As we wave goodbye to 2019, what better way is there to ring in 2020 than with a new phone. Why, you ask? Yes, because it makes for a fun pun (at least I think so), but also because every new year brings a new flagship device from smartphone companies. So if you are looking for an upgrade for 2020, then consider these options. Or you can wait until later in the new year when companies once again release the newest iterations of their most popular smartphones.
Motorola: The Flip Phone is Back
Remember flip phones? If you are hankering for an old-style phone with a new-tech upgrade, Motorola is bringing back its iconic razr ($1,500). Thanks to a foldable display, the razr opens up to a 6.2-inch touchscreen Flex View display without any crease. But even closed, the touch-enabled Quick View display allows you to view and respond to messages, see notifications, play music, take selfies, and more—without even opening the phone. And the two screens work together, so when you do open it, whatever was on the Quick View display moves to the larger Flex View.
Apple: A Bright New Future
Instead of dual cameras on the back, Apple’s iPhone 11 Pro ($999) and iPhone 11 Pro Max ($1099) features a new triple-camera system with an Ultra-Wide, Wide, and Telephoto camera, which delivers improvements to low-light photography and high-quality video. And the new Super Retina XDR display offers the brightest display ever in an iPhone. The phone also packs an A13 Bionic processor built for machine learning, which results in faster performance and intelligent tasks like real-time photo and video analysis that includes recognizing faces in your photos and automatically relighting them for more natural-looking images.
Google: Capturing the Details
The Google Pixel 4 ($799) and Pixel 4 XL ($899) adds new technology and features that better capture what you need. The phone now packs two cameras on the back, including a new telephoto lens, which when combined with its Super Res Zoom software provides exceptional image quality even from a distance. The updated Google Assistant has improved speech processing that can handle more of your requests without sending you to the cloud for answers. And the phone comes with new built-in apps like Recorder, which simultaneously records and transcribes—and also allows you to search for specific sounds or words.
ASUS: Flip Out Over This Camera
ASUS took its camera improvements in another direction. The ZenFone 6 ($499 and up) introduces a Flip Camera, which includes a 48 MP main camera and a 13 MP ultra-wide secondary camera. Since this camera flips from the back to the front, that makes it the leading-resolution main front camera with autofocus. That flipping action also allows you to take automatic panorama shots, control the camera’s angle from 0° to 180° to avoid awkward angles, and take ultrawide 125° shots for the ultimate selfies.
Samsung: The Power of the Pen
Samsung’s Galaxy Note 10 ($689 and up), Galaxy Note 10+ ($839 and up), and Galaxy Note 10+ 5G ($1,099 and up) comes with more power, more storage, more speed, an improved display, and a dual aperture lens camera with more features—but the real gem is the upgraded S Pen. Now, the S Pen serves as a remote control for the phone that allows you to navigate presentations, take pictures, control volume, and more—all with air gestures. Plus, you can write notes, which can be turned into readable text that you can copy, paste, and share.
