2016 gave consumers smartphones that were worth every penny. Strangely though, Apple and Samsung devices this year were literally exploding (pun intended) with features for which consumers were willing to pay a ton of money. Good thing the two mobile phone manufacturers have acted fast to contain the fire.
What are the best smartphones of 2016? Take a look at the list below to find out which smartphones wowed consumers this year.
Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge
While Samsung scrambled to find a solution to its Note 7 problem, the Galaxy S7 and S7 edge received fantastic reviews from consumers and critics alike since most of the issues people had with the S6 were addressed. The S7 edge has a Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 quad-core 64 bit processor and 4GB RAM, and runs on Android 6.0.1 which, to the less technical consumer, means it is really fast.
It also sports a 5.5 inch dual edge Super AMOLED display, 12 megapixel main camera and 5 megapixel front camera, which produces amazingly clear and sharp images. It has a 32 GB internal memory that is expandable with a microSD card, and a non-removable but fast-charging battery, which can also be charged wirelessly. It is also water resistant so that's a huge plus!
The smooth edges of the S7 edge is both a pro and con in itself because, while it makes the phone look more sleek and stylish, the extended display on the edge can also inadvertently cause activation. Other than that, however, the S7 edge has wowed consumers and critics since its release.
Apple iPhone 7 Plus
Many people wait in long lines for hours every time a new iPhone is about to hit the scene, and the iPhone 7 is no exception. Critics of Apple's mobile phone say that each model only comes out with minimal upgrades and changes which, for the most part, is true. But the iPhone 7 Plus definitely came out with interesting modifications.
The iPhone 7 Plus has a water-resistant design and runs on the Apple A10 Fusion quad-core processor with 2 GB RAM. Apple claims the iPhone 7 Plus is 120 times faster than the original iPhone. It has a 5.5 inch 1080p IPS LCD display that is 25 percent brighter with a cinema-standard color gamut and a stereo sound quality. The iPhone 7 Plus is also equipped with a 12 MP rear camera and 7 MP FaceTime HD front camera with optical image stabilization and True Tone flash, which enables users to take great pictures even in the dark.
The battery lasts longer too, so it definitely ranks high on our list even if Apple discarded the 3.5mm jack in favor of the AirPods.
Google Pixel And Pixel XL
The great thing about Google's phone is that both Pixel and Pixel XL share the same technical specifications despite the difference in size, so users can have both comfort and functionality with whichever size they choose.
There is a slight difference in battery capacity, but that comes with the size of the phone. Basically, a consumer is only choosing whether they want that extra 0.5 inches on their phone.
The Pixel has a Qualcomm 821 processor with 4 GB RAM and runs on Android 7.1 Nougat. Consumers also have a choice between a 32 GB and 128 GB internal storage. On the downside, Pixel has no MicroSD support to expand its memory, so consumers will have to make use of cloud storage. Like the S7 and iPhone 7 lines, Pixel is also water resistant.
Both models are equipped with a 12.3 MP rear camera and 8MP front camera.
Huawei Honor 8
Huawei has been coming out with some really great smartphones, but the Honor 8 is the first to debut in the United States. It may not be as popular a brand as the three tech giants above, but it can definitely give the companies a bit of competition since it can deliver the same performance for half the price.
The Huawei Honor 8 runs on HiSilicon Kirin 950 octa-core. Consumers may not be all too familiar with the processor name yet but, rest assured, it can also handle the tasks that the Qualcomm Snapdragon can process, and it is supposed to be power saving too. It also has 4 GB RAM and runs on Android 6.0 Marshmallow so there's not much difference from using more popular brands.
The Honor 8 is available in 32 GB and 64 GB internal memory capacities and has a MicroSD expansion card slot, so memory space shouldn't be much of a problem. It is also equipped with a 12 MP rear camera and 8 MP front camera that take really sharp pictures.
All in all, the Huawei Honor 8 is a really good deal for those who want top-of-the-class phone specifications for less.
Moto Z Force Droid
The Moto Z Force Droid is a powerhouse not in the way Apple and Samsung modeled their phones.
The Z Force Droid runs on a Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 processor, 4 GB RAM, and Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow. In short, it can rival the processing speed of the four other contenders, but there's more! Upgrade the OS to Android Nougat, and the phone is automatically compatible with the Google Daydream virtual reality headset.
Here's the amazing part: the Moto Z Force Droid is not only waterproof. It is also equipped with the Moto ShatterShield display, which guarantees that its 5.5 inch HD display would neither crack nor shatter.
Motorola also claims that its phone can charge up to 15 hours of battery life in 15 minutes, which is really quite amazing.
It is equipped with a 21 MP rear camera and 5 MP front camera with auto night mode. It is available in 32 GB and 64 GB internal memory capacities but can support a microSD card up to 2TB.
The downside of the Z Force Droid and the reason it is at the bottom of the list, aside from the name sounding like a Power Ranger spinoff, is that it is locked with Verizon.
