The latest stats show that Android still dominates the smartphone industry across the globe.
As a result, it even gets harder when it comes to picking out the most standout device among the many that have been rolled out this year.
In truth, most Android devices have some tough competition from other platforms such as Windows Phone, BlackBerry or even iOS; however, the competition that exists from within the Android niche is the toughest. You will find sleek devices that feature extremely premium designs and top end features as well as other affordable ones that ensure every person in the world can own a smartphone, regardless of their social status.
However, terming a phone as the best is subjective and at times, it will depend on the specs, features or even pricing. But are these enough for telling how good a phone is? Well, we have rounded up for you a list of the best 5 Android smartphones that were released in 2015.
Samsung Galaxy S6
Samsung hit the headlines when it unveiled the new Galaxy S6 smartphone earlier this year. The South Korean giant had practically failed to capture the attention of customers with the release of Galaxy S5, but the new metal and glass S6 has captured the attention of many. The new look that Samsung gave the phone meant that it sheds off some notable features such as support for microSD card as well as removable battery.
Samsung also ditched Qualcomm for its in-house Exynos chipset, the 7420 processor, and paired it with an impressive RAM of 3GB. Also, the usual TouchWiz has been scaled down such that there are very few Samsung apps.
Major highlights of Samsung Galax6 S6 include a 5.1-inch Super AMOLED screen with a resolution of 2560 by 1440 pixels and an impressive pixel density of 577ppi. Storage options vary from 32GB, 64GB to 128GB while the camera is a decent 16MP with OIS on the rear and 5MP with 90-degree wide-angle lens on the front. The phone comes with Android 5.1.1 Lollipop, but can be upgraded to the latest Android 6.0 Marshmallow.
Nexus 6P
Google Nexus 6P was made in conjunction with Huawei. This high-end phone comes with a 5.7-inch display size with QHD AMOLED technology with a resolution of 2560 by 1440 pixels. Inside you will come across a fast Snapdragon 810 chip, a 3GB RAM and a giant battery unit of 3,450mAh. The rear of the phone has a 12MP snapper while the front features an 8MP snapper.
This is one of the first devices to come with Android 6.0 Marshmallow out of the box and unlike Samsung Galaxy S6, the Nexus 6P is quite cheap, available at about $499.
LG G4
Product differentiation is an essential element when it comes to success in the smartphone industry. LG does the same with its G4 flagship. The new phone tries to maintain the design language of its predecessors, adding a curved display to the LG G4 as well as availing it with different back covers.
In fact, LG G4 is one of the few top-end smartphones for 2015 that features a removable back cover and thus, removable battery. The phone has a gorgeous 5.5-inch LCD Quantum Dot screen that manages a resolution of 2560 by 1440 pixels and a pixel density of 534ppi. The device features a rather older Snapdragon 808 processor, but the hexacore CPU is just as fast as it should be thanks to the support it gets from the 3GB of RAM and an Adreno 418 GPU.
LG went for Android 5.1 Lollipop and a battery unit of 3,000mAh for this phone. Also, the phone only has one variant – a 32GB variant that also features expandable microSD card slot of up to 128GB. On the rear, there is a 16MP snapper while the frontal part has a decent 8MP snapper. This is a decent buy for anyone who feels that the newly released LG V10 is too expensive.
Moto X Style (Pure Edition)
Motorola proved to the smartphone world that high-end specs are not what it takes to make a phone that offers the best user experience. The Moto X Style brings the perfect mix of simplicity, performance, style, and price into one.
The Style part comes in on customizations, something that has been part and parcel of the entire Moto X experience. When it comes to hardware, the Moto X Pure Edition is also a huge contender with its 5.7-inch QHD display that manages a resolution of 2560 by 1440 pixels. Like LG G4, Moto X Style went for a Snapdragon 808 CPU, a RAM of 3GB and onboard storage of 16GB, 32GB, and 64GB. There is also room for expanding the storage up to 128GB using a microSD card.
The Moto X Style runs on Android 5.1.1 Lollipop, and it comes with one of the best rear cameras – a 21MP snapper – and a 5MP snapper on the front. The good side of the story is that this phone is available for $399 only.
Sony Xperia Z5
Sony unveiled three premium phones this year – Xperia Z5, Xperia Z5 Compact, and Xperia Z5 Premium. However, the highlight of the three is the high-end Xperia Z5 that features a solid design and premium specs. The phone has a screen size of 5.2 inches with IPS LCD technology behind it and a resolution of 1920 by 1080 pixels. Inside the Xperia Z5 is a 64-bit octa-core Snapdragon 810 CPU that is supported by 3GB RAM.
The phone runs on Android 5.1.1 Lollipop, but is upgradable to Android M. As far as storage is concerned; the phone has 32GB, but it supports microSD card expansion of up to 200GB. On the rear, you will find a decent 23MP snapper while the front features a 5MP camera. Just like many of 2015 flagships, the Z5 has a non-removable battery unit of 2,900mAh.
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