Best upcoming phones: future phones for 2024
From affordable phones to fresh flagships and folding phones, there's no shortage of exciting upcoming phones on the horizon
Like to follow every smartphone launch like a hawk? Your diary must be busy. From affordable phones and fresh flagships to foldables, there’s a whole host of shiny new phones coming your way in 2024. And with the Mobile World Congress show now in full swing, plenty of them will be arriving in the next few weeks.
We’ve rounded up the confirmed releases, probable launches and rumoured reveals for the year below, so you can keep your smartphone knowledge well ahead of the curve. We’ve also summarised the major smartphone announcements from recent months, with links to our reviews of the big hitters. Our regularly updated list has all the best upcoming phones we expect to see.
Here’s our guide to the best upcoming phones set to land over the next twelve months.
All the best upcoming phones we’re expecting soon
Samsung Galaxy A55
The Galaxy S-series might steal all the limelight, but Samsung’s A-series smartphones sell in ridiculously big numbers the world over. The Galaxy A55 is just around the corner, and looks set to challenge the Google Pixel 7a with a larger 6.6in OLED display. Underneath rumours suggest an Exynos 1480 chipset, 6GB of RAM and 128GB of storage, with microSD expansion and a 5000mAh battery.
Rear cameras will apparently be unchanged from the previous generation, meaning a 50MP main snapper, 12MP ultrawide and 5MP macro, plus a 32MP selfie cam up front. Don’t expect Samsung’s Galaxy AI to play a prominent role here. It should arrive on Android 14, though, with OneUI on top. Expect it to show up alongside the even more wallet-friendly Galaxy A35 in the coming weeks.
Until the A55 arrives, there’s always the Galaxy A54. It’s now a lot more affordable than it was at launch, making it a top pick in the affordable phone world:
Asus Zenfone 11
Asus can usually be relied on to deliver a pocket-friendly phone in the first few months of each year; it’s one of the few manufacturers that hasn’t abandoned the sub-6.5in screen size. At least, that used to be the case. All the Zenfone 11 rumours are currently pointing to an Ultra model, which will essentially be a rebadged ROG Phone 8.
That means a huge 6.78in screen, along with Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 power and a triple rear camera setup. Will there also be a smaller version to match? We’re keeping our fingers crossed, as it would otherwise leave Apple and Samsung unopposed in the petite phone game.
Don’t want to wait? The Asus Zenfone 10 can still be snapped up if you’re a fan of a smaller smartphone:
Google Pixel 8a
Google’s Pixel A-series phones dilute down what makes their full-fat bigger brothers such fab flagships, for a much more palatable price. We’re expecting the Pixel 8a to do the same when it arrives, most likely in May to coincide with Google I/O. There were whispers Google would skip an affordable model this year, but those appear to have been silenced for now.
Expect Tensor G3 silicon, and a light redesign to better match the Pixel 8 Pro’s more rounded corners. Otherwise we can’t think of any one area the 8a needs serious attention; the Pixel 7a was a stellar mid-ranger, after all. AI abilities seem all but guaranteed, seeing how artificial intelligence is the latest phone industry buzzword, and Google went big on it for the Pixel 8’s launch.
Until the 8a lands, the Pixel 7a remains one of the best all-rounder phones in its price bracket:
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 / Flip 6
With the Galaxy S24 series arriving in January 2024, a month earlier than Samsung typically like to launch its mainstream models, there’s every chance the next-gen Fold and Flip folding phones will land a little sooner than anticipated too. Both are most certainly in the works, with leaks suggesting a tweaked design for the former that will more closely match the angular Galaxy S24 Ultra.
Camera fans may be disappointed to hear rumours are pointing to an unchanged set of sensors, while performance will surely come courtesy of a Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 CPU. The Fold will hopefully be shorter and wider than its predecessor, which was still on the skinny side compared to other book-style phones. The Flip will surely see fewer styling changes, as Samsung only debuted that oversized cover screen with last year’s Z Flip 5.
Apple iPhone 16 series
A new generation of Apple silicon seems likely, as does a new version of iOS. We’re also hoping the iPhone 15 Pro Max’s 5x telephoto lens makes its way down to the more palm-friendly iPhone 16 Pro.
The one every Apple fan will be waiting for. The iPhone 16 line-up will almost certainly be revealed in early September 2024, bringing multiple sizes and at least one Pro variant. There’s little info out there right now, other than Apple is apparently going to go big on AI this year – just like the rest of the phone world.
September 2024 feels like a long way off right now, though. The iPhone 15 line-up is as good as it gets in Apple land today:
Latest smartphone releases
It’s a big departure from Nothing’s last two phones, and makes a major change on the inside too – but the Nothing Phone 2a is still a compelling alternative to affordable models from big-name rivals. It simplifies the firm’s Glyph lighting, debuts a redesigned rear and uses MediaTek silicon to provide the power. It’s got a big battery and two capable cameras (for the cash), making it a winner in the sub-£350 class.
Honor’s latest flagship phones doubles down on a speedy set of rear snappers, only this time it also goes hard on the zoom front. A 180MP sensor with OIS and a 2.5x optical zoom promise near-perfect portraits, and AI assistance should mean better subject detection and motion tracking. A top-tier display, Snapdragon silicon and an especially big battery give it plenty of plus points.
The more mainstream of Xiaomi’s two 14 series models has a compact 6.36in screen, but that doesn’t mean it had to skimp on hardware. A sizeable battery capacity, Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chipset, and a trio of very capable Leica-tweaked rear cameras make it a true rival to the likes of Samsung’s Galaxy S24.
Arguably the biggest story out of this year’s MWC show, the Xiaomi 14 Ultra promises the best camera hardware you’ll find on any phone – plus a dedicated upgrade kit that adds physical controls into the mix. A 1in sensor main camera with variable aperture, twin telephotos with OIS and an ultrawide with an equally high pixel count make it a force to be reckoned with – and it’s undeniably a flagship phone everywhere else, with slick styling, plenty of power and a beefy battery. It’ll be on sale in Europe and the UK from mid-March.
Asus ROG Phone 8 / ROG Phone 8 Pro
Aggressive styling and mediocre cameras made older ROG phones tricky to recommend to non-gamers. The new ROG Phone 8 Pro changes that with a tempting trio of rear snappers and much more sedate styling. An IP68 rating and AMOLED screen help the ROG Phone 8 Pro go toe-to-toe with big name rivals, while the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 CPU and oversized battery keep it a performance monster.
Technically still China-only at the time of writing, OnePlus’ latest flagship killer is expected to land in Europe imminently. We know exactly what to expect: the OnePlus 12 will land with a 6.82in AMOLED screen good for an astounding 4500nits peak brightness, a Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 CPU, and a three-lens rear camera setup headlined by a Sony-developed LYTIA stacked sensor.
Oppo’s China-only flagship phone goes hard on the camera front, with a ‘quad main sensor’ setup. Twin periscope telephotos provide one of the widest focal ranges of any phone without relying on digital enhancement, and the main snapper retains the astonishingly effective 1in sensor seen on last year’s Oppo Find X6 Pro. Snapdragon power, fast charging and a high brightness OLED display mark it out as a properly high-end handset, but sadly there are no plans to launch it globally.
Samsung Galaxy S24 and Galaxy S24 Plus
This year’s two mainstream Galaxy flagships see minor styling tweaks compared to their predecessors, and reuse the same camera hardware. Bigger batteries, brighter displays with skinnier bezels, and an unwavering focus on on-device AI help them stand out, with the larger of the two also getting a higher screen resolution and faster wired charging.
The new hero of the Galaxy line-up has a titanium frame and Corning Gorilla Armor glass, making it super tough as well as super luxurious. That screen is flat now, rather than curved, and there’s a Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 lurking underneath for serious power. AI is a big deal this year, being baked in to multiple apps and especially useful for generative photo edits.
It’s not a brand many European phone owners will know, but Vivo regularly knocks it out of the park with its photography-focused flagships. The X100 Pro is no different; a 1in main sensor and ‘floating lens’ periscope telephoto help it take phenomenal shots in just about all lighting conditions. Portraits are a speciality, and the rest of the hardware isn’t to be sniffed at. Getting hold of one is the biggest challenge; availability is largely limited to India and East Asia.
Don’t want to wait for the coming year’s crop of phones to be released? This extensive list includes full reviews of all the major launches from the last twelve months that you can go out and buy right now.
- Apple iPhone 15 and 15 Plus: Makes the switch to USB-C and brings Dynamic Island smarts from last year’s Pro models.
- Apple iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max: Titanium construction and fantastic camera zoom abilities make this the best iPhone yet.
- Asus Zenfone 10: Still flying the flag for small phones, with very capable cameras and powerful internals
- Google Pixel 7a: Hard to beat for photographic ability, given the price. A great affordable all-rounder everywhere else.
- Google Pixel 8 Pro and Pixel 8: the benchmark for Android phone photography, now with AI assistance and premium build quality.
- Google Pixel Fold: Google’s first attempt at a foldable gets a lot right, but leaves room for improvement.
- Honor Magic 5 Pro: Seriously quick, very capable rear camera hardware make this a great pick for photographers.
- Honor Magic V2: Takes the title of slimmest book-style foldable phone, and doesn’t disappoint elsewhere either in terms of hardware. Rivals do multitasking better, though.
- Huawei P60 Pro: Seriously clever camera hardware suited to all lighting conditions, but the usual Huawei software stumbles
- Motorola Edge 40 Pro: The definition of a ‘mainstream flagship’ phone gets plenty right, including the price.
- Motorola Razr 40 Ultra / Razr+: Moto continues to iterate its foldables, now with options to suit different budgets.
- Nothing Phone 2: It’s only Nothing’s second handset, but Phone 2 bests many longer-running rivals for streamlined software.
- Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5: A much more usable cover screen makes this our favourite clamshell phone to date.
- Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5: A brilliant book-style foldable that improves on a familiar formula
- Sony Xperia 1 V: The best of Sony in a smartphone, with a strong focus on creative content. Takes a fab photo.
- Sony Xperia 5 V: A more mainstream Xperia with perfectly potent hardware and all of Sony’s familiar features.
- Xiaomi 13 / Xiaomi 13 Pro: Two superb flagship phones with all the features you’d want and ace, Leica-tuned cameras.
- Xiaomi 13 Ultra: Takes lessons learned from the Xiaomi 13 Pro and adds even more of a photography focus.
Tom Morgan-Freelander Deputy Editor 
