The year 2016 saw several high-end and value-for-money smartphones disrupting the market with their 'powerful specifications' or 'value-for-money' offering. While some quickly shot to fame, many went down without leaving a mark. At Gadgets Now, we have picked up the 10 hottest smartphones of the year 2016, these are the devices that we think had something different to offer over the other handsets in the market. The list includes smartphones from companies like Motorola, Samsung, Xiaomi and more. Check it out.
Note: This is a random list and the smartphones have not been ranked in any order.
1. Apple iPhone 7 Plus, Rs 72,000 onwards
Apple this year launched its first smartphone with dual-rear camera, the iPhone 7 Plus. The bigger-screen variant of this year's flagship iPhone 7, the handset also won top laurels for offering users an all-round performance. Both iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus are also the first phones from the company to come in 256GB storage variant.
2. Google Pixel XL, Rs 67,000 onwards
Google Pixel and the Pixel XL are one of the most spec-heavy handsets launched during the year. The first-ever smartphones to come with Google branding, Google Pixel smartphones recieved positive reviews from most critics, specially for their camera and Google Assistant. The digital assistant makes use of the massive data gathered from user’s Google accounts and nearly has an answer to any query asked.
3. LG V20, Rs 54,999 onwards
Launched earlier this month, LG V20 is the first non-Google smartphone to come with Android 7.0 Nougat out of the box. LG V20’s audio recording and its integration with Band & Olufsen for audio output makes it one of the best-in-class for audiophiles. The smartphone also has the best processor available right now, with QHD display, decent battery and dual-rear camera with standard and wide-angle lenses.
4. Huawei P9, Rs 39,999
Another impressive smarphone launched this year is Huawei P9. The device, like LG V20, comes with a dual-rear camera but offers a much performance and quality. P9's both 12MP rear cameras with Leica lenses offer amazing colour reproduction, details and manual controls. The smartphone's specifications includes full-HD display, octa-core Hisilicon processor, 3GB/4GB, 256GB inbuilt storage and a 3000mAh battery.
5. Motorola Moto Z, Rs 39,999
Motorola's flagship smartphone Moto Z has us impressed with its under-the-hood specs. Touted to be the world's slimmest smartphone, the smartphone boasts of top-quality camera. The smartphone also gained traction because of its 'modular body'. It can be clubbed with the various mods offered by the company that help enhances/add certain features of the device.
6. Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge, Rs 50,900
Samsung's flagship smartphone for the year 2016, Galaxy S7 edge, was launched at the sidelines of MWC 2016. Galaxy S7 edge boasts of dual-curved screen display and the new UI that complements its hardware. Sporting slim along with glass and metal-based build, the Galaxy S7 edge helped give Samsung a head start in the Indian market. Specifications aside, one of the most appreciated feature of the device is its camera.
7. OnePlus 3T, Rs 29,999
Successor to Chinese smartphone maker OnePlus' earlier flagship -- OnePlus 3 -- OnePlus 3T is largely an upgrade. The smartphone comes with top-end specifications and is known for its value-for-money package. The smartphone starts at Rs 29,999, which makes it one of the most affordable smartphones with QHD display, massive 6GB RAM and Qualcomm Snapdragon 821 processor.
8. Xiaomi Redmi Note 3, Rs 9,999
Xiaomi Redmi Note 3 is among the best handsets in the budget segment. The smartphone boasts of one of the best specifications in this price segment, which includes Qualcomm's Snapdragon 650 SoC, 5.5-inch full-HD display, fingerprint sensor, 4050mAh battery, 16MP rear camera, 5MP front-facing camera and 4G support.
9. Asus Zenfone 3 Max (ZC553KL), Rs 17,999
Asus Zenfone 3 Max (ZC553KL) was launched in India at Rs 17,999 and is up for grabs on e-commerce websites. The highlight of Zenfone Max 3 is its massive 4,100mAh battery that is rated to deliver about 30 days of standby time and upto 20 hours of talktime on 3G. The mid-range device looks good and comes with average specifications like 3GB RAM, fingerprint sensor, 5.5-inch full-HD display, 32GB expandable storage, 16MP rear camera and 8MP front-facing camera.
10. Nubia Z11, Rs 29,999
The newsest smartphone in our list, the mid-range Nubia Z11 launched in India earlier this month. The smartphone from Nubia boasts of a bezel-less design and some high-end specifications including 6GB RAM, Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 processor, Android 6.0 Marshmallow and 16GB rear camera. From the looks of it, the smartphone appears to be an impressive value-for-money package.