With IFA looming, and Apple’s September 9th event on the horizon, there is plenty of reason to be excited about the new wave of products about to hit the market.
But if you can’t wait until the official announcement, and you’re eager to see how you’re going to spend money you’re yet to receive on products you can’t afford, then read on...
Project Ara
Google’s planet saving modular smartphone has been delayed to 2016. But not because it’s an unworkable concept, but because those smart engineers have found a better way of doing it.
Project Ara, in short, is a fully customisable smartphone in which components (like the processor, camera or battery) - known as modules - can be swapped out and replaced at will. Fancy a camera upgrade but don’t want to replace the entire device? Ara is for you. Or, perhaps, the processor is knackered? Ara is the answer.
MORE: I'm Backing Google's Project Ara, And You Should Too
Ara is built to be affordable, with the base unit costing around $50. Two big hurdles are still yet to be cleared with Ara, however: price of components and how the software will cope with multiple - and wide-ranging - variations of hardware set ups. But these are hurdles I’m confident Google will overcome.
Aside from the beauty of choice and customisation, you’ll be doing your bit to stop electrical waste that’s rapidly becoming a big problem. So, aside from being that smug guy with a weird new phone, you’ll also be saving the planet.
Lumia 950 and 950 XL
Microsoft is preparing to shower you with new shiny things in the next week or so. Two of which will be the long awaited new high-end Windows smartphones. It’s been a long time coming, and now that Windows 10 is out in the wild, it looks like Microsoft is finally ready to bring out the big guns.
The smaller of the two will feature a 5.2-inch quad-HD display, a Snapdragon 808 processor (same as the LG G4) and a 3000mAh battery (there’s no information on whether or not it’s removable). For the XL, it will feature Qualcomm’s 810 chip, a larger 3300mAh battery and a 5.7-inch quad-HD display.
Both devices will have 3GB of ram, USB-C, Qi wireless charging, a 20MP PureView camera, a 5MP wide angle front-facing camera and support for the Surface Pen.
We know Microsoft has form in the camera department, given that it was ahead of the competition with the 1520 (and the Pureview tech has always been impressive), so expect a powerful snapper.
The rest of the specs look about as top-end as you can get, combine that with the Windows 10 experience and we’re looking at two very interesting entrants into the smartphone market.
The key will be convincing people to use Microsoft instead of Android or iOS, how does Microsoft plan to do with this? With universal apps that work across different platforms (PC and mobile), alongside making it easier for app developers to repurpose their iOS apps for Windows. Read more about Microsoft’s strategy here.
iPhone 6S
The impending iPhone 6S launch will bring slightly more than a few standard updates to the iPhone 6. It’s not going to be a giant leap like the iPhone 5s to the iPhone 6, but the S series rarely is. That doesn’t stop the palpable excitement that slows builds over the summer as the September launch-date nears.
So what’s in store for the iPhone 6S? The Apple Watch’s Force Touch feature, which is the iPhone 6S’ pressure sensitive display that performs different actions depending on how much force is applied.
MORE: Future iPhones Will Have One Week Of Battery Life, With One Catch
There’s also a spec bump, with the iPhone finally moving to 2GB of RAM and a faster A9 processor. Not to mention a speedier Touch ID (which will recognise your fingerprint faster) and a pixel upgrade for the iPhone 6S to 12MP, meaning 4K recording.
Then, of course, there’s the slightly thicker and harder 7000 series alloy casing. Which should be more resistant to tight jeans, a short memory and a hard chair…
Nexus 5 (2015)
Google’s Nexus 5 is getting a rehash alongside its bigger, upcoming big brother, the Nexus 6.
Information is still light on the Nexus 5, but we do have a leaked image (above), which appears to suggest a large, protruding, camera module. The new Nexus is reportedly being made by LG, so we could expect a similar level camera on the G4, which is one of the best in the industry.
MORE: 5 Reasons To Buy The Samsung Galaxy Note 5
Conflicting reports have both mentioned that the Nexus 5 will feature a full-HD display, and a 2k display. Given that the Nexus range (barring the Nexus 6) typically focuses on price rather than stand-out specs, I’d bet on the former.
What is likely, though, is a fingerprint scanner, a Snapdragon processor (perhaps the 808 or Qualcomm’s new 820), USB-C port and the Nexus being launched alongside Android 6.0. Google did this last year by launching the Nexus 6 and Nexus 9 very quietly, without any fanfare, in mid-October. Maybe we’ll see the same muted launch this year too.
Nexus 6 (2015)
It looks like Huawei might be taking the Nexus Maker mantle since Motorola is no longer owned by Google, as Forbes’ Ian Morris notes.
But what can we expect from the Chinese manufacturer? Huawei is known for its impressive but low-end products - the Honor 7 is the perfect example. So it’s likely that we might see a return to a more affordable priced Nexus, unlike last year’s expensive Nexus 6.
Recent images have shown a less than stellar looking Nexus, with an unsightly black bar at the top of the device where the camera module sits. Around the front however, it looks far more normal.
Leaks have pointed to a larger 5.7-inch screen (but not a monsterous 6-inch display like last year’s), USB-C, fingerprint scanner and Android 6.0. But, given that it’s probably going to launch in just over a month, details are surprisingly thin.
