iWatch, iPhone 6 and Surface Pro 3: Top 10 tech gadgets still to come in 2014

Six months down, six months to go, and still plenty to get excited about

Already this year an influx of great technologies have hit the market. Key stars include top-end Xperia Z2, One M8, LG G3 and Galaxy S5 smartphones that have hit the market and garnered much attention.

But with a good six months left in the year we can't help but think these great devices and softwares are only appetisers at this year's tech banquet, and the best is yet to come.

To help you share our excitement we've trawled the cyber highways and created a definitive list of the 10 best technologies on the horizon.

10. Amazon Fire Phone
Of all the technologies unveiled this year, the Amazon Fire Phone is one of the most interesting and comes loaded with a number of never-before-seen software and hardware innovations. Chief among these are Amazon's custom Dynamic Perspective and Firefly technologies.

Dynamic Display is a custom screen technology that aims to offer glasses-free 3D viewing experiences using the Fire Phone's four front cameras.

Firefly is an information service tied to a user's Amazon account that lets Fire Phone owners use their phone's camera and microphone to pull data from the company's database on a number of things including books, DVDs, phone numbers, QR codes, CDs, URLS, barcodes and business cards.

While we are a little creeped out by how much information is stored on Amazon's database, we can see Firefly being a big hit as, in theory, it's quicker and easier to find information on and buy items using the Fire Phone.

iWatch, iPhone 6 and Surface Pro 3: Top 10 tech gadgets still to come in 2014

Six months down, six months to go, and still plenty to get excited about

9. Samsung Galaxy Tab S While Korean tech giant Samsung has been enjoying a lot of success in the smartphone market, it has traditionally fared less well in the tablet space, with most buyers still favouring either Apple's iPad or Google's Nexus tablet.

This year, though, it looks like all this could change, with Samsung having unveiled what looks like its most advanced tablet to date, the Galaxy Tab S. Featuring an ultra-slim 6.6mm design, top-end 10.5in 2560x1600 Super Amoled touchscreen and powerful Exynos 5 octa-core processor there's plenty to like about the Galaxy Tab S.

Add to that the number of custom software and security features Samsung has loaded onto the tablet, which include its hacker-busting Knox, and we can't help but think the Galaxy Tab S could be one of the best Android tablets to arrive this year.

8. Android Wear

From the moment we caught our first glimpse of the uber-stylish Moto 360 smartwatch, it was clear that Android wearables were going to be something special.

Away from the hype that continues to surround Google Glass - which is, quite simply, a mass-marketed prototype - the idea of independent devices that don't rely on a smartphone link but rather bring a personal assistant to your arm is what so many of us have been waiting for. But it's more than that: the connectivity between Google, Android and Nest devices is creating the first real iteration of the Internet of Things.

7. Google Glass arrives in the UK

OK, Google Glass was technically launched at the end of June, but this is so close to the six-month cross-over that we're letting it in.

After all, it's only just come to the UK, with Google offering devices under its Explorer programme for a cool £1,000. As such, this could mean the device starts to become a lot more common through the rest of 2014.

At V3 were certainly excited to see how this takes off and if or when new apps are launched that allow users to fully benefit from Glass's features. However, the Explorer programme models are not the final builds so more may be in store.

Google is planning to use feedback from early adopters to help finalise the first proper build of Glass, so we could still see another iteration of the gadget before the year is out.

Even if we don't, the fact that the UK has six months left of 2014 to try and spot Glass out in the wild, and possibly even have a go on a pair, will no doubt excite many.

iWatch, iPhone 6 and Surface Pro 3: Top 10 tech gadgets still to come in 2014

Six months down, six months to go, and still plenty to get excited about

6. Android L

Whether it ends up standing for Lollipop or Lemon Cheesecake, there's no question that Android L is going to be a game changer. Described as the biggest update to the platform to date, there's already talk of 33 percent extra squeezed into its battery life through efficiencies, and that alone will make a big difference.

The switch to ART runtime will kill off a few older apps, but the performance boost over the old Davlik cache should leave even Apple fans drooling. Android L will also transcend mobile devices to bring a unified, and hopefully less-fragmented user experience across every screen in the home.

5. Nokia Lumia 930 Here at V3 we've been constant fans of Nokia's Lumia range of Windows Phones.

While the handsets don't feature as developed an app ecosystem as their Android and iOS competition, their top-end PureView imaging technology and wealth of security and productivity services more than make up for this.

As a result, we can't help but get excited about Nokia's forthcoming flagship, the Lumia 930.

Running on Microsoft's latest Windows Phone 8.1, "enterprise-ready" mobile OS, which adds advanced security and productivity features, such as a new Word Flow keyboard, and mobile device management support the Lumia 930 appears to be one of the most business-friendly phones due for release this year.

Hopefully, with the additions of the Finnish firm's hallowed PureView imaging technology and a powerful quad-core Qualcomm processor, our hopes for the Lumia 930 will prove to be right when the handset is released later this month.

iWatch, iPhone 6 and Surface Pro 3: Top 10 tech gadgets still to come in 2014

Six months down, six months to go, and still plenty to get excited about

4. Microsoft Surface Pro 3

Microsoft unveiled its Surface Pro 3 an age ago, at least in tech terms, but it's still not available in the UK. Even in the US, only the Intel i5 version is up for sale, with the 128GB or 256GB storage versions costing $999 and $1,299 respectively.

But by the end of August all versions of the device should be on the shelves. So UK buyers can splash out on the Windows 8 machine, which is designed to replace the need for both a laptop and a tablet.

With prices stretching as high as £1,649 it won't necessarily be the cheapest device we'll see in the second half of 2014, but if it really can help you do away with the need for both a laptop and a tablet, then it could be popular.

V3 recently had a play on the device and we like it, so perhaps it will be a case of third time lucky for Microsoft, after a somewhat disappointing response to its Surface range thus far.

3. Apple iWatch

Excitement about the long-rumoured Apple iWatch has been building for many moons, but the wait could nearly be over. Numerous reports last month suggested Apple has set the gears in motion to get the wearable device produced.

They may be right, as the wearable market is ripe for the taking, with numerous firms already entering but so far failing to generate much buzz. This is a market type that Apple likes, with its iPod and iPhone good examples of how the firm can often leap ahead of early entrants and dominate a market.

Details on the specifications of the iWatch remain vague, with conflicting reports suggesting either multiple screen offerings or just one size, but it's rare that Apple truly manages to keep a new product under wraps, so it probably is on its way. Don't be surprised if by Christmas you see some shiny new iDevice strapped lovingly across the wrists of tech lovers everywhere .

iWatch, iPhone 6 and Surface Pro 3: Top 10 tech gadgets still to come in 2014

Six months down, six months to go, and still plenty to get excited about

2. Nexus 6

While there's no official word on the Nexus 6's hardware, there's a pretty good chance it'll arrive running Google's newly unveiled Android L operating system.

This is no bad thing as what we know about Android L indicates that it will be one of the biggest software updates ever released by Google, and will completely redefine the search giant's mobile offering.

Android L will feature a completely reworked Material Design, which aims to make the OS simpler to use. It will also include new support for 64-bit processors, a new battery-save mode and, most importantly, integration of Samsung's Knox security directly into its code.

Knox integration is a pretty big deal as Android is currently going through something of a malware crisis, with Cisco listing it as the target of 99 percent of the world's malicious mobile code. Knox offers similar sandboxing services to BlackBerry Balance. While it's not a holistic solution, it should go a long way to help combat this and make the Nexus 6 one of the most secure Android phones ever made.

1. Apple iPhone 6

While there may be a justifiable modicum of doubt about whether Apple will release the iWatch this year, there can be no such reservation about the iPhone 6.

Apple will have been prepping the device for at least a year, if not more, as the next major upgrade to its most popular hardware range since last year's minor iPhone 5C and 5S models.

Rumours suggest two new models will come out, with larger screen sizes as Apple looks to fight back in the phablet space. The new iOS 8 operating system (pictured) will also come as standard, with HealthKit and HomeKit pre-loaded. These are new tools designed to let users monitor their health and control other hardware items in their homes, respectively.

It won't just be Apple fans that await the iPhone 6 with interest, as Android fans and manufacturers alike will be keen to see if the folks at Apple continue to capture the imagination, or if their allure and luster is starting to fade.

Whatever happens, expect all eyes to be on Apple and Tim Cook sometime around September, and the queues to start forming not long after.