2024 is shaping up to be an exciting year for Android smartphones of all kinds, be it foldable or a traditional candy bar. We’ve already seen high-end flagships announced left and right, such as the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra. Most new premium devices sport the latest Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chipset, improved cameras, and enhanced hardware, making them more compelling.
Still, it’s worth remembering that we’re only three months in, and many more devices are yet to be announced later this year. Let’s look at some of the most anticipated smartphones still to come this year and explorre what we expect to see and when.
1 Google Pixel 8a
Assuming Google keeps up its tradition of unveiling the Pixel A-lineup at Google I/O, we expect to see the new midranger announced on stage on May 14th. The latest rumors claim Google’s next phone could sport a curvier design alongside a slightly revamped camera bar — both elements that would appear more in line with the recent Pixel flagships.
The device will reportedly come equipped with the Google Tensor G3 chip with 8GB of RAM, similar to the Pixel 7a. We’re not expecting to see any major changes, and even the camera hardware is expected to remain similar to the previous generation.
Google Pixel 8a: News, leaks, rumored price, and release window
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That said, we’re still excited to see the new Pixel 8a, primarily due to its affordable — albeit less so this year — price tag, and excellent set of features it brings to the table. Last year’s Pixel 7a was one of the best camera smartphones in its category, and we look forward to seeing what Google has in store for us in 2024.
2 Motorola Razr+ (2024)
Motorola announced the Razr+ (also known as Motorola Razr 40 Ultra) in June 2023, and it’s safe to predict that we might see an upgraded model sometime in mid-2024.
The Motorola Razr Plus was a massive hit, marking a major shift in design, software, and several key improvements. The Razr Plus delivered an excellent software experience and brought a massive cover screen measuring 3.6 inches. While the information about the next generation is scarce, we expect key improvements to the hardware, further refining the experience and overall the hardware.
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Motorola also unveiled a more affordable Motorola Razr (3rd gen, 2023), also known as Motorola Razr 40. This device was more affordable and equipped with the Snapdragon 7 Gen 1, bringing a foldable flip phone to the masses with prices as low as $500. In 2024, we’re expecting the same two models to continue taking on Samsung’s flip phone efforts, and while we don’t have any rumor to go by just yet, we’re excited to see what Motorola has come up with this year.
3 Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6
Samsung is expected to unveil the Galaxy Z Fold 6 in July 2024, alongside the Galaxy Z Flip 6 and, potentially, new Galaxy Buds and Galaxy Watch smartwatches. There’s a chance we could also see the newly unveiled Galaxy Ring at the summer event.
According to the latest rumors, the new foldable flagship will feature a slightly wider cover and main display with a crease-less display, a slimmer design that’s more in line with recent flagships, such as the OnePlus Open.
There’s a lot unknown about the next foldable, and we’re still waiting to see and hear more news regarding the specifications and other hardware improvements. As things stand, the Fold 6 isn’t expected to come with a dedicated S Pen stylus slot, and there are mixed rumors about the device getting a new camera that’d make it more in line with devices such as the Galaxy S24 Ultra.
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Speaking of the S24 Ultra, reports also suggest that Samsung could launch two Fold flagships, a standard Galaxy Z Fold 6, and a Galaxy Z Fold 6 Ultra – which could be equipped with even more features, and potentially house the S Pen slot and a more advanced camera array.
4 Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6
The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6 will also be announced sometime in July 2024, right along side its bigger foldable brother. The latest rumors claim the Flip 6 could look a lot like last year’s Galaxy Z Flip 5, sporting a nearly identical design, and small improvements. The changes could include a crease-less display, a first on a Galaxy Z series foldable, a more powerful Snapdragon chip, and other small enhancements.
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6: News, leaks, rumored price, and release window
With Samsung still the king of the clamshell world, what’s next for this series?
We haven’t heard much about the camera on the upcoming devices, and we’re yet to see whether Samsung has managed to fit larger sensors on the Flip 6 without sacrificing the device’s design. We’ll have to wait for more leaks to come through, but as it stands, we could see a similar camera array and performance.
5 Google Pixel 9 and Google Pixel 9 Pro
Google usually holds its main flagship event in October, and we’re expecting the same tradition to continue in 2024. When it comes to the two flagships, early renders suggested Google to retain the already familiar design, with a slight revamp to the camera bar’s looks.
The Pixel 9 could keep its rounded and curvy design with flat edges, making it look similar to the recently seen Pixel 8a renders. The current leaks also suggest we could see either the same display size, or even larger panels on the Pixel 9 series. The new lineup would also benefit from an improved chipset, the Google Tensor G4, which could be a small bump over the current Tensor G3.
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Let’s look ahead at what Google has in store for its 2024 flagships
When it comes to the cameras, we’re expecting a ton of improvements and potentially even more AI magic to edit photos and videos directly on the device. There’s a chance we could also finally see the new Qi2 wireless charging standard come to the new devices, adding MagSafe-like magnets to the back of the phones, making wireless charging easier.
6 Google Pixel Fold 2
For the first time, Google is rumored to launch the next-generation Google Pixel Fold 2 alongside the Pixel 9 series flagship, sometime in October 2024. The new foldable is expected to sport a completely new design, featuring a narrower cover, main display, and a new camera bar.
The Pixel Fold 2 could be one of the thinnest foldable devices in North America, with its reportedly 155.2 x 150.2 x 5.27mm measurements when unfolded, making it slim, and more in line with other premium foldables such as the OnePlus Open. The move wouldn’t be too surprising, given that Google failed to convince developers that the original Fold’s landscape orientation was the way to move forward.
Many apps failed to properly support the orientation, and it looks like Google is giving in. Based on the rumors and early renders, the Fold 2 will follow a form factor that’s easier to operate with one hand and one that hopefully supports more apps on a full screen.
Google Pixel Fold 2: News, leaks, rumored price, and release window
What’s next for Google’s latest addition to the Pixel lineup?
There’s plenty we don’t know, such as the weight, the camera setup, and even the battery capacity. As things stand, we’re expecting to see the Fold 2 launch with the Google Tensor G4 chipset, a new design, and various software tweaks, and even the same 7-year support, mirrored from the Pixel 8 and the Pixel 9 lineup.
7 OnePlus Open 2
There’s not much we know about the OnePlus Open 2, and the device is likely a few months away. It’s difficult to say if the phone will pack any major changes. The changes we expect—and keep in mind this is all speculation—involve software features, camera sensors, and potentially improving durability.
The OnePlus Open was one of the best foldable smartphones in 2023, and it’s fair to assume that OnePlus will unveil a successor that’ll fix some of the device’s shortcomings. The device arrived with IPX4 ingress protection that was below the competition, and that’s one key area where we could see a small upgrade to IPX6, improving the water resistance, and potentially some form of dust protection.
OnePlus Open 2: News, leaks, rumored price, and release window
The OnePlus Open was our favorite foldable of 2023, and the OnePlus Open 2 could only make things better
On the software side, OnePlus got everything right with the first-generation Open. We’re expecting small improvements and the addition of AI-enhanced features. When it comes to cameras, we could see Hasselblad-tuned sensors arrive on the Open 2, making it an even better competitor against the Galaxy Z Fold series and the Pixel Fold.
8 OnePlus 13
Although the OnePlus 13 is likely to be considered a 2025 smartphone, it’s likely we’ll get our first previews before the year is up. OnePlus traditionally holds two events: one in China — which we predict will take place at the very end of 2024 — and one in January, which we anticipate will take place in January 2025. Because the phone that’ll be unveiled in China is usually the same model that we see internationally, except for the software and pre-order bonuses, it’s worth putting on this list.
Whatever the OnePlus 13 ends up being, it’ll undoubtedly be an exciting new smartphone. While we’re still a long way away from hearing any concrete rumors, we expect the next flagship to come with Qualcomm’s next-generation Snapdragon 8 Gen 4 chipset and various software and hardware upgrades. It’s too early to speculate, but we’re excited about what’s yet to come.
A busy year ahead of us
In addition to all of these smartphones, we’re expecting everything from a new Pixel Watch to some surprise tablets that could act as rivals to Samsung’s latest Galaxy Tab S9 lineup. No matter which you’re most excited to see, one thing’s for sure — we’ve got a busy year ahead of us.
