The year is coming to an end, and we are looking back at the best phones that 2016 had to offer. Sure, smartphone design has gotten a tad boring, but that doesn’t mean the phones are disappointing. On the contrary, 2016 showed that if you’re looking to buy a smartphone, a device with great specifications and performance is available at every budget.
So here are our smartphone awards for 2016, and we are starting with the best devices, the flagships that set the benchmark. The price range for most of these phones is above Rs 25,000. All our lists will be based only on the phones that we have reviewed for this year. We’ll have a separate one for mid-range pricing phones and more budget friendly options coming up as well.
Best smartphone of 2016
Winner: iPhone 7 Plus
Why: Apple’s iPhone 7 Plus is the winner for our smartphone of the year award for 2016. Sure, Cupertino has not changed the design drastically for this one, but where performance goes the iPhone 7 Plus is right on top, be it in benchmark tests or real world usage. If you’re looking for a reliable flagship device that won’t let you down for the next two years, the iPhone 7 Plus is your best bet.
iPhone 7 Plus’ water and dust-resistant design is another advantage. More importantly, this one comes with a dual-rear camera system, unlike anything else we’ve seen before. The ‘bokeh-style’ effects thanks to the combination of a wide-angle and telephoto lens resulted in some truly stunning smartphone photography for us during the review period. Apple iPhone 7 Plus also comes with 2X optical zoom and 10x digital zoom.
Additionally, Apple has also made OIS common on the both the iPhone 7 Plus and the smaller iPhone 7, which gives another boost to smartphone photography. Based on all the phones we’ve reviewed, there’s no doubt in our minds: iPhone 7 Plus is on top.
Runner-up: Samsung Galaxy S7 edge
Why: Samsung got off to a great start for 2016 with the Galaxy S7 edge, which helped the company’s smartphone division get back into profit. The glass and metal design of the Galaxy S7 edge, along with the curved edge display make this a premium flagship phone unlike any other.
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