Top 10 smartphones for 2016: HTC 10, iPhone SE, Huawei P9 and Galaxy S7
The handsets we're most looking forward to this year
The first few months of 2016 have been marked by a slew of high-profile smartphone launches and unveilings. A fierce battle is being fought in the Android battlegrounds with Samsung, LG, HTC and Huawei all vying to stake their claim. Meanwhile Apple surprised everyone with the release of a powerful yet affordable new iPhone.
As the year goes on, and with such stiff competition, we have to wonder how anyone else can really get a look-in. The answer: Phone makers have long attempted to get one-up on each other, either through quirky innovation or refining former glories. Happily all of the evidence thus far points to this trend continuing - 2016 has already seen LG experimenting with the modular G5, HTC updating its UltraPixel technology and Huawei offering a Leica dual-lens camera.
With that in mind, we've compiled a list of the 10 most exciting smartphones set for 2016, whether they're likely to launch or have already been announced.
10. HTC 10
The flagship HTC 10 is a phone for those who are serious when it comes to audio.
HTC has improved the BoomSound speaker technology found on its earlier handsets - this time around the dual speakers have been fitted with a dedicated tweeter and amp which help to deliver an experience that boasts outstanding clarity. The supplied earbuds are also worthy of your time, not only are they especially comfy, but when plugged into HTC 10's double-powered headphone amp, your ears will be treated to professional, hi-end, sound quality.
It's also notable for being the first device to fully embrace Android Marshmallow's adoptable storage, taking the already sizable 32GB/64GB right up to 2TB - the phone won't class this as external storage either, instead it will become one with your internal, allotted space. This, coupled with blazing performance, makes the HTC 10 a solid (if unremarkable) contender to the likes of Samsung, LG, and Apple for smartphone of the year.
Top 10 smartphones for 2016: HTC 10, iPhone SE, Huawei P9 and Galaxy S7
The handsets we're most looking forward to this year
9. LG G5
LG isn't exactly the most conservative of smartphone makers - just look at the distinctive leather back on last year's LG G4 - but the firm may have outdone itself with the LG G5's interchangeable hardware modules.
Revealed at MWC 2016, the 5.3in LG G5 contains a "Magic Slot" that allows users to swap functionality-adding modules in and out; these add-ons include the LG Cam Plus, which provides a camera grip and a secondary 1,100mAh battery, and the LG Hi-Fi Plus, which features a larger, improved speaker.
Besides several returning features from the G4, such as a rear-mounted fingerprint sensor, QHD display and a 16MP main camera, the G5 has been updated with an aluminium unibody and Qualcomm's new octa-core Snapdragon 820 processor with 4GB of RAM.
Top 10 smartphones for 2016: HTC 10, iPhone SE, Huawei P9 and Galaxy S7
The handsets we're most looking forward to this year
8. Huawei P9
Huawei has enjoyed a good run over the past couple of years, having already impressed us with the Apple-baiting P8. We were pleased then when the Chinese company unveiled the P9 to the world, along with its collaboration with renowned camera-maker Leica.
The Huawei P9 was never going to set the world alight with its specs alone, so it helps that the two specially designed 12MP Leica Summarit lenses really make the handset shine. With one RGB and one monochrome camera the P9 is capable of producing pleasing results, that are both vibrant and crammed with detail.
The Huawei P9 is super-quick to lock focus thanks to the three different focusing technologies onboard, in-fact we found the speed rivals the impressive camera found on the Galaxy S7/S7 Edge - another two handsets we champion regularly.
The monochrome camera is where the Huawei P9 really shines however, bringing an inky opulence to a device that costs a fraction of the price of Leica's dedicated b/w snapper.
Top 10 smartphones for 2016: HTC 10, iPhone SE, Huawei P9 and Galaxy S7
The handsets we're most looking forward to this year
7. Nexus 7 smartphone
Not to be confused with the existing Nexus 7 tablet - if Google names its next major smartphone the Nexus 7 in the first place - this handset could easily end up as the poster child for Android N, just as 2015's Nexus 6P was for Android 6.0 Marshmallow.
One of the upcoming operating system's alleged big features is a native split-screen mode, so we wouldn't be surprised if the next Nexus sported a phablet-sized screen to fully exploit it.
Hardware details are scarce, but Huawei and LG, makers of the Nexus 6P and 5X respectively, are both rumoured to be in the running for manufacturing duties. We're leaning more towards Huawei, which arguably granted far superior looks and build quality to its 2015 Nexus than did LG.
Google CEO Sundar Pichai announced on Twitter that the company's annual I/O conference will get underway on 18 May. Hopefully the firm will take the opportunity to reveal some more details about the Nexus 6P's successor.
Top 10 smartphones for 2016: HTC 10, iPhone SE, Huawei P9 and Galaxy S7
The handsets we're most looking forward to this year
6. Surface Phone
Windows 10 Mobile launched late last year on Microsoft's Lumia 950 and Lumia 950 XL. Both were decent handsets, but neither made a truly compelling case for the new OS.
Perhaps the rumoured Surface Phone, supposedly in development under the codename Juggernaut Alpha, could be the mobile device Microsoft needs to mount a real attack on the dominance of Android and iOS.
The Surface tablet range has repeatedly proved that Redmond can compete with, and even surpass, the efforts of more traditionally hardware-focused firms. Applying its tenets of premium build quality, specs and performance to a smartphone seems like a sound strategy, to say nothing of the Surface brand recognition.
Indeed, early reports suggest that the Surface phone's hardware will point it squarely at the high-end market, from a 5.5in QHD display to 4GB of RAM and an Intel Atom x3 processor.
This is pure speculation, but it will be interesting to see whether some of the Surface tablets' features are incorporated into the handset, such as an integrated kickstand or even a miniature version of the Type Cover as seen in this concept render by artist Nadir Aslam.
Top 10 smartphones for 2016: HTC 10, iPhone SE, Huawei P9 and Galaxy S7
The handsets we're most looking forward to this year
5. 4th-generation Moto G
Strictly speaking, this should probably be called the Moto by Lenovo G, considering parent company Lenovo's recent decision to replace the Motorola brand with something more...unwieldy.
In any case, we're due a new Moto G this year to follow the excellent 2015, 2014 and 2013 models. No specific handsets have been confirmed, but if recent leaked prototypes are anything to go by we could be expecting something soon. The latest leaks stem from Sina Weibo - a Chinese social network, and show a device that includes a square fingerprint reader on the bottom bezel. On the back there's a camera with dual LED flash, but above that we can see holes that point to an extra sensor, maybe a laser auto-focusing system?
Hopefully any new upgrades won't have too much of an impact on the Moto G's price. Unlike, say, the Moto X Style or Moto X Play, the Moto G has always been positioned as an affordable handset for developing markets and budget-conscious buyers worldwide. This could easily be a smartphone to watch out for, provided Lenovo can keep costs down.
Top 10 smartphones for 2016: HTC 10, iPhone SE, Huawei P9 and Galaxy S7
The handsets we're most looking forward to this year
4. iPhone SE
The iPhone SE may be small, but it's proved to be one of Apple's most powerful handsets.
Despite its miniature frame and small(er) price-tag, Apple has squeezed a lot of grunt into the iPhone SE. It boasts a lot of similarities with the larger iPhone 6S - for instance, you'll find the same 64-bit A9 processor and M9 motion coprocessor, it also offers the same pixel density as the larger display found on the iPhone 6S.
While the 4in screen will be too big a down-size for many, those in the market for a pint-sized, affordable smartphone, will struggle to find anything better.
Top 10 smartphones for 2016: HTC 10, iPhone SE, Huawei P9 and Galaxy S7
The handsets we're most looking forward to this year
3. BlackBerry Vienna
If rumours are true then BlackBerry may choose to pull the plug on its own operating system and instead shift focus to Android. This follows the moderate success of BlackBerry's first Android handset, the Priv. Its next smartphone will use Google's OS, and is believed to be codenamed BlackBerry Vienna.
The Vienna is rumoured to be a more mid-range device than the premium Priv, and supposedly puts the classic BlackBerry keyboard below the display instead of hiding it under a slider. The BlackBerry news outlet Crackberry has posted a number of leaked renders purporting to show-off the new design - here it appears it has more in common with the older BlackBerry Passport device above anything else.
Assuming that BlackBerry's plan is to continue growing its share of the Android market, a more affordable smartphone would have its advantages over another top-priced device.
This is likely to mean the loss of some of our favourite things about the Priv, such as the huge high-res display and top-notch camera, but these could be balanced with a more compact form factor and less buggy software.
Top 10 smartphones for 2016: HTC 10, iPhone SE, Huawei P9 and Galaxy S7
The handsets we're most looking forward to this year
2. Samsung Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 Edge
There's a lot to like about Samsung's latest flagship duo, from the monstrously powerful Exynos 8890 octa-core chip to the QHD, always-on displays and the upgraded batteries: specced at 3,000mAh on the Galaxy S7 and 3,600mAh on the five-star rated Galaxy S7 Edge.
That said, the most eye-catching features are microSD support and IP68 waterproofing. While relatively unassuming inclusions by themselves, they've been restored to the Galaxy S7 family after being conspicuously and inexplicably dropped from the Galaxy S6 range in 2015.
The main rear-facing camera has also been reworked, dropping from 16MP to 12MP but featuring a new f/1.7 sensor that allows for more light per pixel, improving colour balance and noise reduction in dark scenes. It can still capture 4K video, as well.
Top 10 smartphones for 2016: HTC 10, iPhone SE, Huawei P9 and Galaxy S7
The handsets we're most looking forward to this year
1. iPhone 7 and 7 Plus
Apple's inevitable annual iPhone update looks set to take the form of an iPhone 7. It's been the subject of varyingly well-sourced rumours ever since the iPhone 6S launched in September, and a waterproof body and wireless charging support are two of the more enduring whispers. Intel has apparently committed 1,000 engineers to adapting its 7360 modem to the next iPhone, which could see the firm replacing Qualcomm as Apple's modem supplier.
Perhaps most controversially, Apple is rumoured to be ditching the 3.5mm audio jack on previous iPhones, allowing headphones to connect only via Lightning or wireless. It's an entirely believable prospect, considering the firm's preference for proprietary tech, albeit one that has consumers worried about their earpieces suddenly becoming useless.
We can expect iPhone 7 prices to start at £539 and go up to £699, as the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6S did, and for it to include a new SoC to replace the iPhone 6S's A9 chip. The inclusion of iOS 10 on the iPhone 7 would also be a sure bet if Apple announces the new OS at the 2016 Worldwide Developer's Conference as anticipated.