The most anticipated smartphones of 2019

UPDATED: New iPhone and One Plus 7 Pro details are pouring out

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They show a next generation of handsets that are sleeker and sexier than before, smoothing out the rough edges of past smartphones while adding more capabilities than ever. And some of them break fascinating new ground, as well, instead of just improving on what's come before.

Want an early look at the next super-phone that'll line your pocket sometime in 2019? Here's what we know so far about the year's biggest and brightest smartphones.

APPLE: NEXT I PHONES

We expect to see successors to the iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max, and iPhone XR around the same annual September target that Apple prefers.

Concept renders based on purportedly leaked CAD data showcase three large back camera sensors in a huge-looking module, and while initial representations looked awkward, the more recent renders (like the OnLeaks/CashKaro one above) are a bit more appealing. Both the iPhone XS and XS Max follow-ups are expected to have three back cameras, with the iPhone XR successor expected to have two back cameras.

Otherwise, we're not expecting huge changes in tow. We'll probably see the same-size screens, probably won't see much if any change in terms of notch and bezel size, and those screens will probably have the same split of OLED and LCD tech as last year. We've heard rumours of frosted glass on the back this time around, 

A Bloomberg report suggests that the new 2019 iPhones will not come with 5G network support – so if that's something you want ASAP, you may not get it from the next iPhone. At this point, however, it's too early to put much stock into any of these rumours and reports. We're enticed by the rumour that the iPhone XS follow-up will have a huge 4,000mAh battery, but a 50% boost like that is unlikely given Apple's history in that department. A leak suggesting that Apple will actually include the needed cable and power brick for fast-charging sounds great, though...

We'll get juicier and surely firmer details as the year goes on, though. After all, the Apple rumour mill never disappoints.

ONEPLUS: ONEPLUS 7

The OnePlus 7 will launch very soon, on 14 May. And it won't be alone this time around.

OnePlus will officially debut a higher-end OnePlus 7 Pro, which official teases and details suggest has a notch-less, bezel-less (or bezel-lite) display running at 90Hz, a pop-up selfie camera, a triple-camera setup on the back, and no wireless charging. This concept render based on purportedly leaked data came out well before any official details, but it's starting to look more and more like the real thing.

Rumours, meanwhile, suggest that the screen will come in at nearly 6.7in and Quad HD resolution. Android Central points to a price tag of €749 for one Pro model, but perhaps a bit less for the entry-level Pro edition. In either case, it's still well more than OnePlus usually demands for its handsets.

There's sure to be a standard OnePlus 7 in tow, as well, although it's sure to pale in comparison to the Pro despite the surely-lower price. There haven't been very strong leaks about the standard OnePlus 7, but it's possible that we'll see something close to a tweaked OnePlus 6T at a hopefully-similar price, as well.

SAMSUNG: GALAXY FOLD

Samsung is getting adventurous again, as seen with the long-awaited debut of the Galaxy Fold smartphone. Looking like two flagship phones stacked atop each other, the Galaxy Fold has a compact 4.6in display on the outside – but fold the phone open and you'll find a 7.3in tablet-like Infinity Flex panel inside.

You have to see it to believe it – especially the way that apps seamlessly transfer from one screen to the next depending on whether you want to one-hand the phone or get a better view inside. It's also loaded with top-end tech, including a 7nm processor, 12GB RAM, 512GB of onboard memory, and 4,380mAh between its two battery packs.

The price is as wild as the concept however: it starts at £1,799, and that's for the LTE model (not the 5G edition). We were impressed with our recent hands-on testing, even if some issues were impossible to ignore. However, the original 26 April release date came and went after some reviewers ended up with faulty units. Mobile carrier AT&T has since suggested a new 13 June release in the States, so hopefully any issues have been quickly resolved.

HUAWEI: MATE X

Shown at MWC in late February, the 5G-capable Huawei Mate X is a foldable phone along the lines of Samsung's Galaxy Fold, but it's done in a quite different manner. Rather than have a second screen hidden inside the fold, this one extra-large 8in display is wrapped around the outside.

That means you'll have screen on the front, screen on the back, and then one big conjoined screen when you fully unfold it. The benefit is a slimmer-looking phone; the downside comes with potential scratches, and possibly a flimsier feel than the Galaxy Fold.

In any case, we're super enticed, especially after going hands-on. The Mate X will ship sometime in the first half of this year, but it won't be cheap: in fact, it's hilariously expensive at €2299 (about £1970).

GOOGLE: PIXEL 4

It's still very early in the rumour mill, but speculation is already circulating about Google's next major Pixel phones. And they suggest a bit of inspiration from Samsung.

The concept render above comes from Phone Designer, but it's based on a simple diagram that's rumoured to show the Pixel 4 XL's design. We see a wide punch-hole notch like on the Galaxy S10+, built to accommodate two front cameras, along with two back cameras and the familiar two-tone Pixel styling. The standard Pixel 4, meanwhile, is rumoured to stick to one front and one back camera.

Will it actually come to fruition? We haven't a clue at this point. Google's phone designs have consistently fallen short in key ways, and this honestly looks more polished than we'd expect from the company. But it could be on the right track if the diagram is legitimate. We'll surely hear more in the coming months ahead of an expected October debut.

SAMSUNG: GALAXY NOTE 10

It's not a dramatic leap in logic to assume that the Samsung Galaxy Note 10 will probably look like a boxier, stylus-packing update to the Galaxy S10+. That's been Samsung's approach for a while now, and there's little reason to believe that it'll change too much this year.

Phone Arena mocked up the above concept render, which is purely based on speculation at this point. Previous leaks have pointed to a 6.66in display, and the Note 10 will probably have the Exynos 9820 or Snapdragon 855 chip depending on territory. Reports also suggest a second smaller edition of the Note 10, which would be the first time Samsung's done such a thing.

And four back cameras like the new Galaxy S10 5G? That makes sense. One wild patent application suggests putting a camera into the S-Pen stylus, but we're not convinced that there's enough practical point in that. In any case, we're still waiting on clearer leaks ahead of what's likely to be another August launch.