So you want a premium phone?

Take your pick

There’s a reason why iPhones sales represent a significant portion of Apple’s profit, with high prices not enough to steer customers away from the lure of a new flagship phone.

In recent years, smartphones have transitioned from an accessory to a multifaceted hybrid device, capable of everything from preparing documents, gaming, and editing videos.

People can run whole businesses from their phone, with students perusing an entire semester’s content from their palm.

While sales volumes may fluctuate, one thing remains clear: people want big phones with big capabilities, and big prices are often just a byproduct of such appetite.

Here’s a round-up of several flagship phones currently on the market: the ‘cream of the crop.’

Samsung Galaxy S10+ 512GB - ($1,849)

Samsung’s tenth anniversary Galaxy phone, the S10+, is not messing around – it’s a 6.4-inch, 8GB RAM device capable of running a plethora of tasks with ease.

The Galaxy S10+ features an Infinity-O display with cinematic bezel-less screen for immersive viewing.

Boasting an ultrasonic under-display camera, the device houses a prograde camera with a ‘kit of lenses’ (e.g. ultrawide angle lens) enhanced by an intelligent photo assistant.

Wireless charging is supported by a 4,100 mAh battery, complementing a triple rear camera setup and dual front lens.

Google Pixel 3XL 128GB - ($1,499)

Google’s Pixel brand often leaves consumers pleasantly surprised, with its camera capabilities among its star features.

The new Pixel 3XL is Google’s most powerful phone offering yet, with an intuitive smart battery and ‘Portrait Mode’ camera.

The 6.3-inch device incorporates a Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 processor and 3D Corning Gorilla Glass 5.

The metal frame and soft touch glass offer a sleek feel, enhanced by the latest Android 9 Pie and Google Assistant integration.

Huawei Porsche Design Mate20 RS - ($2,599)

For the price of two-and-a-bit Huawei Mate20 Pro phones, consumers can feast on the ultra-premium Porsche Design Huawei Mate 20 RS.

Porsche have added leather to the Mate Pro’s glass back along with the Porsche Design logo for ample branding attention.

An extra 2GB RAM and doubled storage gives a memory configuration of 8GB/256GB (expandable by up to 256GB MicroSD).

The phone also features the AI-powered triple lens Leica camera array from the Mate 20 Pro and inherits its 3120 x 1440 6.4-inch OLED screen with under glass fingerprint sensor and 4200mAh battery.

Nokia 9 PureView - ($1,099)

For photography enthusiasts left unsatisfied by a plethora of triple camera arrays, so comes Nokia’s world’s first five-camera array - the Nokia 9 PureView.

The constellation of lenses dotting the rear of the phone (free of any “bump” protrusions found on many modern phones) gives users three monochrome and two-colour cameras shooting 12MP images.

Nokia claims the 9 PureView captures over 1200 layers of depth, allowing users to refocus images even after they’ve been taken.

The phone is also part of Google’s Android One program, giving users a “near-stock” Android experience with priority access to OS updates.

Apple iPhone XS Max 256GB ($2,049)

Apple’s iPhone XS Max 256GB brings to the market the biggest screen ever implemented on an iPhone device.

It features a 6.5-inch Super Retina display with custom-engineered OLED panels for an HDR display that provides colour accuracy, as well as true blacks and high levels of brightness.

The A12 Bionic chip with nextgen Neural Engine uses real-time machine learning to transform the way a user experiences photos, gaming, AR and more.

It comes with a 12MP dual-camera system that takes portraits to the next level with Portrait mode, Portrait lighting, enhanced bokeh, all-new Depth Control, and Smart HDR.

Samsung Galaxy Note 9 128GB ($1,499)

Built to adapt to a user’s evolving lifestyle, the Samsung Galaxy Note 9 comes with all the technologically advanced features such as cutting-edge processor, long-lasting battery, dual aperture cameras, and a 6.4-inch Infinity display.

Coupled with the all-new Intelligent S-Pen, it gives a user maximised control when making notes, drawing, presenting reports, accessing functions, and more.

Backed by a 10nm processor, the Galaxy Note 9 handles the most hardware-intensive apps with quick response.

Driven by a 4000mAh battery, the Note 9 allows a user to do more in less time.

The device comes with dual aperture lens, which adapts to natural light, giving the user high-quality shots day-in or day-out, while the Scene Optimiser detects subjects in frame to give pictures the optimum colour mode.