A spotlight of new products launching this year and what they say about the direction in which the mobile industry is headed

Mobile 5G rollouts continue at pace 

Releases like the Samsung Galaxy S21 FE show exactly what a modern mobile device can do. There are a range of features, like the ​​6.4-inch display or Snapdragon 888 chipset. However, it is 5G connectivity that is maybe the phone’s most important asset.

CCS Insight predicts that 900 million 5G devices will be sold this year. Therefore, finding a powerful phone with 5G is key. This is also demonstrated by the launch of the TCL 30 V 5G, offering a 1080p screen and 128GB of storage on top of 5G connectivity.  

Camera quality

Models like the OnePlus 10 Pro and Vivo V23 Pro indicate the importance of dynamic camera quality. The former, a collaboration with camera company Hasselblad, has three rear cameras, as well as a fourth lens bump with LED flash. 

The Vivo V23 Pro is primed for selfie-takers, with two front-facing cameras including an 8MP ultra-wide lens for group pictures. The 50MP main selfie camera is reportedly one of the highest-resolution sensors on a front-facing camera to date. 

People-powered releases

Blackberry recently stopped supporting its older devices, but the Astro Slide could possibly be its successor. It is the first 5G smartphone with a full physical backlit keyboard. The product was crowdfunded on Indiegogo, giving a glimpse of how crowd pleasing concepts can make their way onto product shelves in years to come.