2024 started with several high-profile launches in the smartphone world. Many brands including Samsung, Xiaomi, OnePlus, and Poco put their best smartphone foot forward, setting the tone of the year. While filling the massive January phone launch shoes is a bit difficult, some exciting launches are coming up in February too (excluding the launch riot which is sure to take place at MWC at the end of this month — that’s a different story altogether).
Here are some of the phones expected to hit the market in the shortest month of the year:
iQoo Neo 9 Pro: Flagship-Killer Specs With Killer Looks
One of the most notable launches expected in February will be from iQoo. The brand is all set to launch the iQoo Neo 9 Pro, which has already been making waves with its rather different red and white back. The phone will be powered by a flagship-level Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 processor, and paired with 12GB RAM and 256GB storage, making the phone an absolute powerhouse capable of handling your casual and power-hungry smartphone chores alike.
The phone will come with a 6.78-inch quad HD+ display with a very high refresh rate of 144 Hz. Another highlight of the phone is its 5,160mAh battery which comes with support for super fast 120 W charging. In the optics zone, the phone will bring a dual camera set up on the back comprising two 50-megapixel sensors, with a 16-megapixel sensor on the front for selfies and video calls.
The phone will run on Android 14 out of the box which will be topped with a layer of FunTouch OS. The phone is expected to be priced in the vicinity of Rs 35,000 and is already being dubbed a flagship killer with killer looks to boot.
Samsung Galaxy M55: Mid-Range Galaxy Incoming
After starting the year with its flagship Galaxy S24 series, Samsung is all set to move its attention to a more affordable segment. The brand is expected to bring the Samsung Galaxy M55 to the market in February.
It is rumoured that the phone will feature the Qualcomm Snapdragon 7 Gen 1 chipset, a capable mid-level processor. This is likely to be paired with 8 GB RAM which means the phone will be able to handle most chores with ease. In the best Samsung tradition, the phone is expected to get a brilliant tall 6.7 inch AMOLED display with a 120 Hz refresh rate.
It is also very likely that the phone will feature a quad camera set up with a 64-megapixel main sensor backed by an 8-megapixel, a 5-megapixel and 2-megapixel supporting sensors, while a 32-megapixel sensor in front handles selfies.
Samsung is also expected to add a 6,000mAh battery to the mix (although do not expect crazy fast charging) and the phone will run on Android 14 out of the box.
The price tag of the phone is likely to be around Rs 30,000 which makes it a good mid-range contender. We wonder if it would come with any of the much-hyped Galaxy AI, now or later on.
Nothing Phone 2a: A-Grade Mid-Segmenter From Nothing
Another major phone to come in February is the Nothing Phone (2a). This is not going to be the year upgrade device that we get from Nothing but is still expected to come with some good specs and features. The Nothing Phone (2a) is expected to come with a 6.7 inch AMOLED full HD+ display with 120 Hz refresh rate, a MediaTek Dimensity 7200 processor with up to 12 GB RAM and 256 GB storage. This is not exactly absolute beast material when it comes to high-end heavy lifting but still would let you do most of your smartphone-ing without too much trouble.
Keeping up the camera tradition, the Phone (2a) will also feature two 50-megapixel sensors on the back. It is also expected to bring the LED-laden back design to the table along with a 4,500 mAh battery with support for some kind of fast charging. It will be coming with Android 14 out of the box with NothingOS on top. All of this is expected to land with a price in the vicinity of Rs 30,000 – Rs 35,000, which should make it a very strong mid-segment option to look out for.
Honor X9b: An Honor-able Entry In A Competitive Zone
Honor has got back in the Indian tech world with some impressive smartphones, and the brand is all set to launch another phone in the first half of February, the Honor X9b. The phone is expected to be powered by the very mid-segment Qualcomm Snapdragon 6 Gen 1 processor with 8 GB RAM and 256 GB storage, making it a good daily driver.
The phone will boast a 6.78-inch AMOLED display with 120Hz refresh rate, and in best Honor tradition will come with impressive cameras — a 108-megapixel main sensor, a 5-megapixel ultrawide and a 2-megapixel macro sensor, with 16-megapixel sensor on the front.
The phone is expected to come with a big 5,800mAh battery with support for 35 W charging and is said to run Android 13 out of the box with MagicOS on top, which may be a slight negative for some. The price of the phone is expected to be under Rs 30,000 which, if true, would put the phone in a very competitive segment.
Xiaomi 14 Series: Extremely Leica-ble Flagships
After getting its popular Redmi Note series out of the way, Xiaomi is now all set to introduce its flagship Xiaomi 14 series in the Indian market in February. The series is expected to feature the Xiaomi 14 and the Xiaomi 14 Pro. The two phones have already been launched in China and the brand has thrown the spec and number kitchen sink at the series. Both phones are quite power-packed and will be powered by the flagship Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chipset, so will handle whatever smartphone chore you throw at them without skipping a beat.
The Xiaomi 14 is expected to come with a 6.36-inch AMOLED display with 120Hz refresh rate while the 14 Pro is going to have a slightly bigger 6.73-inch AMOLED display with 120Hz refresh rate.
The two phones are expected to bring some serious camera muscle to the table too. Both will feature three 50-megapixel cameras on the back and a 32-megapixel sensor on the front. More significantly, both phones’ cameras will come with legendary Leica expertise, replete with special shooting modes and effects. There is going to be a slight difference in the battery mAhs – the Xiaomi 14 is expected to come with a 4,610 mAh battery while the Xiaomi 14 Pro is likely to bring a bigger 4,880 battery, both with fast charging support. The phones are going to run on Android 14 out of the box with Xiaomi’s much-talked-about new HyperOS on top.
All of these spec muscles are going to come with a high price tag as well. The Xiaomi 14 is expected to be priced in the vicinity of Rs 55,000 while the Xiaomi 14 Pro is expected to come with a starting price of around Rs 70,000.