Best new Android devices in 2017

Android Advisor staff round up the smartphones, tablets, wearables and games we’re most looking forward to

Smartphones

The best phones of 2017 will offer faster performance and longer battery life, thanks to the new Snapdragon 835 chip for which headline performance figures include 25 percent faster graphics rendering and half the power consumption compared to the Snapdragon 801. It’s also got 20 percent extra performance vs the Snapdragon 820, according to Qualcomm. You can expect

this processor to be paired with at least 4- but potentially as much as 8GB of RAM, a minimum amount of 32GB of storage, large Quad-HD screens and class-leading cameras.

HTC 11 Release date: April 2017

HTC has launched its new phones at MWC in recent years, but skipped the show in 2016 and held its own event to unveil the HTC 10 (pictured). We expect its successor to be unveiled at MWC in February and on sale in March 2017 with the upgrades you’d expect: a faster processor, more RAM and – hopefully – better battery life.

An early leak suggests HTC is about to reverse its fortunes with the HTC 11 – if you thought the last two HTC flagships were a little boring, prepare to be blown away by the HTC 11. If true, it will have a Snapdragon 835 processor, 8GB of RAM, 256GB of storage, a higher-capacity battery with Quick Charge 4.0 and a 5.5in Quad-HD screen. That’s a very high-end spec, so we’d guess that the standard model would have less RAM and storage.

LG G6 Release date: March 2017 (TBC)

LG is rumoured to ditch its modular design for the G6 and potentially adopt a new glass front and rear. In common with the Samsung Galaxy S-series with which it competes it is likely to feature fast wireless charging and see a processor and graphics bump to ready the phone for VR.

One of the most interesting rumours about the LG G6 is that it will feature a new type of iris scanner that uses the same sensor as the phone’s front camera, a space- and cost-saving measure that is made possible through use of a special filter.

OnePlus 4 Release date: June 2017 (TBC)

OnePlus has just announced its OnePlus 3T, which is an upgraded version of the OnePlus 3 with a processor and battery boost, plus a new selfie camera. It’s an improvement sure, but OnePlus 3 fans won’t be in a rush to upgrade.

More exciting for OnePlus fans, then, will be the OnePlus 4 expected in May/June 2017. Rather than the Snapdragon 821 this phone will likely get the Snapdragon 835. We could also see the 5.5in full-HD display upgraded to a Quad-HD model.

Other rumours suggest the OnePlus 4 will come with 8GB of RAM, a 21- or 23Mp camera and a 3500- to 4000mAh battery with Dash Charge. One thing we’re sure of is that it will run OxygenOS, a custom UI that will be based on Android 7.0 Nougat.

Samsung Galaxy Note 8 Release date: August 2017 (TBC)

Following the Note 7 problems there are a lot of whispers about Samsung at the moment. The failure of the Note 7 has badly bruised its reputation, and it’s hurt its bottom line. Some say it will look to mend its reputation by announcing the Note 8 in February 2017 alongside the Galaxy S8, while others

say it will drop its Note line altogether. Samsung thinks differently, and it isn’t about to give up on its second annual cash cow just yet. We’d expect to see the Note 8 in August 2017.

Surefire specs include a 5.7in Quad-HD or SuperAMOLED screen with S Pen support, a powerful processor and RAM combo capable of the very best mobile VR experience, a dual camera, waterproofing and more.

Samsung Galaxy S8 and S8 Plus Release date: April 2017 (TBC)

Samsung traditionally holds an Unpacked event in which it unveils its new S-series flagship the day before MWC. In 2017 this trade show runs from 27

February to 2 March, so we expect to see a new Galaxy S8 on Sunday 26 February 2017.

We think there will still be two Galaxy S8 models, but it will only be the size differentiating their screens. In which case the S8 edge might instead be known as the S8 Plus, or similar. In any case you should expect more of the same metal and glass front/back design it introduced last year in the S6 and in 2016 has extended to the A-series.

A big change in the design, though, is likely to be the loss of the Home button, with the fingerprint scanner built into the now ‘bezel-less’ screen. The headphone jack could go too, with Samsung expected to favour USB-C for digital audio.

When it arrives, you can expect the S8 to be the fastest phone money can buy, with a top-ofthe-range processor and 6GB (or even 8GB) of RAM. There will more than likely be a super-highresolution 5.1in screen – Samsung may even move up from Quad-HD to Ultra-HD, which is all the more likely given the importance being placed on VR in Android Nougat, which this phone will run, although there are rumours we could see a larger 5.5in or even 5.7in panel.

Sony Xperia Z6 Release date: TBC

Sony neglected to announce the Xperia Z6 at MWC 2016, instead revealing a new Xperia X family comprising the Xperia X and XA. But this doesn’t mean the Sony Z6 is dead: never say never, says the company, which has since clarified that it isn’t ruling out the possibility at some point in the future.

Tablets Amazon Fire tablet(s)

Release date: TBC

September is the time of year Amazon tends to focus on its Fire tablet updates, and in September 2016 we were treated to a new Amazon Fire HD 8 with longer battery life, twice as much storage, and an increased amount of RAM for faster performance.

But we’re still waiting for an update to the Fire 7 and Fire HD 10, which were announced alongside the HD 8 in September 2015. The former has been especially popular as one of the cheapest and yet still decent Android tablets money can buy, and has been a strong seller in the recent Black Friday sales and in the run up to Christmas.

In a new model we’d hope to see slightly faster performance and possibly more storage, and perhaps higher screen resolution. But these are likely to continue to be wallet-friendly budget tablets that will appeal to customers primarily for their value.

Google Nexus 7 (2017)

Release date: TBC

We’ve seen various Android tablets from Google over the years, including the Nexus 9, Nexus 10 and Pixel C, but none has proved so popular with consumers as the Nexus 7. Offering unparalleled value and a decent specification, you can still buy the Nexus 7 today.

We were teased with the idea that Google would finally put us out of our misery and unveil an update to its Nexus 7 in 2016, but what we actually saw was a move from Nexus to Pixel with the release of two new phones. Google has not confirmed the death of Nexus, but while we’re still hoping for a new Nexus 7 we may instead see a Pixel 7.

Huawei is thought to be the manufacturer of the new Nexus budget tablet, taking over from Asus which made the first- and second-gen Nexus 7 tablets. Inspiration is expected to come from the Pixel C, though, and it’s possible that as with that tablet Google will handle the manufacturing.

Rumoured specifications include a 7in Quad-HD display, the Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 or Nvidia Tegra X1 processor, 4GB of RAM, 4G support and a 3000mAh battery. The new Nexus 7 could even feature a Force Touch similar to that found in Apple’s iPhones. It has to be said though, that’s an awesome

– and slightly unbelievable – specification for what is expected to remain a budget tablet.

Samsung Galaxy Tab S3 8- and 9.7in

Release date: March (TBC)

Samsung’s premium Tab S line is among the very best tablets you can buy, and better than anything else we’ve seen in the Android world. We’re expecting great things from the next update to the line-up, with the Samsung Galaxy Tab S3. According to Sammobile that should be in Q1 2017, and Samsung is rumoured to be holding an Unpacked event separate to MWC in March.

We’ll more than likely see two Tab S3 models, with a compact model measuring around 8in, and a larger-screened tablet around 9.7in. Rumours abound that we could see a Samsung Galaxy Tab S

Edge, borrowing from the curved-edge design of the Galaxy S7 edge. However, while a glass-rear tablet would be interesting, sketches of the Tab S3 found at the FCC suggest the design will be remarkably similar to that of the Tab S2.

Whatever the Tab S3 is called, you can bet your last pound on the fact it will have a high-resolution display and way more power than anyone really needs. The Tab S3 is expected to feature a 1536x2048-pixel screen and Qualcomm’s octa-core Snapdragon 652 processor with 3GB of RAM and 32GB of storage. Cameras are likely to be 8Mp at the back and 2Mp at the front. Following on from the Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge, we’d expect it to stick with a Micro-USB port for charging the internal battery, which is alleged to be 4000mAh in the Tab S3 8in and 5870mAh in the Tab S3 9.7in.

Sony Xperia Tablet

Release date: TBC

There might be rumours flying around that Sony has killed off its Z-series family of phones and tablets with the introduction of the Xperia X and XA at MWC 2016, but Sony has never officially confirmed this is the case, instead taking the line “never say never”. And its tablet series is long overdue an update, having not been refreshed since the Sony Xperia Z4 Tablet – and the compact version is even older, having not been updated since the Sony Xperia Z3 Tablet Compact.

Whether it arrives as a Sony Xperia Z6 Tablet, Sony Xperia Z6 Tablet Compact or even Sony Xperia X Tablet, Sony’s new tablet is well overdue. We’d

hope to see one announced at MWC 2017, which takes place at the end of February/early March.

Expect the tablet to be a premium model with a circa-£500 price tag if history is anything to go by. This being Sony, you can expect an IP68 waterproof build and a sleek design. Other features might include a Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 processor, a Quad-HD display, 4GB+ of RAM and 32GB+ of storage with microSD support.

Smartwatches and activity trackers Balance Run IQ

Release date: TBC

An Android-powered watch designed for runners, the Run IQ was shown off at CES 2017. It has builtin GPS (essential for runners), an optical heart rate

sensor and a 1.4in AMOLED screen. You also get a Strava app, which many runners and cyclists use to track and share their sessions, and it has onboard storage for music (which you can listen to on Bluetooth headphones of course).

It costs $299 and pre-orders will start shipping on 1 February. There’s no UK release date at present.

Casio WSD-F20

Release date: TBC

This looks like a smartwatch Bear Grylls would wear. The WSD-F20 Pro Trek Smart is an Android Wear watch with built-in GPS. As the name suggests, it’s designed to be used – among other things – by hikers as a satnav and offers a full-colour offline map. There are various map designs, and you can choose between roads, satellite or combined views. Plus you can “display footprints of your actions” on the map, record markers and voice memos.

Cleverly, the watch has two LCD displays which are “superimposed”. A monochrome display can be on all the time, showing the current time and other info. You just use the colour screen when you need it. It’s not going to be cheap, with estimates of around $500.

Google Android Wear 2.0 watches

Release date: TBC

Android Wear 2.0 has been delayed, but Google will launch two of its own smartwatches in 2017. They’re reportedly codenamed Angelfish and Swordfish and will incorporate the Google Assistant. Rumour has it

that Google isn’t going to use the Pixel branding for these watches, but in any case we’re pretty excited to see what these devices are capable of, as well as what other manufacturers will do with Android Wear 2.0.

Samsung Galaxy Gear S4

Release date: TBC

It wasn’t until the end of 2016 that we got our hands on the Gear S3 Frontier (pictured). It’s a nicely designed and built smartwatch but the fact it runs Samsung’s own Tizen operating system is a negative as there are still few apps for it.

Unless sales really tank, we’re sure Samsung will follow up with the Gear S4. The firm has already announced production of the Exynos 7 Dual 7270 which is essentially a smaller package that includes the CPU, sensors and built-in LTE.

This could mean the S4 will be a bit smaller and include LTE so it’s not reliant on your Android phone for its internet connection. In the UK, the S3 has no LTE, but it does in the US.

Games Super Mario Run

Release date: TBC

Super Mario Run caused a huge stir when it was first announced at Apple’s September 2016 keynote,

as it’s the first time that Mario has left the Nintendo Kingdom for a holiday on iOS and Android islands, with a brief period of exclusivity for Apple users. Following a successful iOS release, Nintendo has added a pre-order listing for Super Mario Run on Android, allowing interested users to sign-up for Google Play release date notifications. There’s no word on a specific release date yet, but we imagine it’ll be made available by Spring 2017, around three months after the listing appeared.

Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy

Release date: TBC

Following the success of earlier games in the Telltale Series including Batman and The Walking Dead, developers Telltale Games is now focusing its sights on Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy. In

both iOS and Android gamers coming in Spring 2017, although Android users can participate in the open beta right now. The game features games from the entire Transformers franchise, from the Generation 1 characters from the original cartoons to the updated Transformers in the recent movies.

Players will build teams of Autobots and Decepticons to battle against a group of corrupted Transformers and their evil overlords, of course. Gameplay is focused on 1v1 battles, but with an RPG-style system to level up characters.

Titanfall: Frontline

Release date: TBC

Despite the lukewarm reception that the release of Titanfall 2 got, Titanfall: Frontline is an upcoming strategy card-based action game for iOS and Android coming in 2017. Players will assume the

role of brigade Commanders with Pilots, Titans and tactical Burn Cards at their disposal, and will go head-tohead against other online players in real-time. Developers have said that there are hundreds of Pilots, Titans and Burn Cards with users able to collect, upgrade and organise their units as they progress through the game. The wide range of cards available will provide gamers with the chance to build a deck that suits their particular style, improving the overall experience.

The Bunker

Release date: TBC

Described as a live action game, players will take the place of the last remaining survivor of a nuclear bunker, 30 years after the blast destroyed Earth as we know it. All the bodies are stored in the cold storage room, with the daily routine of checking the bodies the only thing keeping you sane. However, when an alarm is triggered, you have to venture deep into the long-forgotten bunker and reveal its darkest secrets. The key to the game is exploration and survival, with gamers having to move fast and make quick decisions to escape the Bunker alive. The coolest part? As it’s a live action game, everything you see is real.