preview of Galaxy S10, OnePlus 7 and more

 

New smartphones 2019: the best expected phones

Manufacturers know to surprise us every year with striking new features, but at the same time they are also very predictable. Companies like Samsung, Huawei and OnePlus come every year at almost exactly the same moments with new devices. This is not surprising: of course, popular smartphones such as the Samsung Galaxy S9 and Huawei P20 succeed.

In this article we are therefore already going through some of the most promising new smartphones for 2019. A lot can change in the run-up to the release, but much has already leaked or is obvious. This is all we already know about the Samsung Galaxy S10 OnePlus 7, Nokia 9 and other high-end smartphones, including their expected release date, suggested retail price and specifications.

Nokia 9 (January 2019)

The Finnish manufacturer is probably kicking off the year with the first real flagship for 2019. Rumors about the Nokia 9 have been buzzing around for ages, but it seems that the smartphone will finally be presented by the end of January. In the meantime, so many official photos and videos have already appeared that the release should be close.

At the back, the Nokia 9 almost reminds of a honeycomb, because there are seven holes to find: five for cameras, two for strobes. Probably all these lenses are used to absorb more light. As a result, the Nokia 9 can shoot much sharper pictures even in low-light situations. Promo videos suggest that the camera also supports HDR, and that you can subsequently adjust the focus of your photos.

We are used to Nokia smartphones have affordable prices, but assume that this model gets a firmer price tag. Given the specifications and the impressive set of cameras, we would not be surprised if the Nokia 9 recommended price is above 750 euros. The revelation is probably in late January, with a release in February.

Samsung Galaxy S10 (February 2019)

After the Galaxy S9 was seen by many as a pretty boring device, Samsung will take revenge this year with the Galaxy S10 . Sources claim that the screen fills almost the entire front: even the camera and the fingerprint scanner are processed in the image. On the back you will not find one, but at least three cameras.

You can assume that the Galaxy S10 is equipped with the most powerful hardware of the moment. Now raw power of course does not mean everything, but you are in any case assured of good performance and apps that start quickly. Chips also sometimes provide extra features. For example, the new Exynos 9820 chip, which is probably in the S10, can charge faster and handle your camera more intelligently.

Sources claim that the Samsung Galaxy S10 will be unveiled on February 20, with the release scheduled for March 8th. The manufacturer also probably has several variants planned. A Galaxy S10 Plus with a larger screen, and the cheaper Galaxy S10 Lite with slightly weaker hardware. In addition, there are rumors about a 5G variant with foldable screen, but that will probably only be very limited available.

Huawei P30 (March 2019)

In the meantime, almost all top smartphones have been equipped with a multitude of cameras, but Huawei was one of the first. The P20 Pro even surprises last year with three cameras at the rear. However, we do not expect the Huawei P30 or P30 Pro to have more cameras.

Reliable sources (including telecom insider Evan Blass ) claim that the Huawei P30 also has three cameras. However, the lenses themselves are improved. The device has five times optical zoom, so you can zoom in considerably without loss of quality in the image. First comes a selfie camera of 24 megapixel. What kind of camera the Huawei P30 Pro has is still unknown. The specifications are furthermore probably comparable with the Mate 20 Pro which has been on sale since the end of last year.

If the Huawei continues its planning of the past years, the aircraft will probably be presented at the end of March. The Huawei P30, P30 Pro and P30 Lite are then in stores from April

OnePlus 7 (April / May 2019)

OnePlus starts the year with a 5G smartphone which is probably already announced in February. However, this model does not appear in the Netherlands, because our 5G network takes a little longer. We have to be patient until April or May, when OnePlus traditionally presents its new devices.

Specifications of the OnePlus 7 are unfortunately still unknown, but we dare to do a bet. The screen is probably just over 6 inches tall, with a small notch at the top for the selfie camera. The device has a Snapdragon 855 chip, 6 or 8GB memory and 128GB storage space.

OnePlus has recently made big steps to improve the camera, so we expect the OnePlus 7 to have at least a double camera. The suggested retail price is likely to rise slightly, but will remain below € 600.

Google Pixel 4 (October 2019)

It is too early to say much about the next Pixel. Google usually presents its new smartphones in October, and the Pixel 3 is only just in stores. Probably the Pixel 4 is equipped with the most powerful hardware of that moment, an improved camera and the latest version of Android, but we do not dare to say more about it.

We do have good hope that the Google Pixel 4 will officially appear in the Netherlands this year. Previous devices you could only get a hefty surcharge through gray import. However, the Netherlands is becoming an increasingly important country for Google. Last year a Dutch version of the Google Assistant appeared, and the voice-controlled Google Home-speakers are also popular here. It is almost impossible for the Netherlands to start working with the Pixel from 2019.

Quite possibly Google also reveals some new smartphones for that time. Rumor has it that a Google Pixel 3 Lite is being developed. This cheaper version has the same smart software, but is a tad less powerful. The first photos of the Lite model showed up recently, and it is still unclear when the smartphone sees the light of day.

What are Xiaomi, Oppo, HTC, LG and Sony doing in 2019?

Of course, in the course of 2019 expect even more Android smartphones. Most major brands now issue a new flagship every six months. In the second half of 2019 we expect the Samsung Galaxy Note 10, Huawei Mate 30 and OnePlus 7T among others. Little is known about these smartphones, probably because they are still in full development.

Xiaomi, Oppo and other Chinese brands will also make an impact in 2019. They are becoming increasingly active on the Dutch market. That means good news for consumers. There are more brands to choose, more Android smartphones that maybe fit your interests, and the prices stay nice and low. Which Xiaomi and Oppo aircraft we can expect in 2019 is uncertain, but in any case count on successors for success numbers such as the Xiaomi Mi A2 .

Fans of HTC, LG and Sony: no worries, we have not forgotten you! But after these companies have had a somewhat disappointing 2018, we do not expect that they will make a big impression in 2019. In fact, HTC has even officially announced that a new flagship will only be published by the end of 2019. For now we have to do it with the HTC U12 Plus .

Sony has by far the best starting position of the three. The Xperia XZ3 is a good smartphone, with smooth hardware and a nicer design than we have seen from the manufacturer in a long time. The camera was, however, good at most, not great. The device did not really stand out from the competition and was at best a good fourth choice. Little is known about the Xperia XZ4, except that the screen probably fills even more from the front. Whether that is enough to get Sony back at the top is still the question.

LG starts 2019 by warming up last year’s cliques for the Dutch market. The LG V40 ThinQ which has been on sale in South Korea since October, also appears in the Netherlands ‘in early 2019’. By the time the V40 appears here, many top devices already have Android 9.0 Pie and a Snapdragon 855 chip, while the V40 runs on Android 8.0 and has a Snapdragon 845 chip.

Best budgetsmartphones from 2019

Perhaps the biggest plus of Android is that you do not have to choose a very expensive smartphone. Even for a few hundred euros you already get a very good phone. In 2018 we saw budgetsmartphones with dual cameras, face recognition and stylish designs. Manufacturers often know how to keep cheaper devices secret, so we do not yet know much about what’s coming.

We kick the year off in any case with the new Huawei P Smart and Nokia 8.1 . Both are equipped with distinctive features and packaged in a beautiful housing. You pay less for it than for a flagship. Also for other popular budget devices such as the Motorola Moto G6 Samsung Galaxy A6 and Huawei P20 Lite we expect the coming weeks and months of successors.

The trend among these devices for 2019: better cameras. Cheap phones are now powerful enough to run most apps smoothly, so raw power is not very interesting anymore. However, we expect more and more from our cameras. Even for a few minutes, we want to be able to make sharp photos. Manufacturers are therefore also going to release more phones with multiple cameras in this price category, so we expect.

5G: especially a promise for 2020

Behind the scenes we are working hard on the introduction of 5G. The successor to 4G does not only offer download speeds that are up to ten times as high, but would also have less lay . As a result, there is less delay between when you give an order and that signal is received. These are improvements in milliseconds, but they are essential for technology such as self-driving cars and virtual reality, where every delay counts.

Nevertheless, this year you will not expect much of 5G. Because the faster internet is still in its infancy, it is not yet ready for the general public. The first 5G modems for smartphones are relatively ungainly, as the picture above shows Ars Technica . The 4G modem is integrated into the rest of the chipset, while for 5G all extra components are needed. That makes a smartphone suddenly thicker and heavier. And that while 5G also consumes more power.

Even for users who want to take the lead, there is another obstacle in the Netherlands. Providers do not expect to offer a 5G network until 2020 at the earliest. The frequency for 5G is still used by the government, and a frequency auction has yet to take place. Before the providers have set up a nationwide network, we are already a lot further. Ordinary consumers like you and me can still ignore 5G in 2019.