As the year nears the end, all major manufacturers – Apple,
Samsung, Google, Nokia, Sony, LG etc – are done with their smartphone launches.
With the festive season in full swing and the holiday season set to begin, it
is the best time to buy a new phone.
Wonder which are the best smartphones in the world? Time to check Business Insider's monthly ranking of the world's reigning smartphones.
Wonder which are the best smartphones in the world? Time to check Business Insider's monthly ranking of the world's reigning smartphones.
iPhone 5S
For most people, the iPhone 5S is
the best smartphone available.
It strikes the perfect balance of great design, useful features, and app and content selection. The iPhone 5S looks nearly identical to last year's iPhone 5, but sports a better camera and a fingerprint sensor for unlocking the phone without a passcode.
It strikes the perfect balance of great design, useful features, and app and content selection. The iPhone 5S looks nearly identical to last year's iPhone 5, but sports a better camera and a fingerprint sensor for unlocking the phone without a passcode.
HTC One Google Edition
Just like Samsung, HTC partnered
with Google to create a "Google Edition" of its flagship smartphone.
The HTC One Google edition is the best Android phone on the planet. It has the same great design as the one running HTC's software, but has a clean version of Android without any unnecessary extras.
The HTC One Google edition is the best Android phone on the planet. It has the same great design as the one running HTC's software, but has a clean version of Android without any unnecessary extras.
HTC One
If you're interested in Android and
are locked into a carrier contract, the HTC One is the best phone you can buy.
It has all the best features of any Android phone, wrapped in a gorgeous all-metal design. It's the first Android phone to match Apple's iPhone in design and build quality.
It has all the best features of any Android phone, wrapped in a gorgeous all-metal design. It's the first Android phone to match Apple's iPhone in design and build quality.
Motorola Moto X
The Moto X is one of the best phones
we've used recently. It runs a nearly clean version of Android, but Motorola
added a few hand tricks like the ability to quickly check notifications from
the lock screen.
Samsung Galaxy S4 Google Edition
Samsung and Google have partnered
together to offer a special edition of the Galaxy S4. The "Google
Edition" strips out all the software extras from Samsung and instead has a
"clean" version of Android, straight from Google.
The basic version of Android is one of the best, and it's great to see it running on Samsung's powerful hardware.
The basic version of Android is one of the best, and it's great to see it running on Samsung's powerful hardware.
Samsung Galaxy S4
Samsung's flagship Galaxy S4 phone
was one of the most hyped devices of the year. It's a good phone, but could be
a bit too much for some people. That's because Samsung packed the S4 full of
noisy and complex features that you'd probably never use. It's also covered in
cheap-feeling plastic, which could be a turn off for some people.
iPhone 5C
The iPhone 5C is one of Apple's two
new iPhones. It replaces the iPhone 5 in Apple's smartphone lineup, but that's
because it has most of the same specs and features.
The only difference is that the iPhone 5C is made out of plastic that comes in five colour options: blue, pink, green, yellow, or white.
The only difference is that the iPhone 5C is made out of plastic that comes in five colour options: blue, pink, green, yellow, or white.
Samsung Galaxy Note 3
Samsung popularized the
"phablet" category with the Galaxy Note two years ago. Now the phone
is in its third generation with the Galaxy Note 3.
The Galaxy Note 3 has the biggest screen yet, 5.7 inches, yet its body is actually thinner and lighter than last year's model. It also comes with a special stylus called the S Pen for drawing or taking notes.
The Galaxy Note 3 has the biggest screen yet, 5.7 inches, yet its body is actually thinner and lighter than last year's model. It also comes with a special stylus called the S Pen for drawing or taking notes.
LG G2
The G2 is LG's newest flagship
smartphone. It has a gorgeous 5.2-inch display and one of the most current
versions of Android. But it does have one odd design quirk: the power and
volume buttons are located on the back of the phone, making it a but awkward to
use at first.
LG Optimus G Pro
LG's Optimus G Pro is the company's
flagship phablet, or smartphone with a screen so huge that it's almost a
tablet. The Optimus has a 5.5-inch display that can play full 1080p HD video.
If you like giant screens, this is a great device
Nokia Lumia 925
Nokia's Lumia 925 is the best
Windows phone you can buy. It's the most attractive of Nokia's Lumia devices
and includes a really good camera. If you're interested in Windows Phones, this
is the first smartphone to consider.
Nokia Lumia 1020
By most accounts, Nokia's flagship
phone, the Lumia 1020, has the best camera of any smartphone. If photos are your
top priority, then this should be one of the first phones you look at.
But there are a few drawbacks. The Lumia 1020 is very thick and heavy compared to most smartphones in order to make room for that fancy camera. There's even a giant bulge on the back. It's also a Windows Phone, which doesn't have the same robust app selection as iPhone or Android.
But there are a few drawbacks. The Lumia 1020 is very thick and heavy compared to most smartphones in order to make room for that fancy camera. There's even a giant bulge on the back. It's also a Windows Phone, which doesn't have the same robust app selection as iPhone or Android.
BlackBerry Q10
If you absolutely must have a phone
with a physical keyboard, the BlackBerry Q10 is your best (and pretty much
only) option.
Like the Z10, the Q10 runs the new BlackBerry 10 operating system. The phone is great for those who want an old-school look and feel. However, the only reason to buy this phone is for the keyboard. There are far better options out there.
Like the Z10, the Q10 runs the new BlackBerry 10 operating system. The phone is great for those who want an old-school look and feel. However, the only reason to buy this phone is for the keyboard. There are far better options out there.
BlackBerry Z10
Even though it hasn't been a hit
with consumers, the BlackBerry Z10 is still a pretty good phone.
The device is the first to run BlackBerry's new BlackBerry 10 operating system, which is pretty good but doesn't offer much past what iPhones and Android phones can do. BlackBerry 10 also has a very poor app selection, so you shouldn't buy this phone if you like having the latest and greatest apps.
The device is the first to run BlackBerry's new BlackBerry 10 operating system, which is pretty good but doesn't offer much past what iPhones and Android phones can do. BlackBerry 10 also has a very poor app selection, so you shouldn't buy this phone if you like having the latest and greatest apps.
