2024 is gone and whereas it hasn’t actually been an enormous yr for smartphone innovation, that does not imply there have not been some standout units launched in 2024. Listed below are the 5 that the majority stood out to me.
Samsung Galaxy S24 Extremely
Let’s begin robust with the Samsung Galaxy S24 Extremely. This telephone has a singular function that for some motive has remained unique to it, and in 2025 it looks like solely its successor may also be capable to boast it.
I’m after all speaking concerning the anti-reflective coating on the Gorilla Glass Armor that is on prime of the AMOLED show. Lengthy established on the earth of wristwatches because the creation of sapphire crystals, this mainly does what it says – reduces reflections, and really a lot so, within the case of the S24 Extremely.
You may see the distinction clearly even in photos like this one
In contrast to with watches, the place most have such a coating on the underside of the sapphire, and a few have it each on the underside and on prime of it, with smartphones I assume the truth that there is a show panel beneath the glass makes it inconceivable to use such a coating beneath the glass since it could then keep in touch with the display itself. Because of this in time the coating will put on off, and we have already seen experiences of that occuring.
I do not suppose this is a matter per se, the difficulty is Samsung not pondering of this prematurely and organising a (for instance) yearly refreshing service for the AR coating in your S24 Extremely for a modest payment – and even totally free because you’re already paying a lot for the machine itself. Hopefully that will likely be coming quickly seeing as how the S25 Extremely is rumored to get an identical coating.
However all of that is to say that this can be a sport changer for usability, particularly for folks like me whose eyes are very delicate to gentle reflecting off issues at odd angles. It additionally has the extra advantage of the display seeming brighter than different panels with the identical goal brightness, because the show does not have to struggle all these reflections within the course of.
Talking of usability, the S24 Extremely additionally has a fairly important challenge with it, owing to its very sharp corners. That is solely an issue if you happen to do not use a case, since if you happen to do, how curved that’s will rely upon the mannequin of the case. However utilizing it “bare” with these sharp corners undoubtedly is not a really snug expertise for lengthy stretches, do preserve that in thoughts. Fortunately Samsung appears intent on rectifying this challenge for the subsequent era.
There’s not a lot else to say concerning the S24 Extremely – it has all the prime specs, it has superb (although maybe not the perfect) cameras, it even has a stylus built-in, and with One UI 7 it looks like Samsung is lastly getting critical about caring concerning the software program expertise, and particularly the smoothness of the software program interplay. It took many, a few years, however we would lastly be there – so with that in thoughts the S24 Extremely, with the inevitable incoming offers as soon as its successor is launched, may really develop into an excellent purchase in early 2025.
Samsung Galaxy S24 Extremely
Now let’s transfer on to foldables, and there are a couple of right here I wish to speak about. Whereas Samsung continued to relaxation on its laurels on this area, this yr vivo, Honor, Huawei, and Xiaomi made some enormous strides in the direction of cementing foldables as a mainstream product class on one hand, and the way forward for smartphones on the opposite.
vivo X Fold3 Professional, Honor Magic V3
The vivo X Fold3 Professional introduced an excellent digital camera system to a book-style foldable that was nonetheless very straightforward to deal with, after which the Honor Magic V3 went beneath 9.5 mm thickness when closed, which appeared insane a couple of years in the past when this complete foldable factor received began. However right here we’re.
vivo X Fold3 Professional
Positive, you might suppose a few millimeters or so aren’t that necessary, however in precise day-to-day use each single millimeter is, in how fatigued your arms really feel (or do not) after an hour or two of continuous use. I’m all for even thinner foldables going ahead, however even when we hit a wall at round 9 mm, that is nice – these are actually barely thicker than a standard mainstream slab-style machine, and so they additionally flip into mini-tablets! Water resistance is bettering throughout the business as properly, so I dare say we’re nearly at a degree the place foldables develop into regular – the one drawback continues to be the worth, which hasn’t come down as a lot as everybody was anticipating.
Honor Magic V3
So sadly these are nonetheless very a lot luxurious gadgets. These days most individuals undoubtedly cannot reside and not using a smartphone, however most individuals undoubtedly can reside and not using a folding smartphone, even when it is higher than a candybar-style machine.
vivo X Fold3 Professional
Honor Magic V3
Huawei Mate XT
Talking of luxurious merchandise, no foldable has ever been extra like that than Huawei’s Mate XT. I might wager it’s best to have a look at this extra as an idea automotive – you will not purchase one, however it offers a glimpse into what is feasible. Hopefully the “tri-fold” (should not we name it “bi-fold”, by the best way?) kind issue will likely be picked up by different corporations within the coming years, because it fixes the primary drawback that book-style foldables nonetheless have even at this time: the bizarre side ratio when unfolded. With the Mate XT you get an excellent larger pill whenever you unfold all of it, however importantly, it additionally has a tablet-like side ratio so it really feels such as you’re utilizing a standalone pill.
The truth that the Mate XT arrives after a couple of very robust years for Huawei following the US sanctions towards the corporate solely makes the achievement of really creating and releasing one thing like this much more extraordinary. If in 5 years we will have units with this kind issue for under $1,500, then we’ll all be higher for it.
Which may not occur, nevertheless, as the reality is that the all-screen, slab-style machine might be the top of smartphone design, at the least for the foreseeable future. There have been 1000’s of iterations on this design over the previous decade or so and which means each single element has been perfected slowly, so typically laborious to note, however these enhancements have all led to us having amazingly highly effective computer systems in our pockets which might be even decently immune to falls and scratches proper now. Most instances it is laborious to be pleased about what you have already got, however as somebody who’s been watching this area for greater than a decade now, I’ve to say it has been a tremendous journey.
And bizarre new kind elements do not at all times make as a lot sense as we techies (does anybody nonetheless use that time period?) would possibly need them to. That stated, I do suppose tri-folds and rollables are the logical subsequent step within the smartphone realm and may’t wait to have tons of them to select from, hopefully at not insane costs.
Xiaomi Combine Flip
My closing choose is the Xiaomi Combine Flip as a result of its cowl show merely seems to be wonderful. Sure, it is subjective, sure, it is superficial, however I stand by my opinion right here. And earlier than you say “however moto”, certain, the razr+ additionally has numerous cowl display, however it does not have a flagship chipset and that is a bizarre miss in my ebook. Its battery capability can also be unhappy, so there’s that.
Out of nowhere Xiaomi made its first flip-style foldable in 2024 and, in my view, hit it out of the park. It is not simply me, nevertheless, rumor has it gross sales have been superb and so the subsequent iteration will include some massive modifications – hopefully within the digital camera division, I would add. Let’s add an ultrawide, we could?
Xiaomi Combine Flip
Anyway, that is been my Prime 5 for 2024, and I am trying ahead to 2025 and all of the bizarre and fascinating units which might be going to be launched this yr. And in addition the boring ones that completely do what they’re imagined to at a very good worth. With costs constantly creeping upward in all segments of the market, these are extremely necessary too and I hope we’ll be getting numerous them this yr.
