Most of 2021’s biggest phone launches are behind us now, with the latest flagships from Samsung, Xiaomi, Apple, and more now on sale.
It’s not over yet though. We’re still waiting for the chance to buy Sony’s camera-first Xperia Pro-I, and we were also promised a new BlackBerry phone this year, and it’s yet to materialise.
Just as importantly, soon we’ll start hearing more about 2022’s biggest releases. Qualcomm is about to unveil the Snapdragon 898 chipset, which will in turn power next year’s first few flagship launches like the Xiaomi 12 and Samsung Galaxy S22.
Later in the year Oppo, OnePlus, and Vivo are likely to release major new phones, and before long we’ll be back around in time for the iPhone 14 and Pixel 7 – not to mention software upgrades like Android 13 and iOS 16.
Read on to ensure your next smartphone purchase is not immediately followed by regret, tying you into an unnecessarily lengthy contract. (Remember that there is a chance you could upgrade your contract early.)
Pro tip: As these new phones edge closer, the outgoing models will fall in price and you’ll be able to scoop up some great deals. If you’re not bothered about having the very latest tech, check out our take on the best phones you can buy today.
Best new phones coming out in 2021 & 2022
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Sony Xperia Pro-I – Early December
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The Xperia Pro-I is an unusual phone, to say the least.
Launching in early December for a whopping £1,599, the Pro-I is pitched by Sony as camera first, phone second. Using the same 1-inch sensor used in some of Sony’s dedicated cameras, it’s easy to believe the pitch.
This is much like an Xperia 1 III apart from that souped up main camera, with the same ultrawide and periscopic telephoto lenses, same display, and same Snapdragon 888 chipset.
Read more about the Xperia Pro-I.
New BlackBerry Phone – 2021
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You read that correctly, BlackBerry is back from the dead again. In August 2020, US company Onward Mobility licensed the BlackBerry name and announced that it will work to release a new BlackBerry device in 2021.
The company had targeted the first half of the year, but that’s now been and gone, so we’re not sure exactly when to expect the new BlackBerry – we’re running out of 2021 for it to launch in.
According to Onward Mobility, the new BlackBerry will have 5G network capabilities and a physical keyboard. These really are the only two indications of specs that we have aside from the phone running Android, as currently the announcement is only of the partnership’s existence and nothing more.
Honor Magic 3 – Q4 2021
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Like the Honor 50, the Honor Magic 3 series is getting a global release, but we just don’t know when.
The three phones here – the Magic 3, 3 Pro, and 3 Pro+ – are more premium than the Honor 50, with prices set to start from €899 in Europe.
The Pro models feature the Snapdragon 888+ chipset and quad rear cameras, while the base Magic 3 isn’t far behind with an 888 and triple camera.
Like the Honor 50, all three phones will also have full Google support when they eventually ship worldwide.
Find out more about the Honor Magic 3.
Xiaomi Mix 4 – Q4 2021
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Xiaomi’s Mix 4 launched in China on 10 August – though it’s less clear whether or not the phone will make it to the UK and the rest of the world, and if so, when – though we’re hoping to see it some time this autumn.
This is the most powerful – and expensive – numbered Mix phone yet, with a Snapdragon 888+ chipset, 120W wired charging, and Xiaomi’s first attempt at an under-display camera.
Get the latest Xiaomi Mix 4 news
Vivo X70 – Q4 2021
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Vivo has announced the X70 flagship series in China, and confirmed global release plans for the phones – though we’re still waiting to hear if, and when, that includes the UK.
There are three phones in the range. The base X70 packs a triple camera and custom MediaTek Dimensity 1200 chipset. The X70 Pro upgrades to a quad camera with a periscope and a 50Mp main shooter.
Finally, the X70 Pro+ includes even better main and ultrawide cameras, along with OIS on every single rear lens – not to mention Vivo’s first in-house image processor chip.
Get the latest on the Vivo X70
Oppo X 2021 – 2021
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The clue’s in the name really, with the Oppo X 2021 expected to launch…well, some time in 2021.
This rollable phone from Oppo was first unveiled last year and seemed to be only a concept phone, but subsequent announcements from Oppo suggest that the phone might launch as a consumer product after all – though expect it to be ruinously expensive, with both a scrolling display and new wireless air charging tech built-in.
Read the latest Oppo X 2021 news.
Xiaomi 12 – 2021/22
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Xiaomi usually unveils its latest Mi series flagship at the beginning of the year – but the Mi 11 arrived in China at the tail-end of December 2020, so there’s also a chance that the Xiaomi 12 could arrive from December 2021.
With the phones so far off rumours are still light, but we’ve heard rumblings of a 200Mp camera and even 200W wired charging on the Ultra model – though that’s likely to arrive even later. It’s also almost certain to be one of, if not the, first phone to use the next flagship Snapdragon chipset.
Read more about the Xiaomi 12.
Samsung Galaxy S21 FE – January 2022
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Much like the S20 was followed by the S20 FE, it’s widely expected that the S21 will eventually be joined by the S21 FE. This was tipped to launch in October, but leaks now suggest it may launch in January 2022, possibly at CES – though it may even have been cancelled entirely.
The phone has been pretty much leaked in full though, and most agree the phone will have an AMOLED panel and the latest Exynos and Snapdragon chipsets.
Huawei P50 – Q1 2022
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After teasing them at the HarmonyOS launch, Huawei launched the P50 and P50 Pro in China in August, but has said that we won’t get them in the rest of the world until early 2022.
Both phones run the new HarmonyOS operating system, and boast high refresh rate OLED displays, fast charging, and powerful camera setups.
One oddity is that both use the Snapdragon 888 (with a Kirin 9000 variant of the Pro model too) but use 4G versions of the chip – a limitation of the company’s ongoing US trade restrictions. That means that fancy as these phones are, they are 4G-only and still lack Google mobile services.
Check out the full Huawei P50 specs
Samsung Galaxy S22 – Q1 2022
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Samsung releases a new flagship phone series every spring, like clockwork, so we’re expecting to see the Galaxy S22 arrive in spring 2022, possibly as early as February.
We don’t know for sure what to expect, but it seems a safe bet that we’ll once again get three phones: a standard, Plus, and Ultra models.
Camera updates seem inevitable, but the specific specs are hotly debated by leakers, with word of a 50Mp upgrade for the regular and Plus, and a 200Mp jump for the Ultra – the latter denied by other tipsters.
The Ultra is also likely to have a built-in stylus and a design more reminiscent of the classic Note phones, while the other two models will look more similar to the outgoing S21 range.
Get the latest Galaxy S22 leaks and rumours.
Google Pixel Foldable – Q2 2022
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This is a bit of a wild card – but leaked internal documents and bits of code suggest that Google may be working on a Pixel-branded foldable device. We thought it might launch in late 2021, but it now looks more likely to appear in spring 2022 along with the public launch of Android 12L, perhaps at Google I/O.
Beyond the device’s existence there haven’t been many leaks with details of what sort of foldable device it will be, or what specs it will have, but we know a lot of people will be curious about a Google-branded folding phone with that Pixel camera.
Asus ROG Phone 6 – Q2 2022
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Asus doesn’t launch every ROG Phone in the UK – and sometimes they just come late, like the recent ROG Phone 5s and 5s Pro – but we have good odds of getting the ROG Phone 6 in summer 2022.
After all, we did get the ROG Phone 5 right on schedule, and this is likely to be a more meaningful follow-up to that phone.
We’re not sure exactly what to expect – though the 360Hz touch sampling rate from the 5s series seems like a safe bet. Otherwise expect tweaks to the design, the next-gen Snapdragon flagship chipset, and likely more novelties like the rear OLED display found on the 5 Pro.
Read more about the ROG Phone 6.
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold FE – 2022
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Samsung is yet to confirm anything official, but we have some reason to expect that a more affordable ‘Fan Edition’ of the Galaxy Z Fold is set to launch some time in 2022 – only we have no idea when.
One early leak pins the phone as costing $1,099, with a Snapdragon 865 chipset – last year’s flagship – though curiously claims it will lack the 5G support that has so far been mandatory with that chip.
Others claim that the Fold FE will simply be the first-gen Fold, re-packaged at a lower price tag to reflect the older tech – that would mean the even older Snapdragon 855, but would explain how Samsung could hit a mainstream price point.
We’ve also heard rumours about new Galaxy Z form factors, including the Galaxy Z Fold S and Galaxy Z Scroll, but if they’re real then they’re likely further afield.
Read more Galaxy Z Fold FE rumours and news
Apple iPhone SE 2 or SE Plus – 2022
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Apple’s new iPhone SE went on sale back in April 2020, but rumours since have pointed towards the launch of either a follow-up or a Plus model. If you’re thinking that might be imminent, though, don’t hold your breath; we could be waiting until 2022.
The long-rumoured SE Plus is not simply a larger version of the iPhone SE, mind you. Prolific Apple leakster Ming-Chi Kuo suggests that the iPhone SE Plus will feature either a 5.5 or 6.1in display and, crucially, it’ll sport a “full-screen design” like that of the iPhone 11 range. It may also have Touch ID built into the power button.
Read more about the upcoming iPhone SE Plus and iPhone SE 2.
Huawei Mate 50 – 2022
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Huawei still hasn’t even released the P50 series worldwide, but it’s likely working on the Mate 50.
While these would normally have launched in autumn 2021, we’re now expecting to see Mate 50 phones some time in 2022. Expect a Chinese launch first, with Europe and the rest of Asia to follow a few months later – maybe.
Not much is known about the specs, but expect a 4G Snapdragon chipset, with top-tier display and camera chops to make up for slower signal speeds.
Read more about the Huawei Mate 50.
iPhone 14 – September 2022
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The iPhone 14 may still be a while away, but we have our first leaks of what to expect from the next Apple flagship.
Renders based on leaks sourced by Jon Prosser reveal the alleged end of the controversial notch – supposedly replaced by a punch-hole camera, with the rest of the Face ID tech hidden under the display itself.
Round volume buttons return, while the camera lenses are now flush against the body – achieved in part by making the phone itself thicker.
It’s too far off to know if this is what the iPhone 14 will look like for certain, but it’s already enough to get us excited.
Get the latest iPhone 14 news
Foldable iPhone – 2022/2023
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A folding iPhone has been rumoured ever since the first foldable display tech existed pretty much, but thanks to leaks and rumours we have pretty good reason to believe Apple is at least working on a foldable iPhone – even if it’s probably years away.
Apple is rarely the first to market with new tech, though given that Samsung has already released several iterations of its folding tech there’s a risk Apple will look backwards if it doesn’t follow suit until 2023 – though if it can perfect the tech in that time it may well be worth the wait.
Check out all the foldable iPhone rumours so far.