It is April 2015, and Samsung has completely reinvented itself. The Galaxy S6 is the ‘Project Zero’ reboot, ditching the plastic and removable batteries of the past for a stunning ‘glass and metal’ unibody. It features a solid aerospace-grade aluminium frame and Gorilla Glass 4 on both sides, creati…
Samsung S6 Edge
It is April 2015, and Samsung has just shattered the smartphone design mould with the Galaxy S6 Edge. This isn’t just a phone; it’s a technical statement that has reclaimed Samsung’s status as a design leader. The headline feature is the world’s first dual-curved display, where the glass literally w…
Apple iPhone 6 Plus
It is September 2014, and Apple has finally entered the ‘Phablet’ arena with the iPhone 6 Plus. This is a massive 172g statement of intent, featuring a 5.5-inch screen that dwarfs every previous iPhone. It marks a total redesign, moving to a 7.1mm thin, rounded aluminium unibody that feels incredibl…
Apple iPhone 6
Welcome to September 2014, and the ‘Big’ change has finally arrived. Apple has finally released a 4.7-inch flagship, the iPhone 6, moving away from the sharp edges of the 5s to a ‘2.5D’ curved-glass and anodised aluminium unibody that is just 6.9mm thick. In the UK, this is a cultural moment; Apple …
LG G3
Welcome to mid-2014, and LG has just stolen a march on the entire industry with the LG G3. This is a technical showpiece that packs a massive 5.5-inch display into a body that feels no larger than a standard 5-inch phone, thanks to microscopic bezels and rear-mounted buttons. It’s finished in a ‘Met…
OnePlus One
It is April 2014, and a tiny startup called OnePlus has just released a ‘Flagship Killer’ that is shaking the foundations of the mobile industry. The OnePlus One is a technical middle finger to the £600 price tags of Samsung and Apple. In the UK, it is the ultimate ‘insider’s’ phone, initially avail…
Samsung Galaxy S5
It is April 2014, and Samsung has decided to lean into utility rather than just pure luxury. The Galaxy S5 has arrived in the UK as the ‘pragmatic’ flagship, a 145g device that prioritises features you can actually use over the flashy metal of its rivals. It’s still an all-plastic affair, but the sl…
HTC One M8
It is March 2014, and HTC has just released a phone that is being hailed as the most beautiful Android device ever made. The HTC One M8 has ditched the plastic-and-glass norms for a ‘Zero-Gap’ unibody aluminium chassis that takes 200 minutes of CNC machining to produce. In the UK, it is the darling …
Motorola Moto G
It is November 2013, and Motorola (now a Google company) has just done the unthinkable: they have released a budget phone that doesn’t feel like a compromise. The Moto G has arrived in the UK for a staggering £135, and it is single-handedly rewriting the rules for what an entry-level smartphone can …
Sony Xperia Z1
It is September 2013, and Sony has just unleashed the ‘Honami’, the Xperia Z1. This is the device that finally unites Sony’s disparate technical empires of Bravia, Walkman, and Cyber-shot into a single, water-resistant glass slab. In the UK, it has arrived as the sophisticated, waterproof alternativ…