Best upcoming phones for 2025: find your next phone!
Flagships, foldables, midrangers and affordable models - there's an upcoming phone for all budgets
From hero handsets and foldable flagships to affordable mid-rangers, there’s never a shortage of shiny new upcoming phones to get excited about. That’s always true when your cellular contract comes up for renewal – something will be out there to tempt you away from the handset you’ve loved for the last year or two, no matter your budget.
These upcoming phones will all arrive in the next 12 months. We’ve focused on rumoured reveals but also mentioned confirmed releases, including ones that have debuted in China but have yet to see a Western launch. Here’s what to expect in terms of specs, camera capabilities and software smarts – and for some added context, check out the summary of every major smartphone announcement from recent months, with links to our review of the biggest hitters.
Only care about phones you can buy right now? Read our guide to the best smartphones on sale today.
All the best upcoming phones we’re expecting soon
Samsung Galaxy S25
Samsung’s upcoming flagship trio are likely now mere months away – you should have 23 January 2025 in your diary until we hear otherwise – but early leaks have suggested the S25 Ultra will follow the trend for flat sides and curved corners, making it a closer match for the regular S25. Expect smaller screen bezels, and Snapdragon 8 Elite silicon across the board, no matter where in the world you live.
I’m betting Samsung will have plenty to say about Galaxy AI come launch day, and we can expect the usual top-tier OLED screens, feature-packed take on Android, and suitably flagship pricing. Charging speeds aren’t looking like they’ll improve, though, and whether there’ll be a new suite of rear cameras is still unknown.
If you want a new device now, rather than 2025, the Galaxy S24 Ultra remains an absolute smasher of a smartphone:
Apple iPhone SE 4
Apple’s most affordable iPhone model will apparently inherit styling from the iPhone 14, with flat sides and a 6.1in OLED screen bringing the SE bang up to date. That’s a big change from the outgoing model, which has old-school TouchID and a diddy 4.7in screen.
Dynamic Island is unlikely to make the cut, and the Action button probably won’t appear either; expect a notch and a traditional alert slider instead. USB-C connectivity is a given, as European rulings will soon prevent Apple from selling Lightning-equipped devices. A price rise seems likely to account for all that new hardware.
The next SE will probably arrive in March 2025, as this tends to be when Apple introduces new iPhone SE models. There’s still a chance it could appear alongside the iPhone 16 in September 2024. In the meantime, the current SE remains the cheapest way into iOS without shopping second-hand:
Google Pixel 9a
Google has only recently overhauled its mainline Pixel range with a smaller Pro, and brought the Fold on side as well. Rumour suggest that could be it for the Pixel 9 generation, with a cheaper 9a off the cards – but other leakers have indicated that’s not the case. If we do get a Pixel 9a, expect it to hover around the $500/£500 mark and dilute down the Pixel 9’s Gemini AI smarts, clever rear cameras and fresh new design into something a little more wallet friendly.
Pixel fans could be in for a long wait until the 9a arrives – if it does at all. So in the meantime, the Pixel 8a is still a superb buy:
Phones on sale in China – and heading to the West soon
Xiaomi 15 series
One of the first commercially available phones with Snapdragon 8 Elite internals, the Xiaomi 15 series had it all to prove. Early reports out of China suggest it has delivered, with lower power consumption, stronger performance, faster AI processing and higher quality gaming.
The other major upgrade seems to be battery. The regular Xiaomi 15 has a compact 6.36in display, yet finds room inside for a 5400mAh cell; the larger 6.73in Xiaomi 15 Pro tops out at 6100mAh. Both are big improvements over the previous generation, and larger than you’ll find in any Western flagship.
Both phones follow current design trends with flat frames and curved corners. Each has a trio of 50MP rear cameras, with the Pro’s 5x telephoto zoom and macro focus abilities being a reason to upgrade. There’s no clue right now if Xiaomi is also working on a photography-focused Xiaomi 15 Ultra. Given the outgoing Xiaomi 14 Ultra was one of our favourite camera phones of 2024, we’re hoping we won’t have to wait too long to see a sequel.
The Xiaomi 15 and Xiaomi 15 Pro will almost certainly see a global launch in early 2025, possibly around Mobile World Congress in March. Until then, the Xiaomi 14 remains one of the most potent ‘small’ Android phones around, and can be found at tempting prices:
OnePlus 13
OnePlus’ next ‘flagship killer’ phone has been on sale for a month in China, and will likely be announced for the rest of the world in the coming weeks. Don’t expect it to actually go on sale until early 2025, though.
Specs-wise you’re looking at Snapdragon 8 Elite power, a 6.82in, flat AMOLED screen, huge 6000mAh battery with 100W wired and 50W wireless charging, IP69 water resistance and an ultrasonic under-display fingerprint sensor. The iconic alert slider returns, as does the Hasselblad partnership for the rear camera trio. All three now have 50MP sensors, with the telephoto bringing 3x optical zoom, while the selfie cam up front maxes out at 32MP.
If OnePlus gets the price right it could really shake up the flagship phone world – but if you’d rather save a bit of cash, the recently discounted OnePlus 12 is still fantastic value:
Honor Magic 7
Another early Snapdragon 8 Elite handset, at least as far as China was concerned. The Honor Magic 7 series was launched there in regular and Pro varieties, but only one version is expected to make its way to other territories, most likely in March 2025 around Mobile World Congress.
As always the Pro is a photography-focused flagship, with its 50MP lead snapper getting a variable aperture lens, the telephoto pixel count climbing to a heady 200MP, and Honor’s Eagle Eye tech for taking crisp shots of fast-moving subjects. There are a bunch of AI-assisted shooting modes, and plenty more on-device AI everywhere else.
A 5850mAh battery is actually pretty tame by today’s Chinese standards, but 100W wired and 80W wireless charging should top the phone up in no time. The 6.8in screen has subtle curves on all four sides, which goes against the current phone world trend for fully flat displays – but it toes the line elsewhere with a flat metal frame, itself a big change for Honor after multiple generations of curved-edge handsets.
March seems a long time to wait, so impatient Honor fans in the West might want to consider the Magic 6 Pro instead – it’s still a stellar snapper, and can be had at a considerable discount versus the original retail price:
Latest smartphone releases
The first Snapdragon 8 Elite smartphone to make its way to Western audiences, the ROG Phone 9 Pro doesn’t skimp on performance one iota. Revised cooling and oodles of RAM give it the edge in games, while the built-in air triggers keep the OLED screen free of onscreen controls. The somewhat subtle styling of the outgoing phone returns (just with fancier AniMe Vision LEDs on the rear) and it remains one of the best gaming phones for photography.
The Find X8 Pro is a triumphant return to Western markets for Oppo. The photography-first flagship delivers fantastic stills and video, courtesy of four 50MP rear snappers – two of which are telephotos – and Hasselblad colour science. MediaTek Dimensity 9400 power gives it a real edge in games, and battery life is superb too. It’s priced keenly to compete with the best Samsung and Google to have to offer, so if you’re not a brand snob it’s a fantastic way to get some high-end hardware in your pocket.
Apple iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus
A revised rear camera bump, Action button and new Camera Control touch surface mark the iPhone 16 out as one of the bigger upgrades to Apple’s mainstream model in recent years. New, more vibrant colours are on offer, and performance has taken another step up. Apple Intelligence is now on board, too, after being MIA at launch.
Apple iPhone 16 Pro and Pro Max
This year’s flagship iPhones go even bigger, with 6.3in and 6.9in screens. They get the same Camera Control button as the vanilla iPhone 16, alongside the returning Action Button, and are still made from titanium. There are some decent camera upgrades, with both models now getting the 5x periscope zoom.
Honor’s latest book-style foldable is as thin as it gets, measuring a barely-there 4.4m when unfolded. No other rival comes close, at least here in the West where folding options are still thin on the ground. It’s a flagship through-and-through, with Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 CPU, a set of high quality cameras, and a beefy enough battery to comfortably last all day.
Google’s mainstream flagship has been updated with fresh duds, including a new take on the distinctive camera bar. It sticks with two rear cameras and a 6.3in screen, but makes the leap to Tensor G4 power and 12GB of RAM, which should help it stay speedy for the sorts of Gemini AI-accelerated tasks the firm reckons will be all the rage this year. It’s a harder sell now Google also has a compact Pro variant, though…
Google Pixel 9 Pro / Pixel 9 Pro XL
For the first time, Google is offering its non-folding flagship in two screen sizes. The Pixel 9 Pro has a 6.3in screen, matching the vanilla Pixel 9, while the Pixel 9 Pro XL gets a 6.8in panel. Both have a majorly revised design – which is admittedly Apple-esque from the sides – but stand out with chunky camera bars containing a trio of sensors. They’re packing Tensor G4 chipsets, 16GB of RAM and enough battery for ‘all day use’, along with Gemini AI smarts.
A huge year-on-year upgrade for Google’s folding flagship, the Pixel 9 Pro Fold is a lot more than a simple name change. It shares its styling with the rest of the Pixel 9 generation, with a 6.3in outer screen and 8in inner panel (that finally folds completely flat). Three rear cameras, Tensor G4 silicon and ‘all day’ battery life make the cut, as do some fold-specific software additions. It’s pricey, but gives the Galaxy Z Fold6 some serious competition in territories where Chinese foldables aren’t readily available.
Finally closes the gap between Samsung’s foldable phones and the more mainstream Galaxy S series, with a potent Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 for Galaxy chipset, larger 4000mAh battery, and 50MP main camera sensor. The styling has been streamlined and the software upgraded, so while the cover screen hasn’t grown at all (and you still can’t run any app you like on it without some power tool workaround) it’s more usable than ever.
The world’s most popular book-style foldable has slimmed down a teeny tiny bit for its sixth generation. Shorter but wider dimensions add 1mm to the outer screen and 2mm to the inner one. The frame has been flattened and given a matte finish to better mimic the Galaxy S24 Ultra. Inside there’s a Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 for Galaxy chipset and extra large vapor chamber to keep it cool. A similar trio of cameras and same battery capacity as last year mean this foldable is all about the software, with lots of Galaxy AI additions.
Nothing’s bargain-focused sub-brand has diluted down the already affordable Nothing Phone 2(a) to the bare essentials, while keeping the same fantastic software and the sort of performance you just don’t expect for the cash. A 50MP main camera takes impressively good photos, and the modular accessories make it truly unique. No NFC is a bit of a downer, but otherwise there’s little that can match it for £200.
An even larger cover screen, bigger battery, and majorly upgraded camera hardware help cement the Razr 50 Ultra near the top of the flip-style foldable pile. Being able to use any app you like on the outer display transforms the way you use the phone, and translates to impressive longevity. Performance is right on the money, it looks the business in a range of vibrant colours, and takes a fantastic photo for a clamshell. Undercutting the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 makes it a fantastic flip phone option.
Photo specialist Studio Harcourt was tapped up for Honor’s new AI-enhanced portrait mode, giving the 200 Pro a leg up over the rest of the mid-range field. You’re getting a lot of hardware for your cash here, with three rear snappers, a giant 5200mAh battery, a bright AMOLED screen and Snapdragon 8s Gen 3 power. It’s not as mainstream as a Pixel 8 or Galaxy S24 – but one-ups them both in a few key areas.
After multiple generations of Sony doing its own thing with OTT screen resolutions and super-skinny aspect ratios, the Xperia 1 VI is a more mainstream flagship offering. It has a 19.5:9 screen with a Full HD+ pixel count, but benefits from higher brightness and LTPO adaptive refresh rate tech for some of the best battery life you’ll get from a Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 phone. Sony hallmarks like expandable storage, a 3.5mm headphone port and front-firing stereo speakers remain, of course. The three-lens rear camera setup now zooms further and does a great job in auto mode, so amateur smartphone snappers are much better catered for.
Essentially a Pixel 8 for considerably less cash, with just a few cutbacks, the Pixel 8a is Google proving once again it can create a phenomenal affordable phone. It’s packing lots of Google’s new AI additions, a Tensor G3 processor, an IP67 rating, 120Hz display… the 64MP main camera and 13MP ultrawide are wonderfully capable, too. If £500 is your maximum budget for a smartphone, you’d be hard-pressed to go wrong with one of these.
Asus broke from tradition with this latest Zenfone. Instead of being pocket-friendly, the 11 Ultra went big with a 6.78in display. It’s flagship-grade everywhere you’d expect, including chipset (a Snapdragon 8 Gen 3), big battery, OLED screen and triple rear camera setup with stabilised main snapper. However, there’s a lot more competition among larger phones than there is at the smaller end of the smartphone spectrum, making it tough to recommend in light of more capable rivals.
It’s a big departure from Nothing’s last two phones, and makes a major change on the inside too – but the Nothing Phone 2a is still a compelling alternative to affordable models from big-name rivals. It simplifies the firm’s Glyph lighting, debuts a redesigned rear and uses MediaTek silicon to provide the power. It’s got a big battery and two capable cameras (for the cash), making it a winner in the sub-£350 class.
Honor’s 2024 flagship doubles down on a speedy set of rear snappers, only this time it also goes hard on the zoom front. A 180MP sensor with OIS and a 2.5x optical zoom promise near-perfect portraits, and AI assistance mean better subject detection and motion tracking. A top-tier display, Snapdragon silicon and an especially big battery give it plenty of plus points.
The more mainstream of Xiaomi’s two 14 series models has a compact 6.36in screen, but that doesn’t mean it had to skimp on hardware. A sizeable battery capacity, Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chipset, and a trio of very capable Leica-tweaked rear cameras make it a true rival to the likes of Samsung’s Galaxy S24.
Arguably the biggest story out of this year’s MWC show, the Xiaomi 14 Ultra promises the best camera hardware you’ll find on any phone – plus a dedicated upgrade kit that adds physical controls into the mix. A 1in sensor main camera with variable aperture, twin telephotos with OIS and an ultrawide with an equally high pixel count make it a force to be reckoned with – and it’s undeniably a flagship phone everywhere else, with slick styling, plenty of power and a beefy battery.
Asus ROG Phone 8 / ROG Phone 8 Pro
Aggressive styling and mediocre cameras made older ROG phones tricky to recommend to non-gamers. The ROG Phone 8 Pro changes that with a tempting trio of rear snappers and much more sedate styling. An IP68 rating and AMOLED screen help the ROG Phone 8 Pro go toe-to-toe with big name rivals, while the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 CPU and oversized battery keep it a performance monster.
OnePlus’ latest flagship killer has a 6.82in AMOLED screen good for an astounding 4500nits peak brightness, a Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 CPU, and a three-lens rear camera setup headlined by a Sony-developed LYTIA stacked sensor. That is offers all that for considerably less than its major rivals makes it something of a bargain.
The Galaxy A series are easily Samsung’s most popular phones in terms of worldwide sales, and the firm has gone all out with this latest generation to please the masses. It borrows a metal and glass build from the pricier Galaxy S24, and a matching main camera at the rear with a 50MP sensor. It doesn’t skimp on power or battery life, either. As an affordable entry to the range, it looks like the real deal.
Samsung Galaxy S24 and Galaxy S24 Plus
This year’s two mainstream Galaxy flagships see minor styling tweaks compared to their predecessors, and reuse the same camera hardware. Bigger batteries, brighter displays with skinnier bezels, and an unwavering focus on on-device AI help them stand out, with the larger of the two also getting a higher screen resolution and faster wired charging.
The new hero of the Galaxy line-up has a titanium frame and Corning Gorilla Armor glass, making it super tough as well as super luxurious. That screen is flat now, rather than curved, and there’s a Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 lurking underneath for serious power. AI is a big deal this year, being baked in to multiple apps and especially useful for generative photo edits.
Tom Morgan-Freelander
Deputy Editor 
