Disregard the iPhone 16 Pro, Bypass the Pixel 9 Pro, My Preferred Smartphone in 2024
Disregard the iPhone 16 Pro, Bypass the Pixel 9 Pro, My Preferred Smartphone in 2024
As we reach the end of the year, it's time to reflect on my favorite smartphone of the year. 2024 has witnessed the rise of AI-driven technology as a significant selling point in the smartphone market, yet there's been a shift in device forms. Foldable devices are evolving, there's a new emphasis on physical dimensions, ranging from oversized to compact, and manufacturers are grappling with smaller gains while still needing to distinguish themselves.
These factors play a role in my decision, but there's something else at play that's not featured on spec sheets or press releases: my own gut feeling. This isn't about aggregating the opinions of colleagues or reaching a consensus... this is about the smartphones that I feel embody 2024 as a whole, the devices that have left an imprint and showcase what's to come.
This isn't just about raw performance, but also about emotion and security.
Let's review the contenders, including an unexpected choice.
Apple iPhone 16 Pro
Each year, I'm faced with iOS's closed nature and the iPhone. How much of an impact does this have on my personal preference? While competition and innovation are essential for a healthy ecosystem, Apple's iPhone has no rivals in terms of hardware or firmware, and users are essentially forced to accept Apple's whims and viewpoints.
A case in point is the inability to change the time for snoozing alarms. The nine-minute period demanded by antiquated clockwork timepieces remains fixed and unalterable on iOS.
As Apple updates the iPhone, so do numerous Android manufacturers. With similar specifications across the board, the emotional and secure connection a device can create becomes crucial for its success.
Apple's approach makes me cautious. Yet it's the strategy towards AI and the awkwardly acronymed Apple Intelligence that defines the iPhone 16 Pro. And that definition is "late and lacking."
Google announced AI integration for the Pixel series in October 2023 and released the Pixel 8 family simultaneously. Samsung followed suit with Galaxy AI and the Galaxy S24 in January 2024. Apple announced its plans six months later, introduced the iPhone 16 Pro in September, and released its first generative AI software in October. It isn't expected to match the Google and Samsung offerings until March 2025.
"Late and lacking." For a company as mighty as Apple, missing the mark can have severe consequences.
Apple is not trailing in the realm of AI in general; iOS places significant emphasis on AI applications other than generative AI. Machine Learning can be found in the predictive keyboard, Siri interactions, photo searches, and more. Neural nets boost the ML routines, improving camera functionality and FaceID recognition.
However, with continually evolving consumer expectations, Apple missed an opportunity to dictate its narrative around software.
The iPhone 16 Pro can rival other flagships' functionality, but Apple played its hand poorly and didn't deliver the best iPhone 16 Pro it could. If your expectations are sky-high, falling an inch short is as bad as falling a mile.
Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra
Thanks to a January launch, Samsung has a year to establish itself as the phone of the year, but it also has a year to fade into obscurity as the Galaxy S25 looms. With the S25 launch imminent, it's worth recalling how the Galaxy S24 family set the stage for 2024 with the introduction of Galaxy AI.
It was undoubtedly the most popular AI-powered handset. By May, according to Counterpoint Research, Samsung held a 58% market share of generative AI-enabled smartphones, with an exclusive period of Circle To Search availability before its expansion to the entire Android platform.
Samsung also had an exclusive deal with Qualcomm, enabling the Galaxy S24 Ultra to come with an overclocked 8 Gen 3 chipset, which in turn increased AI processing speed. Everything else improved as expected, but the emphasis on AI allowed for a device that seemed more focused on new technology and pushing boundaries than most.
Samsung's focus on the S24 Ultra to house all the specced hardware meant it could market the Ultra as the ultimate phone, with the S24 and S24+ serving as supporting roles rather than "the same role, just a bit smaller."
The success of the Galaxy S24 Ultra is a gradual one. Remove the AI, and you're left with a smartphone that's slightly improved but essentially unchanged from its predecessors.
Google Pixel 9 Pro
Unlike Samsung, Google spread the power and potential across several Pixel 9 Pro devices. You had the standard Pixel 9 Pro, the larger form factor of the Pixel 9 Pro XL, the innovative design of the Pixel 9 Pro Fold (plus the Pixel 9, which just misses out on top specs).
The 9 Pro XL is a touch too large and suffers from the move to a more boxy design, which increases internal volume and perceived bulk. The Pixel 9 Pro Fold is somewhat awkward in regular use. This is why I'm choosing the Pixel 9 Pro.
A significant portion of this stemmes from Google's portrayal of generative AI through Gemini. While numerous AI-driven features function more as tech demos than everyday game-changers, Gemini AI's conversational tone and distinct approach to search and research set it apart as AI at its most adaptable.
By 2025, we can expect Gemini AI capabilities to proliferate across the broader Android platform, as demonstrated by Samsung's planned integration of Circle to Search on the Galaxy S24 instead of the Pixel 8. Although Google is selective with its more advanced technologies, the vocal interface with Gemini represents the most practical application of generative AI, placing the Pixel series in a strong position to contest for the top spot.
If AI alone were the deciding factor, the Pixel 9 Pro might easily secure the crown. Nevertheless, another device seems a more enticing choice than the odds-on favorite.
Before delving into the alternative, it's essential to address a semantic nuance. The title isn't "Mobile Tech Of The Year," rather it's "Smartphone of the Year."
Trying to justify the Retroid Pocket 4 Pro as a smartphone might prove cumbersome. It lacks a physical or embedded SIM card and relies on Bluetooth headsets or earbuds for calls. However, a convincing argument can be made for its merits, specifically its robust audio and video calling capabilities through software. By 2024, making calls over the internet has become a ubiquitous method, making the Pocket 4 Pro a compelling choice—especially for gamers.
This device is primarily a portable gaming device, boasting analog sticks, face buttons, d-pads, shoulder buttons, and triggers. By leveraging Android as its operating system, the Retroid Pocket 4 Pro taps into the extensive Android gaming ecosystem, featuring popular titles like Fortnite and Genshin Impact, as well as less mainstream offerings like Sky: Children of Light. The device's integrated controller offers a tangible advantage over touchscreen-reliant alternatives.
Retroid's Pocket 4 Pro represents a significant leap in the realm of retro gaming. Traditional retro consoles had required custom OS builds and advanced Linux knowledge to function effectively. However, in 2024, Android's capabilities and gamer demands were met with an accessible price point that balanced cost and specifications. Retroid's Pocket 5 Pro arrived in time for the holidays, but the Pocket 4 Pro proved that the retro market was mature and primed for Android integration.
Regardless of the title, the Retroid Pocket 4 Pro has earned a prominent place in the discussion for "Smartphone of the Year."
Honor Magic V3
Since Samsung's Galaxy Fold launch in 2019, foldable smartphones have generated interest outpacing reality. The ongoing push for "thin phones" in 2025 is in part fueled by the advances in technology necessary for thinning out the foldable device's two halves.
Enter Honor and its Honor Magic V3, the third iteration of its foldable series. Unfolded, the device measures an astonishingly thin 4.4 mm, making its thickness noticeable upon removal. Folded, it becomes a 9.2 mm smartphone with a 20:9 ratio outer display comparable to Honor's then-flagship Magic6 Pro (which had a thickness of 8.9 mm). The beveled edges enable a single-handed grip, while the overall design earns an IPX8 protection rating, allowing it to withstand immersion in up to 1.5 meters of water.
In terms of software, magicOS supports both "side-by-side" apps and "floating window over a full-screen app" for multitasking. Additionally, it allows users to lock an app to a specific aspect ratio for enhanced compatibility with foldable devices.
While the Honor Magic V3 may not become the best-selling smartphone of 2024, it will undeniably leave a lasting impact in the foldable space. The industry will likely refer to it as a benchmark for 2025's thin smartphones, a testament to its innovative design and functionality.
In this case, the Honor Magic V3 truly merits the "Smartphone of the Year" title, showcasing the potential of foldable smartphones and setting a high bar for the competition.
Disclaimer: During 2024, several smartphones, including the Pixel 9 Pro and Honor Magic V3, were provided for review purposes.
The Retroid Pocket 4 Pro, despite not being a traditional smartphone, stood out in 2024 due to its robust audio and video calling capabilities, making it a compelling choice for gamers who rely on internet calls.
The Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra, launched early in the year, established itself as a popular AI-powered handset with a 58% market share of generative AI-enabled smartphones by May, thanks to its exclusive use of the overclocked 8 Gen 3 chipset.
The Honor Magic V3, with its 4.4mm thickness when unfolded and 9.2mm when folded, showcased the potential of foldable smartphones and set a high bar for the competition, earning it the title of "Smartphone of the Year" in 2024.
Despite Apple's innovations in AI, the iPhone 16 Pro was criticized for its "late and lacking" generative AI software compared to its competitors, such as Google and Samsung. This delay in delivering on AI expectations could be considered a missed opportunity for Apple to dictate its software narrative.
[Original text for reference]"Retroid Pocket 4 Pro", "Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra", "Honor Magic V3", "Apple iPhone 16 Pro""despite not being a traditional smartphone, stood out", "established itself as a popular AI-powered handset", "showcased the potential of foldable smartphones", "was criticized for its 'late and lacking' generative AI software"