As 2024 draws to a close, it’s time to reflect on the year’s most impressive technological advancements. From groundbreaking innovations to refined designs, 2024 has been a remarkable year for smartphones.
Our team at PhoneArena has carefully evaluated the top contenders to determine the best of the best.
Join us as we unveil the devices that have captivated us with their performance, features, and overall user experience.
2024 PhoneArena Awards Categories:
Hardware Feature
Glare-free screen (Galaxy S24 Ultra)
Our first award goes to the hardware feature that made us say, “Finally!”
This year’s Hardware Feature Award goes to the glare-free screen on the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra. Created in collaboration with Corning, this new Gorilla Glass Armor screen reduces screen reflections dramatically. You can notice this indoors, but it is a game-change for outdoor visibility. No more squinting in direct sunlight!
This feature was so impressive that we were honestly surprised no other company adopted the same technology all year. Let’s hope that it arrives to more devices in 2025.
Software Feature
Gemini Live (as seen first on Pixel 9)
The Software Feature Award recognizes the most innovative and useful new software tricks. And the winner is… Gemini Live!
Like all good software magic, it appeared out of nowhere on most recent Android phones. This AI-powered voice assistant sounds so real we are starting to question the line between a computer and a human. This kind of advanced voice assistant was the stuff of sci-fi movies, but now, it’s a reality.
It’s truly a marvel of software engineering and a teaser for the incredible future of AI tech.
Mobile tech innovation
Silicon-Carbon batteries
Our Mobile tech innovation award celebrates a breakthrough technology that’s pushing the boundaries of what’s possible.
This year, we recognize Silicon-Carbon batteries.
This new technology allows for slimmer phones without compromising on battery size.
There were multiple phones with this new tech on board, but most of them unfortunately were not available in the US. Such devices were the Oppo Find X8 Pro, arriving in a slim package, yet still packing a massive, 5,910 mAh battery. With these bigger batteries, we can finally encroach on that dream 2-day smartphone battery life.
This is a giant leap forward for battery technology, and we only wish mainstream devices like Galaxies and iPhones got this new tech sooner.
Surprise of the year
CMF Phone 1
The Surprise of the Year Award goes to the phone that caught us completely off guard.
And the winner is… the CMF Phone 1!
This unexpected gem from Nothing’s sub-brand delivered impressive specs at a budget price, shaking up the market and exceeding all expectations. Typically phones with a price below $250 make some big compromises, but not the CMF Phone 1.
This phone is also surprisingly fun! You can take it apart, you can add modules, it even comes with its own screw driver in the box!
Design of the year
Pixel 9 series
Moving on to aesthetics, the Design of the Year Award recognizes a phone that has improved a lot. And this year’s winner is the Pixel 9 series!
The Pixel 9 elevates Google’s flagship series to a new height. The sleek lines, the refined camera bar, the solid construction and 2X increase in durability are profound changes. Finally, we have a Pixel phone that feels like a true head-turner.
Sure, this new Pixel design is not much different than what we have seen on the last few iPhone generations, and some might argue that it is a derivative of the Apple design language.
Despite the distinctive camera bar on the back, we agree with that point, but practicality wins over and considering the lack of major changes in other brands design, Google’s effort stands out nonetheless.
“Fine Wine” award
Galaxy S23 Ultra
Phones change so fast that often one supposedly cutting-edge model looks outdated the next year. But some other phones, manage to survive the test of time, like fine wine.
So which 2023 phone aged best in 2024?
Our pick here is the Galaxy S23 Ultra.
The continued software support and updates have kept this flagship feeling fresh and relevant, and the camera quality remains admirable with that incredible dual-zoom camera.
Gaming phone
ROG Phone 8 Pro
The Gaming Phone Award goes to the undisputed champion of performance, the ROG Phone 8 Pro! With its powerful processor, cutting-edge cooling system, and gamer-centric features, this phone delivers an unparalleled mobile gaming experience.
It is better optimized for longer gaming session, it throttles less than others, and the dedicated gaming controls and accessories make it a unique device on the market. Also, keep in mind that the new version of the phone is right around the corner and that brings an even faster chipset.
Value-for-money phone
Galaxy S24 FE
You don’t always need to break the bank for a great phone. The Value-for-Money Phone Award recognizes the device that offers the best bang for your buck.
We have picked Pixel phones for this award in the past couple of years, but Pixel’s A series have become more expensive, all while Samsung has stepped up its game.
The Galaxy S24 FE has a flagship-grade chip and a triple camera at a reasonable, $600 price, making it a more powerful phone and a better deal than the Pixel 8a for most people. It also has a bigger, more immersive display and longer battery life. All of that makes it a fantastic choice for budget-conscious consumers.
Compact phone
iPhone 16 Pro
For those who prefer a phone that fits comfortably in their hand, the Compact Phone Award goes to the iPhone 16 Pro!
This was a tough one as the Pixel 9 Pro is another very strong competitor, and both phones come at a similar, not-too-big 6.3-inch size.
The iPhone, however, is just more refined and it has the faster chipset. The size is still great for one-handed use without sacrificing performance or style.
Sadly, there are only a few compact phones on the market apart from these two, and we hope for more options in this size next year.
Flip phone
Motorola Razr Plus (2024)
The foldable phone revolution might be slower than many expected, but improvements in this space continued in 2024.
The Flip Phone of the Year Award goes to the stylish and innovative Razr Plus 2024.
Motorola has refined its clamshell foldable with a larger cover screen, powerful performance, and a gorgeous design that turns heads.
This was another tough battle with the very capable Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6 being a closer runner-up in this category. However, the Galaxy just doesn’t make use of the cover screen as well, and the Razr has a sleeker design and a few bonus features like faster charging, so it emerges as the winner this year.
Fold phone
Pixel 9 Pro Fold
And for the best bigger foldable phone, the Fold Phone of the Year Award goes to the… Pixel 9 Pro Fold!
Google’s second foldable phone is a massive step up from the first generation. The design is completely transformed, the phone now feels premium in a way it didn’t before, the software is clean and smooth, and the device is much slimmer than rival Galaxy Z Fold 6.
An important element that Google got right is the wider outer screen of the Pixel. Most people use that outer screen most of the time, even on foldable phones, and the Pixel has the more functional outer display size than the rival Galaxy.
Another folding phone worth mentioning here is the crazy slim Honor Magic V3. This phone set a new standard for foldable phone design! At 9.2 mm it’s shockingly thin and impossible to distinguish from a regular, non-folding phone. Unfortunately, this phone is not available in the US.
Best phone overall
iPhone 16 Pro Max
And now, the moment you’ve all been waiting for! The Best Overall Phone of the Year Award goes to… the iPhone 16 Pro Max!
Let’s get one thing out of the way first: the iPhone 16 Pro Max is not revolutionary. That much is clearl. However, it builds on an incredibly solid foundation.
It adds slight but welcome improvements in battery life, it gets the industry’s fastest processor, a slightly larger display, and a cool new Camera Control button.
None of these is a game-changer on its own, but they add up. The iPhone remains the world’s most popular phone also because of iOS and the whole Apple ecosystem that truly elevates it to the next level.
Of course, it’s a heated battle for the top spot, and the closest competitor here is clearly the Galaxy S24 Ultra. Samsung’s flagship has its appeal with Android, One UI, the S Pen, and the impressive dual-zoom camera. Those who prefer all of that will argue that it is the better phone, and those would be sound arguments. What tips the scales for us, however, is the width of the Apple ecosystem and that extra level of polish of iOS.
Bust of the year
Sony Xperia 1 VI
It wouldn’t be an awards show without acknowledging some disappointments. The Bust of the Year Award goes to… Sony and its Xperia 1 VI.
By switching to a new wider form factor, Sony made a tacit admission that it was wrong about its design choices in the past few years, releasing phones with a weirdly narrow design.
It also worked on improving its niche camera apps that were ill-received by average users and proved too complex.
But all of those were small steps and worst of all, Sony did not even release the Xperia 1 VI in the United States. We don’t want to see Sony disappear from the smartphone market, but we want to see bigger changes. A Sony phone with more care for the average user and one that does not cost an arm and a leg would be amazing. Let’s hope that the company still has steam left and won’t completely disappear from the mobile space in the future.
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