Smartphone Trends in 2024
Smartphones are the most popular devices in the world. The screens have gotten bigger and better, the cameras have become more detailed, and they are packed with features that put the “smart” in smartphone. Where are we right now? What are the topline features in the newest and latest phones? Here are the latest trends that we've been seeing in phones and expect to keep seeing, as well as what you might want to look for in your next phone.
The Essentials
We are spoiled with how good phones truly are nowadays. Features that were considered premium a few years ago are today's mid-tier phones and relatively basic now.
- Processing power/internal specs: Even mid-tier phones are no slouches these days. Of course, any phone can be pushed to its limits, but for the average user modern processors allow for a smooth user experience with minimal delays and freezes. Many phones come with as much RAM (Random Access Memory) as some desktop computers, so they can handle doing a lot of things at the same time. Internal storage is also growing, with 128GB being the standard for most premium phones.
- Battery: Wouldn’t we all love to have a battery that lasts all day? Well, most phones now will last the whole day and then some! Plus, with features like wireless charging and quick charging (we will talk more about these later), charging is becoming more convenient so you can spend more time using your phone!
- 5G Connectivity: As 5G networks grow and carriers' networks evolve, expect 5G in just about any phone you purchase moving forward. There are two different types of 5G, and not all phones support both. Standard 5G is about 15% faster than LTE, whereas 5G+, sometimes called millimeter wave, is ultrafast data that is up to 10 times faster than LTE. All phones going forward will also come without 3G or CDMA support, so LTE and 5G connectivity are the new standards.
The Premium Features
Premium smartphones pack in more features to enhance the user experience and often lead the way in innovations for all smartphones. For example, the iPhone 7 was infamous for being the first to remove the 3.5mm headphone jack and most other phones followed suit, so headphone jacks are rare in today's phones. Keeping in mind that no phone will have every feature, here are a few features found mostly in premium smartphones.
- High refresh rate screens: Having a higher refresh rate means scrolling and general useability is much smoother and more satisfying. It is also a must for the most dedicated gamers. A standard refresh rate is 60Hz, but 90Hz and 120Hz are becoming much more common.
- Fast charging: While most phones have fast charging, support for higher wattage power bricks to charge at the absolute fastest rate available are limited to higher end phones. Google, Apple and Samsung all advertise their flagship phones to get up to a 50% charge in just 30 minutes.
- Wireless charging: Wireless charging is a testament to how convenient smartphones have gotten over the years, no more wrestling with cords! Not including wireless charging in a phone can be a cost-savings decision for manufacturers. For example, the OnePlus Nord N30 5G can compete with the best of the best in many specs but does not have wireless charging. At only $299.99, it is impressive that wireless charging seems to be the only premium feature that didn’t make the cut!
Cameras
The camera is one of the most essential components of a smartphone. Everyone uses it and no one wants to sacrifice quality. Manufacturers know this and have made incredible strides to improve image quality, video stabilization, and low light photography. Moving forward, things are shaping up for this to be the best year-over-year camera improvements we’ve ever seen.
- More cameras: If one camera is good, two, three, four and five are better, right? Even mid-tier phones are including two or three cameras. In the more premium phones, you will typically see some combination of a front-facing selfie, standard wide angle, ultrawide, telephoto and macro lenses. It sounds like a lot, but the user experience is intentionally designed to be familiar and intuitive, so all you need to do is point and shoot!
- Higher megapixel count: The number of megapixels will vary by the lens type, as will things like aperture size. More megapixels don't necessarily mean a better-looking picture, but camera software has enabled high-quality image processing, meaning we can harness more detail per megapixel. So, it makes sense that if we are getting a lot of detail out of every megapixel, why not get more megapixels and get even more detail?
AI and Machine Learning
Every phone has some unique features that aims to differentiate it from its competition. This could be in the design, like the Dynamic Island of the iPhone 15 family, or in software, like the clean user interface of the Google Pixel lineup, or foldable phones like the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold5 or Samsung Galaxy Z Flip5. With the growing popularity of machine learning and artificial intelligence (AI), expect there to be more AI integration that will change the way we use our phones in the future. We've started to see this with the latest Samsung Galaxy S24 family heavily integrating Galaxy AI. Your phone will better understand your habits and make smarter recommendations and be more secure at the same time. Smartphones are already incredibly smart, but AI is just getting started and there are lots of opportunities to get AI into the mix.