The best new phones of 2017 and 2018 that are yet to go on sale. Before you upgrade your current smartphone, read the latest news and rumours on the best new phones launching in the coming year.
Best new phones in the coming year
Apple iPhone 8
Samsung Galaxy Note 8
Samsung Galaxy S8 mini
Samsung Gala
xy S9 & S9+
Sony Xperia XZ2
Google Pixel 2
Nokia 8/9
Xiaomi Mi Mix 2
The best new phones of 2017 and 2018 will offer faster performance and longer battery life. Some will use the new Snapdragon 835 chip for which headline performance figures include 25 percent faster graphics rendering and half the power consumption compared to the Snapdragon 801.
You can expect this processor to be paired with at least 4- but potentially as much as 8GB of RAM, a minimum amount of 32GB of storage, extra-large Quad-HD screens and class-leading cameras.
Apple iPhone 8
Samsung Galaxy Note 8
Samsung Galaxy S8 mini
Samsung Gala
xy S9 & S9+
Sony Xperia XZ2
Google Pixel 2
Nokia 8/9
Xiaomi Mi Mix 2
The best new phones of 2017 and 2018 will offer faster performance and longer battery life. Some will use the new Snapdragon 835 chip for which headline performance figures include 25 percent faster graphics rendering and half the power consumption compared to the Snapdragon 801.
You can expect this processor to be paired with at least 4- but potentially as much as 8GB of RAM, a minimum amount of 32GB of storage, extra-large Quad-HD screens and class-leading cameras.
Apple iPhone 8 & iPhone 8 Plus
Apple is set to go big on the iPhone's 10th anniversary, which could go some way to make up for 2016's relatively minor upgrade. A combination of design and hardware changes should make the iPhone 8 the most radical new iPhone to date when it launches in September 2017. Also see: Best Phone Deals
The iPhone 8 could be the iPhone with which Jony Ive finally gets his own way: an iPhone that resembles a single sheet of glass with an edge-to-edge OLED screen.
Other rumours suggest the iPhone 8 will feature wireless charging for the first time, and possible biometric features such as facial recognition or iris scanning. It'll run the Apple A11 processor and motion co-processor, and be devilishly fast.
The iPhone 8 could be the iPhone with which Jony Ive finally gets his own way: an iPhone that resembles a single sheet of glass with an edge-to-edge OLED screen.
Other rumours suggest the iPhone 8 will feature wireless charging for the first time, and possible biometric features such as facial recognition or iris scanning. It'll run the Apple A11 processor and motion co-processor, and be devilishly fast.
Samsung Galaxy Note 8
Forget any nonsense you've heard about Samsung dropping its Note family following the disaster that was the Note 7: we'll see the Note 8 announced in late August or September.
Anticipated specs include a 6.3in Quad-HD SuperAMOLED screen with S Pen support, the Snapdragon 835 with 4GB of RAM, a dual camera (for the first time on a Samsung flagship), waterproofing and more.
Anticipated specs include a 6.3in Quad-HD SuperAMOLED screen with S Pen support, the Snapdragon 835 with 4GB of RAM, a dual camera (for the first time on a Samsung flagship), waterproofing and more.
Samsung Galaxy S8 mini
Samsung hasn't produced a mini version of its flagship S-series handset since the Galaxy S5 mini, but with the new Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8+ larger than ever customers who want a compact but high-performance smartphone are not satisfied.
Rumours suggest a Galaxy S8 mini with a 5.3in screen (that feels much smaller given the curved edges), Snapdragon 821 processor, 4GB of RAM, 32GB of storage and an iris scanner is in development in Korea.
Whether this phone is any more than wishful thinking remains to be seen, though if true we could see it announced alongside the Galaxy Note 8.
Rumours suggest a Galaxy S8 mini with a 5.3in screen (that feels much smaller given the curved edges), Snapdragon 821 processor, 4GB of RAM, 32GB of storage and an iris scanner is in development in Korea.
Whether this phone is any more than wishful thinking remains to be seen, though if true we could see it announced alongside the Galaxy Note 8.
Samsung Galaxy S9 & Galaxy S9+
New in the Galaxy S9 and S9+ is likely to be the 7nm Snapdragon 845 or 8nm Exynos 9810 processor and dual-lens rear cameras, plus fingerprint scanners embedded into the Infinity display.
Performance will definitely get a boost, and we might see Samsung finally go above the 4GB of RAM seen in the company's previous flagships. The design is not likely to change significantly, and hopefully neither will the price.
We expect to see a March 2018 announcement for the S9 and S9+, though the earliest they could make an appearance is ahead of MWC on Sunday 25 February.
Sony Xperia XZ2
Sony is hosting a press conference at IFA on 31 August, during which it is expected to unveil at least one new flagship phone.
Not a huge deal is known about this phone, but it's tipped to be the first to market with a Quad-HD truly bezel-less display.
As well as this 6in screen, we will likely see the Snapdragon 835, 4GB of RAM and 32GB of storage.
Not a huge deal is known about this phone, but it's tipped to be the first to market with a Quad-HD truly bezel-less display.
As well as this 6in screen, we will likely see the Snapdragon 835, 4GB of RAM and 32GB of storage.
Google Pixel 2
The next Google phones are said to include waterproofing and an improved camera that excels with low-light photography, as well as a curved screen and the Snapdragon 835 processor.
The key difference between the two is expected to be screen size and resolution, with the larger Pixel XL2 featuring a 5.99in Quad-hd screen and the smaller Pixel 2 a 4.97in full-HD panel. The XL2 should also feature 6- rather than 4GB of RAM.
We know that the new Google phone will be the first to run Android O, for which the public beta is now available. The Pixel 2 itself won't be available until late-September/early-October 2017.
The key difference between the two is expected to be screen size and resolution, with the larger Pixel XL2 featuring a 5.99in Quad-hd screen and the smaller Pixel 2 a 4.97in full-HD panel. The XL2 should also feature 6- rather than 4GB of RAM.
We know that the new Google phone will be the first to run Android O, for which the public beta is now available. The Pixel 2 itself won't be available until late-September/early-October 2017.
Nokia 8 & Nokia 9
Nokia phones are said to be different to rival Android phones in three main ways: through Nokia's relentless focus on the everyday experience; through its premium design and build quality; and through its use of the purest version of Android you have seen, with monthly security updates, fast Android platform updates and the implementation of the Google Assistant across the range.
Nokia is finally getting back into the mobile phone game, having already announced the Nokia 3, 5, 6 and 3310. But we're more excited about the upcoming Nokia 8 flagship - and there's a rumour there could also be a Nokia 9.
Nokia is finally getting back into the mobile phone game, having already announced the Nokia 3, 5, 6 and 3310. But we're more excited about the upcoming Nokia 8 flagship - and there's a rumour there could also be a Nokia 9.
Xiaomi Mi Mix 2
Xiaomi CEO Lei Jun recently confirmed that the company would work once again with designer Philippe Starck to create the successor to the revolutionary Mi Mix 'bezel-less' phone.
Xiaomi hopes to design a phone that has a screen that entirely covers the front of the device. Plus it could be the first Chinese phone with no physical buttons.
Xiaomi hopes to design a phone that has a screen that entirely covers the front of the device. Plus it could be the first Chinese phone with no physical buttons.