The best upcoming Android phones that are worth the wait

With the 2023 calendar year behind us, it’s time to start looking ahead. Don’t get us wrong, we’re still enjoying top Android flagships like the Google Pixel 8 Pro and OnePlus Open, but it’s kind of our job to wonder about what’s coming down the pipeline. After all, signs point towards the launch schedule shifting forward in 2024 thanks to Qualcomm and MediaTek launching their new chipsets earlier than ever. Anyway, let’s get into the hottest upcoming Android devices — the ones that we know are coming in 2024 as well as the ones we hope to see.

New Android phones

If you don’t plan on waiting, some great phones are always launching. It’s important to know what’s already out, so here is a short list of the latest devices to hit the market.

• Google Pixel 8 series ($699 at Amazon): Just as expected, Google launched its Pixel 8 handsets on October 4, 2023. These offer refinement and incremental improvements. Of course, you get impressive cameras, great performance, and a gorgeous design. If you want more, you can always go with the Pixel 8 Pro, too ($999 at Amazon).
• Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 ($1799.99 at Samsung): This is Samsung’s latest high-end foldable phone. It features an improved hinge, top-of-the-line performance, and a great overall experience. It’s also costly, though.
• Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 ($999.99 at Samsung): Those who prefer the flip-phone style will love the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5. Aside from the high-end performance and overall great experience, it now has a much larger external display.
• OnePlus Open ($1499.99 at OnePlus): In a world where high-end foldables cost $1800, it’s nice to see OnePlus releasing the Open for $1,699.99. That’s still pricey, but things are improving, and this phone is fantastic. You get powerful specs, an excellent design, high-speed 67W charging, and gorgeous displays.
• Samsung Galaxy S23 FE ($599.99 at Amazon): Samsung revealed a great affordable alternative to its high-end S23 devices in early October, 2023. The Galaxy S23 FE offers a near-high-end experience at just $599. It still has a great design, powerful performance, a gorgeous screen, an IP68 rating, and wireless charging.
• Sony Xperia 5 V (£849 at Amazon): The Sony Xperia 1 V is an amazing device, but it may be a bit overkill to many. If you want something great for Sony, and at a much more reasonable price, the Sony Xperia 5 V goes for €999. It’s not available in the USA (yet), but it is a great high-end phone if you live in a market where it’s available.
• Xiaomi 14 series ($689 at Giztop): The Xiaomi 14 and Xiaomi 14 Pro ($899 at Giztop) are amazing devices. In fact, they are the first to come with a Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 processor. Other highlights include a 2K display on the Pro model, up to 16GB of RAM, and a gorgeous design.

Early 2024 Android phones

We’re about to roll into a brand new year, which means a fresh start on flagship launches from all of the major brands. Here are the Android phones we expect to see in the next four to six months:

It only seems fair to start with a phone that we know is coming. OnePlus has already confirmed that its next flagship, the OnePlus 12, will launch globally on January 23, 2024. We’ve already seen promotional images of the device, too, which suggest that it’s not going to deviate too far from the previous OnePlus 11 in terms of design.

On top of the confirmed global release, the OnePlus 12 is already available for sale in China. As a result, we pretty much know everything there is to know about the flagship — at least from a hardware perspective. As anticipated, it will come with Qualcomm’s updated Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 processor under the hood and will also carry an updated Hasselblad-tuned triple camera setup on the back.

OnePlus is also planning to bring its mid-range R-series outside of India for the first time with the OnePlus 12R. It’s tipped to launch at the same time as the OnePlus 12, though a few key changes to the spec sheet should help to keep costs down. The OnePlus 12R should arrive with the older — but still excellent — Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 under the hood, along with slightly downgraded cameras.

You can get deeper into the specs and features of the OnePlus 12. We’ll also publish a full review of the device once we have it in hand.

• When will the OnePlus 12 and OnePlus 12R be released? January 23, 2024

Up next, we have Samsung’s next set of Galaxy S flagships, expected to be called the Galaxy S24 series. Unlike the OnePlus 12, we’re still waiting on a bit more information before we can shore up our Samsung expectations. However, we do anticipate a Galaxy S24 series launch sometime in January 2024, which would be earlier than its predecessor Galaxy S23 series launched.

As for the specifics of the Galaxy S24 series, we expect that Samsung will continue to offer three models and that the designs themselves won’t change too much. The Galaxy S24 Ultra will probably continue to act as a Galaxy Note replacement, while the smaller Galaxy S24 and Galaxy S24 Plus offer more traditional designs and share similar specs. We do anticipate the Galaxy S24 series to arrive with Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 as its processor in the US, though there may be an Exynos version for international markets.

We’re not sure what changes Samsung has in store for the battery size or charging speeds on the Galaxy S24 series, but it wouldn’t be a surprise if 25W for the Galaxy S24 and 45W for the Plus and Ultra remain the go-to configuration. As for the cameras, signs point to the Galaxy S24 Ultra modifying its telephoto setup to offer more flexible short-range zoom.

Check out our Samsung Galaxy S24 series rumor hub to learn more about the phones. We’ll continue to update the hub as we learn more.

• When will the Samsung Galaxy S24 series launch? Likely January 2024

Alright, we’re finally reaching a bit further into the future with something a little different. Although both the OnePlus 12 and Samsung Galaxy S24 series promise to be well-rounded smartphones, they won’t hold a candle to the best gaming phones when it comes to graphics and heat management. For that, you’ll need a proper gaming phone like the (eventually) upcoming ASUS ROG Phone 8.

Unfortunately, we don’t know too much about the next ROG Phone, and ASUS isn’t exactly consistent with its launch schedule in the US. However, ASUS has confirmed that the next generation ROG Phone will be announced on January 8, 2024.

Anyway, as for what to expect from the ROG Phone 8, get ready for a packed spec sheet. It should have ample RAM and a hefty battery — the ROG Phone 7 had a 6,000mAh cell. The next ROG Phone will also probably have plenty of accessories like the external cooling fan and touch-based triggers that you can map for gaming. Just don’t expect an elite camera; photography is often an afterthought on gaming devices.

We’re not sure if anyone expected another budget-friendly A-series, but it sounds like we’re about to get one. After bumping the specs (and price) from the Phone 1 to the Phone 2, Nothing is ready to head back to its budget roots with the upcoming Phone 2a. The company recently sent out a save the date for an event to take place during Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, at which point it is expected to dive back into the affordable Android race.

Official details on the Nothing Phone 2a are still rather slim, but we’ve seen the leaks pick up in recent weeks. Images and video clips of the device suggest that it will swap from the corner-mounted camera bump of the Phone 1 and 2 to a central pairing, which is reminiscent of the Samsung Galaxy S10 series. Despite the change, we expect Nothing to keep its signature Glyph interface, albeit with fewer lights than its pricier siblings.

As for other specs, we’re anticipating that the Nothing Phone 2a will arrive with a sizable 6.67-inch, 120Hz display, and a beefy battery to match. Leaks also suggest that Nothing will stick with its usual pair of 50MP camera sensors paired up with a 32MP selfie camera.

Check out our recent Nothing Phone 2a leaks for more information.

• When will the Nothing Phone 2a launch? February 27, 2024 during MWC

If you’re not in as much of a rush to upgrade your phone, it might be a good idea to wait until later in 2024. After all, we just saw updates to Google’s Pixel line and Samsung’s foldable phones, so it’ll be a while before they’re ready for another bump. Here are the Android phones you’ll have to wait for:

• Google Pixel 9: The Pixel 8 series is still pretty fresh in our minds, but it’s not too early to start looking ahead. Google’s flagships usually arrive around October, though we should expect a mid-range Pixel 8a before then.
• Samsung Galaxy A55: Not one to be left out of the mid-range game, Samsung’s top-level A-series device usually launches in the spring. We wouldn’t be surprised if the Galaxy A55 landed sometime around March or April.
• Motorola Razr (2024) and Razr Plus (2024): Motorola jumped back into the flip phone race in a big way in 2023, launching not one but two Razr models. If it follows the same schedule in 2024, the premium Razr Plus might arrive in June, with the more affordable Razr coming a few months later.
• Sony Xperia 1 VI: Sony’s premium camera phone is another spring-to-early-summer arrival, suggesting we might see it by June.
• Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6 and Galaxy Z Fold 6: Like the Pixel 8 series, it feels like we just saw new updates to Samsung’s foldable offerings. We’re fairly certain the annual updates will continue, however, which would point to an August or early September launch.
• ASUS Zenfone 11 Ultra: ASUS often keeps its Zenfone and ROG Phone separate, but a recent Bluetooth filing suggests we might see a change coming. The Zenfone 11 Ultra received certification alongside the ROG Phone 8 and 8 Pro, which means it might turn out to be a rebadged version of the upcoming gaming handset. Other details are still a bit tight, but we expect it to launch with its gaming counterparts.

We’re almost certain that we’ll see all of the phones listed above, but it is by no means an exhaustive list. There are likely many others in store, like a second-generation Pixel Fold, new Edge devices from Motorola, and maybe even some form factors that we haven’t considered. If we omitted an Android phone that you’re looking forward to, it’s probably only because we don’t know enough about it heading into 2024.