Upcoming Android Phones In 2024: Galaxy S24 Ultra, OnePlus Open 2 And More

Launching in: January 2024

Based on the precedent set by the Galaxy S23 Ultra, we are fairly sure Samsung’s upcoming Galaxy S24 Ultra will be an absolute rockstar in the Android space for 2024. 

The leaks have revealed a couple of notable upgrades for the Galaxy S24 Ultra, including the most obvious one, which is the presence of the mighty Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chip. Besides the raw performance, this Qualcomm chip is brainy enough to support Samsung’s rumoured AI advancements based on the Gauss generative AI model. Combined with the versatility of the S Pen stylus, we could be in for a big treat this year. 

As for the rest of the hardware, the Galaxy S24 Ultra is rumoured to go for a flat AMOLED display, an updated 200-megapixel main rear camera with better algorithms under the hood and a new 5x telephoto camera replacing the legendary 10x optical lens from the outgoing model. Just like the iPhone 15 Pro, the Galaxy S24 Ultra is also expected to rely on a Titanium frame for improved structural rigidity without adding on to the weight. 

(Image Credits: Courtesy Samsung) 

Launching on: 23 January 2024

The OnePlus 12 is another one of those top-tier Android flagships that achieves a fine balance of style and substance. If priced right, it could end up bagging the title of the phone of the year for 2024. 

One look at its specifications sheet and you know that OnePlus is serious about luring premium smartphone buyers away from the iPhone 15 and Samsung’s Galaxy S24 series. Other than the impressive Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chipset, the OnePlus 12 could woo us all with its 6.7-inch Quad HD+ LTPO OLED display that retains the curved edges. Its Hasselblad-tuned rear camera setup consists of a 50-megapixel main sensor, a 48-megapixel sensor with an ultrawide lens and a 64-megapixel sensor with a telephoto lens offering 3x optical zoom.

Its styling tops it all, especially with the fantastic colourways. 

(Image Credits: Courtesy OnePlus)

Launching in: February 2024

The iQOO Neo 9 could be one of the best flagship killers we see in 2024, breathing down the neck of the OnePlus 12R, Nothing Phone (2) and the Google Pixel 7a. 

With an all-new design aping the premium aesthetics of the iQOO 12, the iQOO Neo 9 could make it pleasant to flaunt gaming smartphones. The vanilla model will get 2023’s flagship Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset, thereby assuring top-notch performance for games and demanding apps.

A 6.7-inch LTPO OLED display with 144Hz refresh rate and 1.5K resolution along with Vivo’s Q1 chip is only going to make the viewing experience better than its predecessor. Backed by a 5,000mAh battery that relies on a 120W wired charging solution, the iQOO Neo 9 could easily last an entire day. 

(Image Credits: Courtesy iQOO)

Launching in: February 2024

The Nothing Phone 2a may not feature high-end specifications but with its accessible pricing, it could spice up the affordable end of the smartphone market.

Some of the early leaks have revealed Nothing going for a brand-new design for the rear by diminishing the Glyph LED lights and a revamped pattern that seems to omit the wireless charging feature. On the front, the device is likely to feature a 6.7-inch 120Hz OLED display with uniform side bezels and a centre-mounted selfie camera. A MediaTek Dimensity 7200 chipset will be at the heart of the device, thereby promising decent midrange performance that’s good enough for everyday tasks. The main camera system is also said to feature dual 50-megapixel sensors, with wide and ultrawide lenses. 

With a rumoured price tag of USD 400, the Nothing Phone 2a could compete with the Google Pixel 7a and Pixel 8a, Redmi Note 13 Pro Plus and iQOO Z7 Pro.

(Image Credits: Courtesy Nothing)

Launching in: March/April 2024

The Xiaomi 13 Pro has left us impressed with its excellent photographic capabilities and for 2024, ‘China’s Apple’ will pass on the baton to the Xiaomi 14. Yes, just the Xiaomi 14, not the Xiaomi 14 Pro. You can always count on weird marketing decisions. 

Nonetheless, the Xiaomi 14 has been around in China for over a month and has garnered a positive response. It is based on the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 Platform and despite its compact 6.3-inch 1200p resolution OLED LTPO 120Hz display, the device offers an immersive experience, courtesy of Xiaomi’s new HyperOS experience based on Android 14.

It even features three 50-megapixel sensors each for the wide, ultra-wide and telephoto lenses. The 4,600mAh battery should last an entire day when the need to refill arises, you can rely on its 90Wwired fast charging as well as 50W wireless fast charging.

(Image Credits: Courtesy Xiaomi)

Launching in: Mid-2024

The Google Pixel 8a could be the best camera smartphone in the midrange segment and we have some good reasons to back this notion.

For starters, the early leaks have confirmed the Pixel 8a to be a derivative of the highly impressive Pixel 8, retaining the latter’s curvy pebble design and the camera visor. It will also retain the Tensor G3 chipset, which means that there won’t be any dearth of performance. If Google wants, it can easily bring in some of its advanced generative AI features like the Magic Editor, Audio Magic Eraser, AI wallpaper creator and faster Google Assistant.

Since the price has to be cut, Google could still offer a 90Hz OLED panel for the display, a less capable 64-megapixel main camera, a 4,500mAh battery and support for 15W wireless charging. It remains to be seen whether Google offers up to seven years of OS updates on the Pixel 8a.

(Image Credits: Courtesy OnLeaks / Smartprix)

Launching in: Mid-2024

After two years of designing striking-looking phones and merging them with a rich specifications sheet, 2024 might be the year when Nothing reinvents its top-tier smartphone lineup with the Nothing Phone (3).

Phone 2a’s leaked information confirmed that Nothing is open to exploring different design paths. With the Phone (3), we could be seeing a new premium design with densely populated Glyph light strips. Following the trend, the device could use a bright LTPO OLED display panel with up to 120Hz refresh rate.

Nothing could also step up the top-tier flagship category by using the latest Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chipset or even rely on MediaTek’s Dimensity 9300 chip, thereby leaving no chance of complaints in the performance department. Additionally, the dual 50-megapixel camera setup could see the latest image sensors being employed along with clever algorithms to deliver better photography performance.

(Image Credits: Courtesy Nothing)

Launching in: August 2024

The Galaxy Z Flip 5 set a new benchmark for flip smartphones in 2023 and with the Galaxy Z Flip 6, Samsung could bring a revolution in the foldable smartphone segment.

With the Galaxy Z Flip 6, we expect Samsung to address the shortcomings that bugged Flip 5 users. For starters, the cover display and the main display could lose some fat from their bezels, thereby imparting a fresh new look. Samsung could upgrade the main camera to a 50-megapixel sensor to allow 2x digital zoom and improve the overall image quality. The newer Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chip could also help with battery stamina.

However, the most interesting aspect of the Galaxy Z Flip 6 could be its AI capabilities. Samsung’s Gauss AI model will underpin the One UI 6 experience, offering smarter features that have been previewed on the Google Pixel 8 series. On the Flip 6, this AI-infused One UI 6 could bring up new ways to take advantage of the Flex mode, offering more versatility in using the cameras and helping with clever multitasking.

(Image Credits: Courtesy Augustman)

Launching in: Mid-2024

The Motorola Razr 40 Ultra was one of the most desirable yet practical flip smartphones of 2023. For 2024, the Lenovo-backed firm could step up to Samsung and address the shortcomings of the Razr 40 series with a brand new Razr 50 Ultra.

While no rumours or leaks are talking about the next-generation Razr, it is easy to speculate that Motorola could make some tweaks to the existing design and focus on internal overhauls. For starters, it could offer the latest Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chipset for ultimate performance and power efficiency, which could indirectly result in improvements to the battery life. Camera performance was a big concern on the Razr 40 Ultra and we believe Motorola could work on it this year with clever algorithms under the hood.

Additionally, the new MyUX UI based on Android 14 could be more versatile, allowing for better ways to multitask on the cover display. All we hope is to see Motorola stand up and give some tough competition to Samsung’s dominating flip smartphones.

(Image Credits: Courtesy Motorola)

Launching in: October 2024

The OnePlus Open was a landmark product in the world of book-style foldable phones. For its successor, we expect it to be a world-class product focusing on refinement, just like the OnePlus 12.

The core design of the OnePlus Open lent it utmost popularity in the premium foldable segment and we expect OnePlus to build upon it with the OnePlus Open 2. There is scope to improve upon the main display’s reliability as well as quality. The same can be said for its OxygenOS interface which could do with more finesse. The proven camera hardware from the OnePlus 12 could make it to the Open 2 and improve the photography experience as well.

We also expect OnePlus to improve upon the battery life. 

(Image Credits: Courtesy OnePlus)