As we start to close off 2012, it’s probably a good time to reflect on some of the biggest smartphone launches for 2012. Here are my top three picks (in no particular order) for 2012, do you agree?
HTC One X
The first killer smartphone from the big four manufacturers, this smartphone really set the mark for 2012, not only for its looks, but features packed inside of it as well.
First announced at the Mobile World Congress earlier in the year, the flagship phone from HTC boasted a killer camera for a smartphone; 8 megapixel camera, 1080HD video, less than 1 second start-up with rapid fire continuous shooting (captures images in 0.2 seconds, faster than a blinking eye).
In addition, the One X utilised a fast Quad-core processor, integrated Beats Audio for superior sound quality and, a 4.7 inch Gorilla Glass screen (basically it’s durable and scratch-resistant).
Samsung GALAXY S III
Building on the momentum of its predecessors, this launch was epic as Australia was one of the early nations to get access to the Samsung GALAXY S III.
What made this phone stand out and really give its competitors a run for their money were its features:
- 4.8 inch Super AMOLED touchscreen
- 8 Megapixel camera
- Smart stay – intelligence to detects whether or not the user is looking at the screen
- Smart alert – It knows when you’ve been away from your phone: a vibrating nudge lets you know that you have missed calls or messages.
- S Voice – Samsung’s answer to Suri, but better!
Apple iPhone 5
With a third of Australians using an iPhone, a lot of anticipation and expectation from both users and media commentators surrounding the latest edition to the iPhone range.
The reason why this pops up in my top three is simple – Apple is one of the most recognised brands in the world and, with so many people using their 3GS and iPhone 4, the hype, rumours and subsequent release of the iPhone 5 was swelled, thus allowing the iPhone 5 to slot into my top three.
Other notable launches
- Nokia Lumia 820 – Available on Vodafone, the partnership between Nokia and Microsoft is getting stronger and with it, the build and feature quality of Windows Phones.
- Samsung GALAXY Note – Is it a phone or a tablet? Whatever you want to categorise it, the GALAXY Note does deserve notable mention with its successor
- Sony Xperia S – A great camera phone with plenty of solid reviews