5 Upcoming Android Phones To Be Excited About In 2024
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2023 was an eventful year for the Android smartphone market, with many major brands entering the foldable phone category. Samsung is the pioneer of foldable smartphones with its Galaxy Z Flip and Galaxy Z Fold series, and it finally has competition from Google and OnePlus, both of which launched their first foldable devices in 2023. While we'll likely see this trend continue in 2024, this year's focus seems to be on generative AI.
Chipset makers like MediaTek and Qualcomm are going all in on generative AI, bringing many awesome things to your next smartphone. Both MediaTek's Dimensity 9300 and Qualcomm's Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chip can generate an image using Stable Diffusion in less than one second. The Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 also features an on-device AI assistant, enabling voice-activated photo and video editing.
Many of 2024's flagship Android phones are expected to be powered by the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3, so we should see more applications of generative AI as the year goes on. There's a lot to look forward to this year, with Samsung kicking off the launches with the Galaxy S24 series, followed by OnePlus with the 12 and 12R. As the year progresses, we expect to see Google's mid-range Pixel 8a, Samsung's next-generation foldable, and finally, the Pixel 9 series flagships in the fall. With that said, let's take a look at the most anticipated Android phones coming in 2024.
Samsung Galaxy S24 series
Samsung has scheduled its Galaxy Unpacked event a month earlier this year, with the Galaxy S24 series set to launch on January 17. You can expect the usual trio: the Galaxy S24, Galaxy S24 Plus, and Galaxy S24 Ultra.
Samsung's new smartphones will feature Galaxy AI, which is a combination of on-device and cloud-based AI experiences. On the Galaxy S24 series, this will be made possible by the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chip. Samsung says Galaxy AI will span communication, productivity, and creative applications. AI Live Translate Call for real-time audio and text translations is the only specific feature that's been confirmed, and it looks similar to the Pixel's Live Translate feature.
In terms of design, the Galaxy S24 series is expected to be largely similar to its predecessors, although new color options will be available. Leaked specs suggest that the Galaxy S24 and its Plus variant will both get bigger batteries at 4,000mAh and 4,900mAh, respectively. Charging speeds are improved for the two premium models, with the S24 Ultra and S24 Plus capable of charging from 0 to 65% in 30 minutes.
We expect the pricing to be the same or similar to last year, although it looks like the Galaxy S24 Ultra could get a price hike, which means you might end up paying around $1,299 for the base variant.
OnePlus 12
Like Samsung, OnePlus has confirmed the launch of its next flagship phone, the OnePlus 12, on January 23. We already know a fair bit about this smartphone, given that OnePlus has already launched it in China. Design-wise, the OnePlus 12 doesn't look very different from the OnePlus 11, with the same circular disk for the camera module. The trademark Alert Slider has been retained, although the location has been moved from the right to the left side.
The OnePlus 12 is powered by the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chipset. OnePlus has upgraded both the RAM and storage this time around, with the base model now offering 12GB RAM and 256GB storage.
The battery is also larger, now 5,400mAh, up from 5,000mAh on the OnePlus 11. Wired charging has been boosted to 100W, while 50W wireless charging is also on offer. Wireless charging has been a standout feature on most OnePlus flagships but was missing from the OnePlus 11. In terms of cameras, the phone features a 50MP primary camera, a 48MP ultrawide camera, and a 64MP periscope telephoto camera with 3x optical zoom.
OnePlus is also launching the cheaper OnePlus 12R alongside this device, and for the first time, this variant will be released in the U.S. Based on leaks, the phone could be priced starting at $499, while the OnePlus 12 will retail for $799.
Google Pixel 8a
If Google follows its usual launch schedule, the Pixel 8a should make its debut in May or June this year, coinciding with Google I/O. Google's Pixel-A series smartphones are mid-range versions of its flagships, offering premium features at an affordable price.
The Pixel 8a is expected to feature the same Tensor G3 chipset as the Pixel 8 series. The Pixel 7a has excellent cameras, and while a major camera upgrade is unlikely with the Pixel 8a, the Tensor G3 will enable better image processing.
Renders of the smartphone show a design that's similar to the Pixel 8, albeit chunkier and with more rounded corners. The Pixel 7a brought some notable upgrades in the form of a 90Hz display and wireless charging, and we expect these specs to remain largely unchanged on the Pixel 8a.
As for the software, the phone will run Android 14 out of the box, and Google will likely offer its seven-year Pixel 8 software update promise with its mid-ranger, too. While there's no pricing information, it wouldn't be a stretch to assume the same $499 price tag as the Pixel 7a.
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 and Galaxy Z Flip 6
Samsung's latest foldable smartphones, the Galaxy Z Fold 5 and Galaxy Z Flip 5, were released in August 2023. If Samsung follows the same schedule for the next generation, we're still several months away from the launch of the Galaxy Z Fold 6 and Flip 6. Information on these devices is currently sparse, but there have been a few leaks.
For starters, it appears that both the Galaxy Z Flip 6 and Galaxy Z Fold 6 will feature larger cover displays. The cover screen of the Flip 6 has always been too small to be of any practical use, but according to industry insider Ross Young, the upcoming model could feature a larger 3.9-inch screen. As for the Fold 6, the cover screen features a different aspect ratio, making typing easier. The tall, narrow cover screen of the Galaxy Fold is difficult to type on, and a wider screen will make it far more usable when the smartphone is folded.
Another leak by the Dutch publication Galaxy Club claims that the Galaxy Z Flip 6 will feature a 50MP primary camera, a big upgrade over the 12MP unit on the current model. Both foldables are expected to be powered by Qualcomm's Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chips, which means they will likely offer Samsung's Galaxy AI with on-device generative AI capabilities.
Google Pixel 9 series
The Pixel 8 series is still pretty fresh, but we're already looking forward to the next generation of Google's flagships. In 2023, Google debuted the Pixel Fold alongside the Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro, and while we might see a second-generation foldable this year, we don't know much about this device at the moment.
As for the Pixel 9 series, a Pixel roadmap leaked by Android Authority revealed that Google might launch a third Pixel 9 series smartphone that's a cheaper, compact version of the Pixel 9 Pro with a 6.3-inch display. This would put the Pixel series on par with Apple, which sells its Pro iPhone in two sizes.
Google is expected to use the Tensor G4 chipset in its Pixel 9 lineup. The chip is reportedly based on Samsung's 4nm process, which means Google may debut its 3nm chip with the Pixel 10 series in 2025. The Pixel 9 smartphones will be the first to run Android 15 out of the box, and like the Pixel 8 series, should receive seven years of software updates.
Like the Galaxy S24 series, Google is expanding its AI offerings with the Pixel 9, with a report by The Information claiming that the new phone will be the first to feature the new Pixie AI assistant exclusive to Pixel devices.