My 7 needs for Android telephones in 2026

We’re coming to the top of the yr, and we’ve already seen the primary next-generation flagship Android telephones launching all over the world. These telephones give us a tough concept of what to anticipate from the trade subsequent yr — extra efficiency and greater batteries being two of the sooner tendencies.

By no means thoughts expectations, although. What do I really need from smartphones subsequent yr? From greater batteries in all markets to iPhone-rivaling video high quality, right here’s what I’m wishing for in 2026.

The just lately launched OPPO Discover X9 Professional, OnePlus 15, and Xiaomi 17 Professional Max all have 7,000mAh+ batteries. Nevertheless, the dangerous information is that delivery laws in markets just like the EU and US cap the scale of a person battery cell. Some manufacturers have circumvented this restriction through the use of telephones with dual-cell battery designs. And that’s how the OnePlus 15 and OPPO Discover X9 Professional retain their gigantic batteries in Europe. Nevertheless, telephones just like the vivo X300 Professional and Xiaomi 15 Extremely consequently have a lot smaller batteries within the EU in comparison with India and China.

I’d actually wish to see extra telephone makers adopting dual-cell batteries to bypass these delivery laws. That approach, telephones can supply the identical battery capability in Europe, the US, and China. EMEA markets particularly already pay a premium for telephones in comparison with China and India, so why give us much less for extra?

I additionally suppose it’s excessive time for corporations like Samsung and Apple to supply a lot bigger batteries. Silicon-carbon batteries won’t final so long as the perfect lithium-ion batteries, however they definitely final so long as typical lithium-ion batteries inside current Pixels.

I’ve argued for a couple of years now that the finest Android digicam telephones take higher images than iPhones, however the reverse is the case for video seize. Apple’s units typically take smoother, higher-quality movies than top-tier Android flagships, and sometimes have higher help for modifying as properly.

For sure, I actually hope that is the yr when some Android OEMs match or surpass the iPhones by way of video seize. The excellent news is that Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 chip helps the Superior Skilled Video (APV) codec for higher-quality video, and the Samsung Galaxy S26 sequence is tipped to supply this function.

After all, there’s extra to larger video high quality on Android than a brand new codec. I’d subsequently wish to see Android OEMs specializing in improved stability, decreased judder (notably when panning and tilting), quicker/extra correct autofocus, and different common video seize enhancements.

Qualcomm pointed the finger at smartphone makers, and that’s typically truthful, as producers are finally answerable for tuning telephone and chip efficiency. That is nonetheless a regarding development, although, and I’d argue that the chip designer has to shoulder a few of the blame. Both approach, I actually hope units just like the Samsung Galaxy S26 sequence and Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 don’t undergo the identical destiny.

Individuals are additionally fast to level out the truth that benchmark apps aren’t indicative of real-world utilization, and most of those telephones certainly run easily in any other case. Nevertheless, that is nonetheless a difficulty for demanding video games down the road, in addition to cutting-edge emulators and different area of interest workloads.

Samsung launched the Galaxy Z Flip 7 FE earlier this yr, however I used to be fairly disenchanted after reviewing it. The most important subject I had with this supposedly reasonably priced Flip was the $900 price ticket. The truth is, you had been mainly paying for final yr’s Flip 6 with a special processor. Motorola’s Razr 2025 additionally put the Z Flip 7 FE within the shade resulting from its $700 price ticket and versatile cowl display screen software program.

In different phrases, I actually hope Samsung pulls up its socks in 2026 and delivers a really reasonably priced Galaxy Z Flip mannequin. Will it really occur? Given the corporate’s observe report of penny-pinching on element prices whereas nonetheless charging a premium? I extremely doubt it.

One minor development in 2025 has been the transfer to deliver telephoto cameras to extra reasonably priced smartphones. Mid-ranger handsets just like the realme 14 Professional Plus and Nothing Cellphone 3a sequence each stood out on this regard resulting from their 3x 50MP cameras, providing customers way more pictures flexibility.

Sadly, realme and Nothing are the exceptions fairly than the rule, and we haven’t seen many different mid-range telephones with telephoto cameras. So certainly one of my needs for 2026 is that corporations like Google, Samsung, Xiaomi, and others deliver zoom cameras to their sub-$600 telephones. As colleague Rita El-Khoury opined earlier this yr, good zoom is now an anticipated function for many individuals.

One of many extra unsavory tendencies in 2025 was the emergence of battery defects in older finances Pixel telephones. Some Pixel 4a, Pixel 6a, and Pixel 7a house owners reported vital battery swelling, whereas a couple of house owners even reported fires. This resulted within the Australian and UK shopper watchdogs issuing alerts about these points. It didn’t assist issues when Google mentioned it might throttle the battery capability and charging pace of the newly launched Pixel 9a (and Pixel 10 telephones) out of the field. This is the reason a few of us are now not recommending mid-range Pixels.

Subsequently, is it any shock that I don’t wish to hear about extra mid-range Pixels affected by battery points in 2026? I additionally hope Google doesn’t implement obligatory “battery well being help” on new mid-rangers and as a substitute focuses on extra dependable batteries within the first place. In spite of everything, you wouldn’t must throttle battery capability and charging pace to this extent if the batteries simply, you understand, labored.

One cool however area of interest function we’ve seen in 2025 is the arrival of the Linux Terminal app on Android units. This allows you to run full Linux desktop apps in a digital machine in your Android telephone or pill. That’s a welcome function if you wish to use your Android gadget like a PC, permitting you to run extra highly effective internet browsers, picture modifying applications, and extra. There’s nonetheless an extended technique to go, however the basis is clearly right here for a PC-like expertise that might doubtlessly let you depart your laptop computer at dwelling.

There’s one main draw back, although: Snapdragon processors don’t help the Linux Terminal app. Because of this telephones just like the Galaxy S25 sequence (and certain the Galaxy S26 vary), OnePlus 15, and others can’t get in on the motion. That’s an actual disgrace, however I’m holding thumbs for Qualcomm so as to add Linux Terminal help in 2026. In spite of everything, how cool wouldn’t it be to run desktop apps in Dex Mode on a Galaxy S25 Extremely or S26 Extremely?