The smartphone market has reached an important turning point in its development. After years of exponential growth, the industry is experiencing a phase of contraction and consolidation. Many new players have entered the market over the last couple of years, and it will only become even more fragmented in the coming quarters. The primary reason for this is the emergence of low-cost alternatives from Chinese manufacturers like Xiaomi, Huawei, and others. Their rapid rise to prominence has made them major disruptors in the Indian market as well as globally. Even Apple, which once dominated this segment completely with its iPhone lineup, is seeing declining sales numbers for its latest models. Obviously, Android OEMs are not immune to these trends either. With that in mind, we’ll take a look at what the future holds for smartphones based on our research into current market trends and forecasts for upcoming releases from leading brands like Nokia and HMD Global (Nokia licensee).
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What will be the top 10 smartphones in 2022?
The smartphone market is experiencing an unprecedented period of expansion. According to IDC, the global smartphone market is expected to grow from 1.9 billion units in 2017 to 2.3 billion units in 2022. During this period, the mobile phone segment will expand with a CAGR of over 9%. This means that unit sales will grow at a rate of nearly 30% each year, which is truly astonishing for a technology that was invented less than three decades ago. The market is currently driven by a wide range of factors, including growing demand for mobile connectivity, the increasing number of smartphone users, and an overall increase in quality of smartphones. With the advent of 5G, wireless connectivity will become a significant source of revenue for smartphone manufacturers, which will increase the demand for 5G-enabled handsets.
Nokia 9.1
Nokia has been struggling in the new smartphone era for quite some time now. This Finnish brand was once the undisputed king of the mobile phone industry. However, that era has long passed and it can no longer compete with the Asian brands in terms of innovation or pricing. The Nokia 9.1 could be the end of the road for the Finnish manufacturer. The device is based on the contemporary Android OS and brings plenty of mid-range features like a large 6.2-inch OLED panel, an in-display fingerprint scanner, adaptive antenna system, and a fresh new design. However, the major selling point of the Nokia 9.1 is its dual camera setup. Although the phone is not released yet, the pricing of around $599 does not indicate anything but a flagship device. This is almost certain to be the last phone with the brand name.
Huawei P20 Pro
Huawei’s P20 Pro is already a household name and it could be the top smartphone of 2022. This is the flagship device that the Chinese manufacturer rolled out with the massive image sensor. The phone comes with a 6.1-inch OLED panel with a resolution of 3120 byias. The Kirin 970 chipset with a dedicated image processing unit is paired with 6GB of RAM to offer seamless performance. The phone also supports a triple camera setup with a 40MP sensor and 2x 20MP sensors. Other features include a rear-mounted button to launch the AI-powered photography mode and a 40W SuperCharge feature. The price of this phone is yet to be revealed, but as per the rumors it could be around $1000.
Xiaomi Mi 8SE
Another top-end device from Xiaomi is the Mi 8SE. This is one of the most affordable flagship phones from the Chinese manufacturer and it comes with a wide range of features. The phone has a 5.88-inch OLED panel with a resolution of 1080 by 2248 pixels. The Snapdragon 845 chipset supported by 6GB of RAM is coupled with a Mali-G51 GPU to offer performance and gaming experience. The phone also supports a triple camera setup with a 48MP sensor, an 8MP sensor, and a 3D depth sensor to offer a wide range of features. Other features include a rear-mounted button to launch the AI-powered photography mode and facial recognition option. The price of this phone is yet to be revealed, but as per the rumors it could be around $500.
Samsung Galaxy S11 Lite
The Galaxy S11 Lite is one of the most affordable smartphones from Samsung and it is also one of the most popular mid-range Android devices in the market. The S11 Lite comes with a 6.3-inch Super AMOLED panel with a resolution of 2880 by 1620 pixels. The Snapdragon 835 chipset supported by 6GB of RAM is paired with a Mali-G71 GPU to offer smooth gaming and graphically intensive experience. The phone also supports a triple camera setup with a 12MP sensor, an 8MP sensor, and a 2x 5MP sensors. Other features include a rear-mounted button to launch the AI-powered photography mode and an Always On feature to display notifications on screen even when the phone is in standby. The price of this phone is yet to be revealed, but as per the rumors it could be around $500.
Asus ZenFone 5Z Pro
As one of the most trusted brands in the smartphone industry, Asus has launched its new flagship smartphone – ZenFone 5Z Pro. This is the cheapest smartphone with a flagship-level camera in India and the price is just around $300. The phone comes with a 6.2-inch IPS LCD panel with a resolution of 1080 by 2244 pixels. The Snapdragon 845 chipset supported by 6GB of RAM is paired with a Mali-G71 GPU to offer smooth gaming experience. Other features include a triple camera setup with a 20MP sensor, an 8MP sensor, and a 2x 5MP sensors. The phone also supports a Rear-mounted button to launch the AI-powered photography mode and an Always On feature to display notifications on screen even when the phone is in standby. The price of this phone is yet to be revealed, but as per the rumors it could be around $300.
BlackBerry Mercury 6 and 7.0
The Canadian brand has been struggling in the smartphone market for quite some time now and it could be a good option for buyers looking for a low-cost Android device. The company is expected to introduce two new smartphones in the next few months with the Mercury 6 and 7.0 names. Both the devices are expected to come with a large 6-inch OLED panel with a resolution of 1080 by 2160 pixels. The Snapdragon 845 chipset supported by 8GB of RAM is paired with an Adreno GPU to offer smooth gaming experience. The phone also supports a triple camera setup with a 27MP sensor, an 8MP sensor, and a 2x 5MP sensors. Other features include a rear-mounted button to launch the AI-powered photography mode and a Smart Assistant feature to provide hands-free assistance. The price of this phone is yet to be revealed, but as per the rumors it could be around $250.
Bottom line
The smartphone market is going through a phase of consolidation. New players are trying to gain a foothold in the market by offering affordable and feature-rich handsets. The market is also likely to be dominated by a handful of top-notch Android OEMs with their flagships. However, the competition is only going to get tougher in the coming quarters with several new entrants who will try to disrupt the market with their low-cost devices.
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