Proper on the finish of 2025, I dismissed the previous 12 months as “a boring yr in tech” and “a boring yr for telephones”.
All I wished for 2026 was a telephone that I may get enthusiastic about. We’re now midway by means of the yr. So, how are we doing?
Not nice, to be brutally sincere. The AI-induced reminiscence pricing disaster has made life tough for producers and costly for customers, leading to a worrying conservative streak within the newest smartphone releases.
There may be loads of motive for hope, although. The second half of 2026 appears set to supply among the most fascinating telephone releases in years.
Listed here are the 4 upcoming telephones I’m most excited to get my fingers on.
iPhone Extremely
I’m not notably a foldables man, and I’m particularly not a book-style foldables man. However I do admire the efforts which are being made to push the format ahead, and the Motorola Razr Fold is my shock hit of the yr to date.
When Apple makes a transfer within the smartphone enterprise, it tends to affect the course of all the business
As such, the telephone I’m most to see within the second half of 2026 is the iPhone Extremely. Whether or not you want the corporate’s work or not, when Apple makes a transfer within the smartphone enterprise, it tends to affect the course of all the business.
Jon Mundy / Foundry
Whether or not you propose to purchase Apple’s first-ever foldable telephone or not, its success (or in any other case) will decide the form and capabilities of no matter foldable telephone you do select to purchase over the approaching years.
I may see numerous sense in Apple’s closely rumoured strategy right here. In (allegedly) adopting a stubbier 4:3 side ratio, the corporate is producing an ultra-portable iPad as a lot as an iPhone foldable. There’s numerous sense in that, and any iPad proprietor will agree.
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8/Huge
From a sure angle, Samsung’s now confirmed (albeit in a roundabout approach) intention to pre-empt the iPhone Extremely with its personal wider foldable may very well be considered as cynical.
The Galaxy Z Fold 8 is tipped to weigh in at simply 201g. That’s nicely into ‘regular’ or non-foldable territory
Nonetheless, I’m excited to see the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 (because it’s confusingly set to be known as), and never for its anticipated boxier 4:3 side ratio.
Samsung made nice strides ahead with the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7, making a full-sized foldable that was approach thinner and lighter than earlier than.
Dominik Tomaszewski / Foundry
Now, the Galaxy Z Fold 8 is tipped to weigh in at simply 201g. That’s nicely into ‘regular’ or non-foldable territory.
Once I mentioned that I’m not a foldables man, a big a part of that comes all the way down to how clumsy and unwieldy this stuff are to make use of day after day. The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 may go a way in direction of addressing that.
Google Pixel 11 Professional
This hasn’t been a very nice yr for Google’s Pixel smartphone model. The Google Pixel 10a was a cynically repurposed Pixel 9a, whereas the massive Android 17 replace appears to have launched an entire bunch of glitches to the sequence.
Maintain a gun to my head and demand that I select one Android telephone…I’d in all probability go for the Google Pixel 10 Professional
If something, that makes me all of the extra to see what the corporate has in retailer for its subsequent flagship telephone.
Foundry | Alex Walker-Todd
Maintain a gun to my head and demand that I select one Android telephone to make use of for the remainder of the yr, and I’d in all probability go for the Google Pixel 10 Professional. I’m a sucker for compact telephones, whereas Google’s clear UI, Qi2 charging, and the Pixel digital camera expertise are all main wins.
Now fold in experiences of all-new digital camera {hardware} (lastly) and a model new LED lighting system on the again (positive, why not), and the Google Pixel 11 Professional robotically turns into one in all my most anticipated telephone launches of the second half of 2026. It’s set to be introduced on 12 August.
OnePlus 16
This one’s a unique sort of pleasure. The ‘rubbernecking on the motorway’ sort that leaves you feeling a bit responsible afterwards.
We don’t actually know what’s happening with the OnePlus model, however we are able to say with some confidence that it’s not good. Stories are rife that guardian firm Oppo is exploring methods to decrease and in the end wrap up what’s turning into an more and more irrelevant sub-brand.
Foundry | Alex Walker-Todd
And but, that sub-brand nonetheless appears to be saying new merchandise, and a OnePlus 16 flagship telephone is reportedly nonetheless on the playing cards for late 2026.
I wasn’t as massive a fan of the OnePlus 15 as many have been, because of its considerably generic design and degraded digital camera providing. But it surely was (and stays) a complete stamina champ, and was truly cheaper than its predecessor – a proven fact that appears more and more outlandish as 2026 grinds on.
We don’t actually know what’s happening with the OnePlus model, however… it’s not good
I’m fascinated to see what the follow-up has to supply – and if we’ll even see one on this nation.
As you’ll be able to see, regardless of an underwhelming 2026 for telephones to date, there’s lots to stay up for over the following few months. Most of the telephone highlights of the yr are probably between now and the top of the yr and I can’t wait to see what’s in retailer.
Wish to know what’s in retailer for the Pixel 11 line? Take a look at all of the rumours to date.