2018 is looking set to be another exciting year for new mobile and tablet devices hitting the market. Apple, Samsung, Google and the other leading players all have rumoured handsets scheduled for launch throughout the year.
Jordan, our in-house device expert, takes a look at a few major releases we’ll be adding to our test lab over the coming months and the impact they might have on testing and QA.
Apple iPhone SE 2
The iPhone SE was famed for being on the smaller and more affordable side of the Apple device range, and consequently proved to be a big success for the company alongside their larger flagship models.
A lot of us here at Zoonou are pleased to hear that rumours are pointing to a new iPhone SE (the final name is TBC, but it will be a smaller and cheaper version of the iPhone at least) launching in 2018.
While the first SE handset looked similar to the iPhone 5S, there’s an expectation from numerous leaked images that the iPhone SE 2 will look more like the iPhone 8, although it is expected to have smaller dimensions.
Release date: March 2018
Rumoured features:
- Face ID
- 7MP FaceTime camera with Retina Flash replaces the 5MP FaceTime camera
- 32GB or 128GB storage options
What to look out for in testing:
- As the SE 2 is not a flagship model, there aren’t many new features to look out for, but if it’s as popular as the original SE, it’s likely to make regular appearances on our project device lists.
Apple iPhone X Plus
On the premium side of Apple’s range, the new flagship iPhone model is also set for launch later in 2018. No confirmation on a name as of yet. iPhone X Plus, iPhone 11 or iPhone XI are all floating around. Whatever it’s going to be called, the hype is already building and there are hundreds of leaked images and rumours spreading across the internet.
We expect all of Apple’s new iPhones this year to take on the all-screen iPhone X design. This could mean that the successors in the Apple range will all have a bezel-free design, Face ID camera, and no Home button.
Release date: September 2018
Rumoured features:
- Rear-facing 3D scanner (for AR)
- Anti-recording patent
- Super resolution images
What to look out for in testing:
- Too early to tell. We expect there will be many more new and exciting features announced in the months leading to release.
Google Pixel 3
Early reports suggest there will be three new Pixel devices in 2018. Google’s successor to the Nexus range proved to be a real contender for the best smartphones of 2017, so they’ll be hoping to continue that success this year. We’ve pulled together the latest rumours on the Google Pixel 3 specifications and launch date.
Release date: October 2018
Rumoured features:
- Snapdragon 845 processor
- Wireless charging
- 64GB or 128GB of storage
- Edge-to-edge screen
What to look out for in testing:
- The Google Pixel 3 will be shipped with the latest Android version, however it is believed that they may not be the first devices to ship with that OS. It will be a pure version of the software though, running exactly as Google intends, with regular security updates and no bloatware.
For more information on our Device lab and the large range of devices we have available to test on, please see our Device Lab page. For more details on our compatibility testing service please contact us at info@zoonou.com and one of our team will get back to you. If you’d like to get in touch about anything else, please head over to our Contact page.
Points raised in this article are based on general rumour and should not be used as actionable advice until specifications are confirmed.
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Published by Jordan Stanley
on the 9th February 2018
Accessibility Test Analyst and Device Library Manager at Zoonou