4th-generation Moto G
Strictly speaking, this should probably be called the Moto by Lenovo G, considering parent company Lenovo’s recent decision to replace the Motorola brand with something more…unwieldy.
In any case, we’re due a new Moto G this year to follow the excellent 2015, 2014 and 2013 models. No specific handsets have been confirmed, but early news from Lenovo is encouraging. Senior vice president Chen Xudong announced at CES 2016 that all future Moto by Lenovo smartphones will feature at least 5in screens and a fingerprint sensor, the latter of which could in turn point towards Android 6.0 Marshmallow being pre-installed. Google’s latest mobile OS does, after all, include built-in support for biometrics.
Hopefully any new upgrades won’t have too much of an impact on the Moto G’s price. Unlike, say, the Moto X Style or Moto X Play, the Moto G has always been positioned as an affordable handset for developing markets and budget-conscious buyers worldwide. This could easily be a smartphone to watch out for, provided Lenovo can keep costs down.
Blackphone 3
Silent Circle has already confirmed that a new version of its security-focused smartphone is “on the drawing board”, although no further details have been given.
As with the Blackphone and Blackphone 2, we can expect the Blackphone 3 to centre less around top-of-the-line hardware and more around refining its Android-based PrivatOS software, which offers a greater degree of control over privacy and apps permissions settings as well as encrypted messaging and calls.
These were the features that made previous models a success amid widespread concerns about state-operated surveillance, so it only makes sense for Silent Circle to develop them further.
The Switzerland-based firm may be even more eager to ensure the security of future handsets after researchers found a vulnerability in the original Blackphone that could allow intruders to access applications by effectively bypassing permissions.
It’s these bugs and security holes, rather than the resolution of the screen or number of megapixels in the cameras, that Silent Circle is likely to prioritise.
BlackBerry Vienna
Following the moderate success of BlackBerry’s first Android handset, the Priv, the company is looking towards its next smartphone to use Google’s OS, believed to be codenamed BlackBerry Vienna.
The Vienna is rumoured to be a more mid-range device than the premium Priv, and supposedly puts the classic BlackBerry keyboard below the display instead of hiding it under a slider. CrackBerry posted some possible renders of the Vienna, which show the keyboard as well as physical Home, Back and Overview buttons.
Assuming that BlackBerry’s plan is to continue growing its share of the Android market, a more affordable smartphone would have its advantages over another top-priced device.
This is likely to mean the loss of some of our favourite things about the Priv, such as the huge high-res display and top-notch camera, but these could be balanced with a more compact form factor and less buggy software.
Samsung Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 Edge
Unusually, the yet to be announced Galaxy S7 and curved-screen Galaxy S7 Edge variant could launch with one of two different processors. The upcoming Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 and Samsung’s own Exynos M1 have been tipped to power the devices, although it isn’t clear whether this will be a straight choice for consumers or each chip will be region-exclusive.
If leaked Antutu benchmark results are to be believed, we at least have a good idea of the Galaxy S7’s key specs, which include the Snapdragon 820, a 5.1in QHD display, Android 6.0 Marshmallow and 12MP and 5MP cameras. This appears to be a downgrade on the 16MP sensor found on the Galaxy S6 family.
More positively, a microSD slot – sorely missing from recent high-end Galaxy smartphones – has been heavily rumoured for the Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 Edge, as has a water-resistant unibody design.
Be the first to comment