Good times await gadget lovers as they will soon have several high-end devices to choose from, with major smartphone makers set to come out with their new flagship devices this year. A few handsets like Samsung Galaxy S5 and HTC One (M8) have already been unveiled, while a few more like Apple iPhone 6 are still awaiting official announcement.
Here are the five most-anticipated smartphones of 2014:
1. Samsung Galaxy S5: The South Korean giant's new flagship smartphone was unveiled on 24 February, and is set for release across 150 countries on 11 April. It sports a 5.1-inch Super AMOLED display with full HD (1920x1080p) resolution, having pixel density of 440 plus ppi (pixels per inch), powered by 2.5GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 series quad-core CPU and runs on Android v4.4.2 KitKat OS. The device also comes with 16MP camera with HDR, 2800 mAh battery and boasts features like water-proof and dust-resistant body, fingerprint-based biometric technology, Kids mode, Private mode, Download booster and S Health v3.0 among others.
2. Sony Xperia Z2: The device was announced at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona (MWC 2014) this February and has been released into the market. It sports a 5.2-inch full HD (1920x1080p) screen with TRILUMINOS, X-Reality for mobile picture engine technology and Live Color LED' technology. Powered by 2.3GHz Qualcomm 801 series quad-core processor, the Sony Xperia Z1 sequel runs on Android v4.4.2 KitKat OS and has features like water-proof and dust-resistant body, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth v4.0, MHL, A-GPS, USB v2.0, microSD card slot, 3D and motion gaming and 3D surround sound. It comes with a 20.7- megapixel camera and 3200 mAh battery.
3. HTC One (M8): The flagship smarphone was unveiled at an event on 25 March and is scheduled for release in over 100 countries in April. It sports a 5.0-inch Super LCD 3 full HD (1920x1080p) screen with Corning Gorilla Glass 3 protection, powered Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 series quad-core processor with 2.3GHz CPU speed and runs on Android v4.4.2 KitKat OS with HTC Sense v6.0 UI. The device also comes with 4.0-UltraPixel dual-camera with 2592x1944p image resolution and 2600 mAh battery.
4. iPhone 6: Apple Inc. has not officially announced the release date of its new flagship smartphone but conflicting reports have emerged, with some claiming that it would be unveiled at the upcoming WWDC event in June, while others say it would see the light of the day only in September. The device is expected to sport a 5.5 inch display with a 2272×1280 (510ppi), powered by the A8 chip (64-bit) and run on iOS 7.2, according to South Korean brokerage KDB Daewoo Securities. It may also feature a scratch-free sapphire crystal glass screen.
5. Nexus 6: Google's flagship smartphone is expected to be released this year, though nothing has been finalized yet. It has been reported that the device would be unveiled after Google's I/O Developers Conference on 24 June or early July but several reports claimed that the unveiling event would happen only by the end of the year. The device is expected to sport a 5.2-inch full HD and curved LCD display, protected by Corning Gorilla Glass with a 13MP camera (main) and a 5MP front camera. It may be powered by a 64-bit version of its Snapdragon 800-series chipset with 3GB RAM and run on Android OS (4.5), dubbed as Lollypop. It may also come in three storage variants - 32GB/64GB/128GB - and have connectivity such as Bluetooth, NFC, Micro-USB, Wi-Fi and 4G.
