Stuff Gadget Awards 2012 – Smartphone of the Year winner

Samsung Galaxy S III
£500, samsung.com/uk
Long before Apple’s Maps catastrophe left iPhone 5 users wandering around looking for a long-extinct branch of Our Price, another handset had already taken Apple’s smartphone crown. Samsung’s third attempt at a Galaxy S is a monster: a 4.8in Super AMOLED screen, quad-core processor, NFC and 8MP camera which shoots 1080p video. Android’s excellent Google Maps comes pre-loaded, which means you won’t be traipsing around town looking for Woolworths. Throw in the kind of innovation Apple used to be famous for – Smart Stay uses the front cam to keep the screen lit when you’re looking at it – and this one’s a no-brainer. Read review

Runners-up...

Apple iPhone 5
Slimmer, lighter, and reassuringly expensive, the iPhone 5 is still a force to be reckoned with.

HTC One X
The S III’s the best Android available but the One X’s matte look might tempt those with an eye for detail.

Sony Xperia S
James Bond uses an Xperia T, but with its 12MP cam and excellent screen we think the S is better.

LG Optimus 4X HD
A sleeper hit that’s just as powerful as the One X and S III. 

HTC One V
Not top of the class but this budget handset is more Armani than Aldi. 

Nokia Lumia 800
The 920’s on the way but the 800’s still the best Windows phone yet.

Motorola RAZR i
It’s ditched the clamshell but an edge-to-edge display is still great.