2016 has been a very captivating year for smartphone fans, but 2017 is looking set to be even bigger and brighter. Nokia has already confirmed that it will be making its long-awaited return to the smartphone market, rumor says that Microsoft will finally be debuting the so-called Surface Phone, and Samsung's Galaxy Note range looks set to make an epic comeback.
With all that being said, here's a roundup of the best smartphones you can expect to see in 2017:
iPhone 8
With 2017 marking the 10th-anniversary of Apple's smartphone lineup, speculations are firing that the firm has something big in store.
If rumors are to be believed, Apple will be skipping on the iPhone 7S to go directly on the iPhone 8, which analysts are claiming to be the most radically redesigned iPhone yet with its (rumored) 'all-glass' design and OLED screen. There have also been talks that the iPhone 8 will be supporting wireless charging and Touch ID sensor embedded in its display.
An all-new "Pro" model is also rumored to feature an S7 Edge-style curved display and dual camera setup. Apple's iPhone 8 is expected to debut in September 2017.
Samsung Galaxy S8
There have already been confirmations that Samsung is coming, and several leaks online have revealed what we can potentially expect from the up and coming Galaxy S8.
Following the footsteps of rival Apple's iPhone, the Galaxy S8 is going to be the first smartphone to feature Samsung's own artificial intelligence (AI) assistant built-in. According to other rumors, the Galaxy S8 will also be dumping the headphone jack (like what Apple did), in favor of audio over USB-C.
Another speculation has pointed towards a 2K-resolution AMOLED Edge display, built-in IP68 certification, fingerprint and iris scanners, Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 power, and a dual rear-facing camera feature.
According to reports, the Galaxy S8 will likely debut at Mobile World Congress in February of 2017.
Nokia P1
Nokia has confirmed that 2017 will be the year that it will finally make a return to the smartphone market, along with their latest upcoming smartphone, the Nokia P1.
According to reports, The Nokia P1 is going to be the firm's very first high-end Android device, and is rumored to be offering IP68 water and dust resistance and will be available in two size variants: 5.2in and 5.5in, each with QHD 2560x1440 AMOLED displays.
With Android 7.0, the Nokia P1 is also set to arrive with support for Google's Daydream Virtual Reality platform. Nokia's P1 is set to launch in the first quarter of 2017.
Surface Phone
2017 is highly speculated to be the year that Microsoft's elusive Surface Phone finally debuts as the company looks to bolster its diminishing share of the smartphone market.
According to speculations, the Windows 10-powered Surface Phone will be available in three different versions: 4GB/128GB, 6GB/256GB, and 8GB/512GB. All of these three devices are expected to feature USB-C ports, fingerprint scanners, and 5.7in AMOLED panels, while power is also expected to be provided by Qualcomm.
This would mean that the Surface Phone will be able to run Windows 10 desktop apps without any issue. The Surface Phone is expected to arrive in early 2017.
