Superb resolution and screen quality make the latest phones serious contenders to the camera. Caramel Quin finds out what else they can do
Smartphones seem to be reaching a zenith in terms of evolution – it’s hard to imagine how they could get much better. The latest models are faster, sleeker, slimmer and tougher than ever.
Today’s best displays boast bright colours and pin-sharp resolution at 2,560 x 1,440 pixels – if you know your TVs, that’s midway between Full HD and 4K Ultra High Definition. This can barely be improved upon – at most, they may achieve 4K-resolution (many phone cameras already record 3,840 x 2,160 pixel 4K video).
Manufacturers are also experimenting with screen ergonomics and versatility. For now, some are appearing subtly curved and protected by glass, but eventually the displays themselves will be bendable. This, combined with waterproofing, will make them virtually indestructible.
Taking the form of a “phablet” (somewhere between a phone and a tablet), some offer versions with larger screens of 5.5 inches or more. But we could also see a return to clamshell-style mobiles that fold in half – this time with the screens folding, too.
One thing that will move forward apace will be software, which will get ever more sophisticated. Today we have Siri and Google Now; tomorrow’s voice controls will be intelligent and hyperfast, knitting seamlessly with our lives, reminding us of our schedules and answering our every question.
In the meantime, here are ten of the best models on the market right now.
APPLE IPHONE 6
£539-£699, apple.com/uk
The latest iPhone is elegant, the glass blending flawlessly into its curved metal body. It’s very slim, at 0.7cm, and at 129g is light compared with many smartphones.
The 4.7-inch (1,334 x 750 pixel) display is bigger than its predecessors but the phone is still comfortably pocketable – if you’re after a phablet, consider the iPhone 6 Plus.
There is fingerprint recognition for effortless security, whether to stop a thief from accessing your data or the children from downloading pricey in-app purchases.
But the main reason to plump for the iPhone 6 is, as ever, the iOS operating system. While some prefer Android’s infinitely more customisable experience, iOS works smoothly and simply.
Built-in memory is 16GB (£539), 64GB (£619) or 128GB (£699). Avoid the 16GB option: unlike most Android smartphones, you can’t add extra memory to Apple devices and 16GB just isn’t enough for a decent mix of apps and media.
APPLE IPHONE 6 PLUS
£619-£789, apple.com/uk
The 6 Plus, Apple’s first phablet, has a 5.5-inch (1,920 x 1,080 pixel) display but in terms of features is almost identical to the iPhone 6.
Differences include slightly lower contrast, optical image stabilisation and better battery life; the 6 Plus’s dimensions (15.81cm x 7.78cm x 0.7cm; 172g) allow for a bigger battery offering 24 hours of 3G talk time compared with 14 hours on the iPhone 6.
Again, its selling point is iOS – if you’ve been sold on an Apple Watch then iOS is a no-brainer. The Plus is available in the same three memory sizes as the iPhone 6.
HTC ONE M9
£580, htc.com
The all-metal body of HTC’s top-of-the-range handset will turn heads – and survive the knocks. Measuring 14.4cm x 7cm x 0.9cm and weighing 157g, it comes in a range of two-tone, curved metal finishes, with its five-inch (1,920 x 1,080 pixel) display protected by Gorilla Glass.
Inside is a 20-megapixel camera that records 4K video, plus a 4.1-megapixel front camera with a wide angle for superb selfies. Sound is best-in-class: loud and clear for hands-free calls and music, with built-in Dolby for a decent small-screen movie experience. Its 32GB can be expanded affordably by adding a Micro SD card.
The M9 runs Android 5.0 Lollipop, but on top is HTC Sense 7 intelligent personalisation. This recognises when you’re at home, work or travelling, and customises your home screen accordingly. It pulls in social media feeds, diary appointments and more. A pocket PA with sleek looks.
YOTAPHONE 2
£440, yotaphone.com
This unique device has two touchscreens. On the front is a five-inch (1,920 x 1,080 pixel) colour display and on the back a 4.7-inch (960 x 540 pixel) monochrome screen.
The rear display uses “electronic ink”, the technology found in e-readers, and is always on. You can use it to display weather and sports results, as well as alerts to messages and social media – even to-do lists (you can tick off items).
E-ink uses very little power, so this display saves battery life: you will no longer use the phone’s power-hungry colour screen to check the time or check for a message.
Specs are standard for an Android phone, including an eight-megapixel main camera and a 2.1-megapixel front sensor. It measures 14.5cm x 6.9cm x 0.9cm and weighs 145g. The device ships with Android 4.4 KitKat but you can update it to 5.0 Lollipop free over the air.
SAMSUNG GALAXY S6 EDGE
From £560, samsung.com/uk
Samsung’s flagship phone is the one to beat, thanks to its blistering performance. The 5.1-inch display has a very high resolution (2,560 x 1,440 pixels) and is elegantly rounded at the sides, protected by Gorilla Glass.
Unusually, the phone is compatible with two different wireless charging standards, so works with a wide range of charging pads. Alternatively, just plug it in – ten minutes is enough to give four hours’ use.
It has fingerprint recognition, runs Android 5.0 Lollipop, and boasts five-megapixel front and 16-megapixel rear cameras. Both have an f/1.9 aperture, letting in more light for better results. Weighing 132g, its dimensions are 14.2cm x 7cm x 0.7cm.
This is a superb phone but note that, unlike its predecessor, the S5, you can’t expand the 32GB/64GB/128GB memory because it doesn’t have a card slot.
LG G4
From £500, lg.com/uk
Image is everything with the G4. It looks striking, with a large and very high resolution (2,560 x 1,440 pixel) 5.5-inch display and a choice of swappable covers, including a love-it-or-loathe-it leather option. Pop the back off and you can also swap the battery.
The images the G4 takes are striking. Its f/1.8 aperture lens means 80 per cent more light reaches the image sensor for better pictures in all conditions. And its manual controls let you tinker with everything, including long shutter speeds to capture motion. You can launch the camera in well under a second for a quick snap.
Measuring 14.9cm x 7.6cm x 1cm and weighing 155g, the G4 runs Android 5.1 Lollipop and is the first smartphone to use LG’s new 5.5-inch IPS Quantum Display, which is brighter, offers more contrast and better colour reproduction. If you fancy yourself as the next David Bailey, this is for you.
HONOR 6+
£300, hihonor.com
Honor is the best new phone range you’ve never heard of, an online-only sub-brand from Chinese giant Huawei. It’s also the place to go if you want a bargain.
And while the 6+ can’t match other manufacturers’ top models, it comes surprisingly close.
This is a decent phablet for the £300 cost, with vital statistics at 15cm x 7.6cm x 0.8cm and 165g. Its 5.5-inch (1,920 x 1,080 pixel) screen is Full HD despite the price tag. It comes with two SIM card slots allowing you to juggle personal and business numbers, or to add a local data SIM overseas.
Storage is 32GB but a Micro SD slot lets you expand this. Rear dual cameras with an aperture range of f/0.95-f/16 let you shoot decent snaps in low light and take photos first, focus later.
The Honor 6+ comes with Android 4.4 KitKat but you can update it to 5.0 Lollipop for free.
HUAWEI ASCEND G7
£200, consumer.huawei.com
If the Honor 6+ is a bargain then the G7 can only be described as cheap as chips. It’s the best budget phablet on the market right now, boasting technical features that are certainly not to be sniffed at.
Its 5.5-inch (1,280 x 720 pixel) display is good for the price, the body is well built for an economy model and it’s slim, measuring 15.4cm x 7.7cm x 0.7cm and weighing 165g. Amazingly, battery life is almost three days thanks to its 3,000 mAh power source.
Even its camera isn’t too no-frills: it takes respectable 13-megapixel snaps with high dynamic range for good results in bright or low light, and also has a five-megapixel front camera.
It ships running Android 4.4 KitKat operating software, but you can update it to 5.0 Lollipop for free, which improves the phone’s performance and power saving.
SAMSUNG GALAXY NOTE 4
£569, samsung.com/uk
The Note 4 is a beast of a phablet, thanks to its 5.7-inch (2,560 x 1,400 pixel) display, 15.4cm x 7.9cm x 0.8cm dimensions and 176g weight. The screen is crisp, bright and colourful, and big enough for pretty much anything short of a family movie night.
It comes with an S-Pen stylus that works beautifully as an alternative to fingers, and also has fingerprint recognition for security. It’s essentially the best Android alternative to the iPhone 6 Plus (it comes with 5.0 Lollipop operating software).
The Note 4 has 32GB built-in storage and a Micro SD card slot to expand its memory affordably. The 16-megapixel rear camera gets good results, while the 3.7-megapixel front camera offers up to 120 degree-wide angles for group selfies. To top it all off, the battery life is superb, thanks to its large body.
ACER LIQUID X2
£TBC, acer.co.uk
Coming soon, this Android phablet is a veritable workhorse perfect for business people on the move. Key features include a huge 4000mAh battery – more than double the capacity of an iPhone 6 – so it will have enough juice for days, not hours.
You can also put three different SIM cards in the phone and juggle them at will – take calls on your personal and work numbers and use a local data SIM overseas to avoid roaming charges.
Other specs include a 5.5-inch screen and a 13-megapixel rear camera with an f/1.8 aperture lens that gets more light to the image sensor for better pictures in all conditions – very similar to the LG G4.
The X2’s dimensions and UK launch date were still to be confirmed at the time of going to press but if it’s not on sale when you read this, you can always pick one up in the US on your travels.
