember that there is a chance you could upgrade your contract early.) Pro tip: As these new phones edge closer, the outgoing flagships will fall in price and you'll be able to scoop up some great deals. If you're not bothered about having the very latest tech, check out our take on the best phones you can buy today. Best new phones coming out this year Oppo Find X2 & X2 ProOppo was set to make an appearance at MWC on 22 February, where the company had already confirmed it would be showing its Find X2 and X2 Pro. It postponed that conference until 6 March, where it unveiled the phones and revealed they would launch in the UK and Europe in early May. Both phones boast a 6.7in QuadHD+ 120Hz display (that can run that refresh rate and resolution simultaneously, beating the S20) and 65W wired charging, with the latter also seen in the Reno Ace. There's no wireless charging though. Both also run on a Snapdragon 865 processor, which means they support 5G, and they come with 12GB of RAM as standard. The main difference is in cameras, where the Pro packs in two 48Mp lenses together with 10x hybrid optical zoom telephoto lens, while the standard Find X2 has a 48Mp main sensor, 12Mp dedicated video lens, and 5x zoom. Nokia 9.2 PureView What's throwing us the most over the prospect of a Nokia 9.2 PureView is that the company never released a Nokia 9.1 PureView. So here we are in early 2020 with Nokia going all Sony on us. Its MWC conference was cancelled, but Nokia does have a launch event planned for 19 March in which it will unveil its first 5G phone, a phone that will also feature in upcoming Bond film No Time To Die (itself since delayed over coronavirus concerns). Is this the Nokia 9.2? Only time will tell. A really interesting rumour about Nokia's upcoming flagship is that it could feature an under-display selfie camera. That means no unsightly notch, and no punch-hole cutout. With Samsung, Xiaomi and Oppo all known to be working on this tech, is Nokia really going to be the first to the finish line? Nokia is many things but these days it is rarely a trailblazer - and it wasn't so long ago we were hearing (and not questioning) the fact that its 2020 flagship would launch with a 2019 flagship processor (the Snapdragon 855). Still, we will patiently await the arrival of Nokia's new phone and hope to be pleasantly surprised. Xiaomi Mi 10 & Mi 10 Pro Xiaomi intended to show off its Mi 10 to a global audience during an MWC press conference, but by this time both Mi 10 and Mi 10 Pro were already the world's worst-kept secrets, with a Chinese online-only launch event having previously taken place on 13 February. They're now set for an official Western unveiling on 27 March, which is when we'll find out how much the phones will cost in the UK and Europe. This is the 2020 smartphone launch we were most excited about, with the next Xiaomi flagship boasting the same 108MP camera as the S20 Ultra (and that we've already seen in Mi Note 10), and the same Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 processor that will ensure blistering performance and 5G across the range, here with up to 12GB of LPDDR5 RAM and 512GB of UFS 3.0 storage, along with staggeringly fast 50W charging (on the Pro; 30W on standard). Retailing from 3,999 yuan, which means we could see a circa-£100 price hike over the Mi 9 when it eventually comes to the UK, this is still an incredibly low price. Naturally, you'll be wondering where is the catch. Neither phone has a 120Hz QuadHD display (actually 6.67in 90Hz full-HD AMOLED displays, now with a punch-hole selfie camera in place of the previous notch) or waterproofing. Read more about the new Xiaomi Mi 10. Don't take your fancy? You literally cannot be disappointed with the current Mi 9, now just £350 at eBuyer. Huawei Mate Xs An updated version of Huawei's original foldable Mate X, the Xs now runs on a Kirin 990 chip and has an improved hinge and a tougher screen. It's already been announced in China, and CEO Richard Yu was planning to also show it at MWC in February. Despite the lack of MWC, Huawei has since shown off and confirmed that the Mate Xs is on its way to wider markets. It's unclear how close to the Chinese launch date of 5 March the foldable will arrive elsewhere but we do know it'll cost £2,299/€2,499 for the sole 8GB RAM and 512GB of storage option. Sony Xperia 1 II Sony stuck to its guns with a 24 February launch event that gave us a new mid-ranger, a new business-only broadcasting phone and a new consumer flagship in the Sony Xperia 1 II. After the array of confusingly-named smartphones Sony released in 2019, it was unclear what path they'd take with their 2020 flagship. It turns out that the company's own Alpha cameras had the answer, giving us the Xperia 1 II (pronounced "Xperia 1 Mark 2"). Awkward name aside, this is the company's first 5G phone, it maintains the 4K 21:9 aspect ratio screen as before and makes the jump to the Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 processor. The reintroduction of wireless charging and the headphone jack will also come as a pleasant surprise to some Sony fans too. Honor View 30 The Honor View 30 and Honor View 30 Pro have actually already launched in China, and were expected to see a global launch during an MWC press conference on 24 February. Honor instead moved to an online-only event with the Honor View 30 Pro featuring but only being slated for a Russian release for the time being, so we're not sure if it will ever come to the UK. The Honor View 30 range sports 5G, a flagship-level processor, a triple-camera setup and a dual hole-punch setup on the front, but there’s one missing element: Google Play Services. And that may make you rethink your purchasing decision entirely. LG V60 ThinQ Another LG phone that was expected to see a February MWC launch and instead arrived with little fanfare a few days later (just a press release announced its arrival) was the V60 ThinQ. What's interesting about the V-series (since the V50) is the dual-screen design, which made it to market before any truly foldable phones went on sale. As before, the V60's included Dual Screen is detachable but looks more cohesive compared to previous generations. 5G on a Snapdragon 865 chip was pretty much a given, plus there's a 5000mAh battery, a 64MP main and 13MP ultrawide dual-camera setup and an in-display fingerprint sensor. Apple iPhone SE 2 (iPhone 9) A smaller, cheaper iPhone has been on the cards forever, but in 2020 it could finally become a reality. Specifically, an update to the iPhone SE could be announced during a rumoured March Apple event - although this, too, could be delayed by coronavirus. We've heard that the new iPhone will feature a 4.7in display with Touch ID and look a lot like the iPhone 8. It will run on Apple's A13 chip, with 3GB of RAM and 64GB of storage. Likely to come in Space Grey, Silver or Red, prices could start as low as £399/US$399. OnePlus 8, 8 Pro & 8 Lite The original OnePlus One started life as a 'flagship killer' that cost just £229/US$299/€269, but we've seen pricing creep up ever since. So it's welcome news that in 2020 a slimmed-down OnePlus 8 Lite will join the line-up, alongside the bi-annual updates to the standard and Pro models. Typically arriving in May, there are rumours we could see the new OnePlus trio as soon as April. (Expect the OnePlus 8T and 8T Pro to follow in October 2020.) The company has already confirmed that the Pro will feature a 120Hz display and we are also expecting 5G to become a standard feature with a move to the Snapdragon 865 with its X55 modem. We're also expecting to see a 6.7in display, a 4,500mAh battery and 50W fast charging in the Pro model, and there is talk that OnePlus could *finally* introduce wireless charging and waterproofing here. Asus ROG Phone 3 It sounds as though more and more 2020 flagships are moving to true gaming phone specs, with 120Hz displays and super-fast processors and graphics, but there is still a market for proper gaming phones such as the Asus ROG Phone. The next iteration, version 3, is likely to make an appearance in the summer - possibly in July - and on sale by September. It's some way off, so rather that rumoured features here's what's on our wishlist: a 144/240Hz display; Qualcomm's Snapdragon 865 with Adreno 650 GPU, a refined design that is as flashy as ever; improved cameras; and some bundled gaming accessories. Samsung Galaxy Note 20 & Note 20+ For some time the Samsung Galaxy Note's future has been under threat, with the S series edging ever closer in size, power and design, leaving only the S Pen stylus to differentiate between the two. But plenty out there think the Note's not dead yet. It's likely we'll see many of the changes brought in with Galaxy S20 in the Note 20, including the new domino-style rear camera with 108MP sensor, and the 120Hz display. Under-glass selfie cameras have also been tipped for a Samsung phone coming later this year. Should Samsung decide to continue its Note series, you can expect the next Galaxy to arrive in early August. Read more about the upcoming Samsung Galaxy Note 20. Don't take your fancy? There are some incredible deals around on the current Samsung Galaxy Note 10. Apple iPhone 12 (Late 2020) In September we'll see the annual refresh to the Apple iPhone, which in 2019 arrived in standard (6.1in), Pro (5.8in) and Pro Max (6.5in) versions. We're hoping 2020 is going to be a year of significant design change for the iPhone, with that large screen notch now looking more than a little dated. Moving more in line with the latest Android phones, iPhone 12 may also come with 5G connectivity and an in-display fingerprint sensor, and potentially a quad-lens rear camera. This could also be the year Apple finally ditches the Lightning port in favour of USB-C, which could temporarily upset some Apple fans but would be worthwhile in the long run. We expect to see an Apple A14 Bionic processor, along with 4GB of RAM and storage options of 64-, 256- and 512GB. At least the most expensive models will have OLED displays, and we hope that Apple will standardise this across the line. Huawei Mate 40 & Mate 40 Pro The message has probably got across to you by now, but it is incredibly unlikely that Huawei's Mate 40, expected in September, will feature Google apps and services. If this doesn't bother you, read on. It's way too early for extensive rumours, but it's pretty much a given that the Mate 40 will run the next-gen Kirin chip. This is the one that comes after the Kirin 990, and is reportedly already in trial production, apparently using a 5nm manufacturing process. We'd really like to see a return of physical volume buttons on the Pro model, plus an enhanced camera that is more in line with the P-series than older Mate models. Google Pixel 5 & 5 XL Following a May launch of the Pixel 4A, Google's flagship line should see an update during its annual hardware conference in early October. These phones are interesting largely for being among the first to offer the latest Android operating system (which, in 2020, will be Android 11), but also for offering the purest software experience. In other respects, gone are the days when Google's own phones offer the best value, or the best specs. They still fare pretty well on the cameras, however, if that floats your boat. Chief among our wishlist for Pixel 5 is a higher-capacity battery and a more modern design.

Related Posts