TOP BEST NON-CHINESE SMARTPHONES IN THE PREMIUM SEGMENT
Covid-19 has affected in many ways. One of them is the mindset of consumers. More and more people are looking for alternatives to Chinese products. There is an increase in demand and interest to find products or services which are not manufactured, owned, or developed in China. ‘Made In China’ is something that a lot of consumers consciously want to avoid. It may be because somewhere the world is realizing that they have gotten too much dependent on Chinese make products or it may be because of a disappointment how the Chinese government so poorly handled the pandemic which led to consequential horror in the event of history that the world is going through.
Whatever might be the reason is, it is quite visible in the consumer-driven market that there is a growing demand for non-Chinese items. One such essential product is Mobile phones a.k.a smartphones. In fact, I have often heard people asking “Which are the non-Chinese mobile phones available in the market?” or “Which are the best alternatives to Chinese smartphones?”. In fact, I realized it’s quite a valid question to ask, and the confusion floating around. If you had asked me earlier, I wouldn’t know the answer myself.
This post is all about finding the best smartphones in the premium segment and alternatives to biggies and popular Chinese brands like Huawei and OnePlus in the market.
So let’s go and do some research!
Top Best Smartphone available in the Premium Category
1. APPLE iPhone 11 PRO MAX
Apple iPhone 11 PRO MAX is the most expensive iPhone currently available in the market. We all know Apple iPhones has always been a symbol of status, but this one boasts equally of the truest form of state of the art technology.
Apple iPhone 11 PRO MAX comes with the latest technology like Super Retina XDR display which is an OLED display tuned to offer vibrant colors and first-in-kind technology like triple camera setup at the back, which you can say gives you the most consistent camera that you can get today. The camera setup includes three 12MP lenses - A primary wide lens, an ultrawide lens, and a telephoto lens. The phone also supports 4K videos at 60 FPS along with slow-motion and even comes with a dedicated Night Mode. The phone waterproof too and It is rated IP68 dust/water resistant up to 4m for 30 mins.
Apple iPhone 11 PRO is the 13th-generation flagship iPhones, succeeding in iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max, respectively. However, the phone is not yet fully 5G supported.
Apple link: https://rb.gy/qy8fu2
2. SAMSUNG GALAXY Z FLIP
Although Samsung Galaxy Z Flip is the company’s second attempt in a foldable smartphone segment, have to admit, this time they have come out with a pretty remarkable product.
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip is pretty unique in its design and well thought out. An intriguing design I would say. It is a flip phone with a bendable display. When closed the phone is like a small square-shaped palm fit device, but when flipped open, it becomes a full-fledged smartphone with a 6.7-inch screen experience. The Galaxy Z Flip is every bit a flagship smartphone too with the Snapdragon 855+ under the hood along with a dual 12MP camera at the back and a 10MP selfie shooter on the front.
Some of the key features of Samsung Galaxy Flip are the Foldable Design & Samsung Ultra-Thin Glass, Hands-free camera for selfies and vlogging, Tripod-less Night Camera, ease for Quick Selfies, Single take video capturing using S20's A that serves you up to 14 different photos and videos including ultra-wide, bokeh, cropped photos, time-lapse videos and more. Also features like ease of Hands-free communication, Hideaway Hinge, Optimized UX when folded/unfolded, and impressive Immersive viewing experience with Dynamic AMOLED display. The phone supports 5G.
Link: https://rb.gy/o5cwzn
3. SAMSUNG GALAXY 20 ULTRA
Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra is all about bragging about its camera and why not?
Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra is packed with a 108MP wide-angle camera, 48MP telephoto camera, 12 MP ultra-wide camera, and 40MP front camera. It is truly a smartphone with a camera. And yes, it can give you zoom in 100x to find a shot that you never knew existed! It starts with 10x Hybrid Optic Zoom enabled by a revolutionary folded lens and high-resolution image sensor. Couple that with Super Resolution Zoom enhanced by camera AI to get really close to the action and capture moments you might have missed.
In low light, the pro-grade camera system captures multiple photos at once, merging them into one stunning shot with less blur and noise. With larger image sensors and AI, switching to Night Mode means you can shoot night-time scenes clearer
This is not the end.
Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra has taken mobile resolution from 4K all the way to 8K. That's 4 times bigger than UHD and 16 times bigger than FHD. That means you'll capture moments in super-sharp resolution. Now the highest-resolution video that any smartphone can give. Also, sophisticated AI stabilizes video like an action cam.
Other key features include powerful speed for sharing and streaming and social media with download speeds up to 2.0Gbps on LTE and secure Wi-Fi6 connections, powerful batteries maxing out at 5000mAh, intelligent adjustment to your mobile habits to save power and last way longer on a single charge, 1440p "Dynamic AMOLED" is featured with HDR10+ support and "dynamic tone mapping" technology and capability to expand it with a microSD card up to 1TB.
The phone supports 5G.
Link: https://rb.gy/hazikd
4. GOOGLE PIXEL 4XL
With the launch of GOOGLE PIXEL 4XL has shown that Google is pretty much becoming ambitious in the smartphones segment. It’s no more about the camera and fancy features but in the field of technology.
Google has come up with four new innovations at one go: face unlock, a high refresh rate screen, a faster Google Assistant, and spatial awareness using radar. GOOGLE PIXEL 4XL has also introduced a new design language that’s an exit not only from previous phones but from any hardware Google makes.
GOOGLE PIXEL 4XL has a 6.3” screen size, QHD+, 537ppi, 19:9 aspect ratio, “Smooth display” 90Hz refresh rate, “Ambient EQ” automatic color adjustment HDR with UHDA certification. Sized at 75.1 x 160.4 x 8.2 mm and weighs 193 grams. Its face unlock is probably the fastest (has the reputation to open just like a blink of an eye). The Google Pixel 4 XL is a dual-SIM (GSM and GSM) smartphone that accepts Nano-SIM and eSIM cards. One of the best features is canceling alarms and calls. Simply reach for the phone, the volume drops when the phone senses your hand, and then you can just wave to dismiss the call or snooze the alarm.
After a long hesitation, Google finally gave a second camera at the rear. They kept on insisting for years trying to convince that their phones could do more with one lens than other companies could do with two or more. Nevertheless, with GOOGLE PIXEL 4XL now there are two: a 12-megapixel main sensor and a 16-megapixel “2X” telephoto.
GOOGLE PIXEL 4XL does not support 5G
Link: https://rb.gy/8utnbu
5. SAMSUNG GALAXY Z FOLD 2
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 2 was announced on 5 August 2020. It is one of the most exciting smartphones currently trending in the market especially due to its design and usability. When I talk about usability I specifically think about multitasking capability as it can divide the inner screen into 3-4 separate zones to work with. Also the price-wise, it’s probably the most expensive smartphone.
Unlike the original Fold which had an entirely plastic screen, the screen is protected by 30 μm (0.0012 in)-thick "ultra-thin glass" with a plastic layer like the Z Flip, manufactured by Samsung with materials from Schott AG; conventional Gorilla Glass is used for the back panels with an aluminum frame. The hinge mechanism is also borrowed from the Z Flip, using nylon fibers designed to keep dust out; it is self-supporting from 75 to 115 degrees. The power button is embedded in the frame and doubles as the fingerprint sensor, with the volume rocker located above. The device will come in two colors, Mystic Bronze and Mystic Black, as well as a Limited Edition Thom Browne model. In select regions, users will be able to customize the hinge color when ordering the phone from Samsung's website.
The Galaxy Z Fold 2 contains two screens: its front cover uses a 6.23-inch display in the center with minimal bezels and the device can fold open to expose a 7.6-inch display, with a circular cutout in the top center-right replacing the notch along with a thinner border. Both displays support HDR10+; the internal display benefits from an adaptive 120 Hz refresh rate like the S20 series and Note 20 Ultra.
The Galaxy Z Fold 2 contains 5 cameras, including three rear-facing camera lenses (12-megapixel, 12-megapixel telephoto, and 12-megapixel ultra-wide-angle), as well as a 10-megapixel front-facing camera on the cover, and a second 10-megapixel front-facing camera on the inside screen, omitting the secondary RGB depth sensor.
The Galaxy Z Fold 2 operates on Android 10 and Samsung's One UI software; by means of an improved Multi Window mode, up to three supported apps can be placed on-screen at once. Apps open on the smaller screen can expand into their larger, tablet-oriented layouts when the user unfolds the device. Additionally, supported apps will now automatically get a split-screen view with a sidebar and main app pane. New to the Z Fold 2 is split-screen functionality, called "Flex Mode", which is compatible with certain apps like YouTube and Google Duo along with native Samsung apps. It weighs 282 g (9.9 oz).
Sensors included Accelerometer, Barometer, Fingerprint scanner (side-mounted), Pressure sensor, Gyroscope, Hall sensor, Proximity sensor, Magnetometer. It also comes with Dolby Atmos stereo speakers.
When you talk about the display the Galaxy Z Fold 2 has Dynamic AMOLED 2X, sized at 2208 × 1768, 7.6 in (19 cm), ~5:4 ratio, 373 ppi, HDR10+, 120 Hz refresh rate. External display Super AMOLED, 2260 × 816, 6.23 in (15.8 cm), 25:9 ratio, 386 ppi, HDR10+.
The best way to describe Galaxy Z Fold 2 is to see it as a smartphone when folded and a tablet when unfolded.
Galaxy Z Fold 2 supports 5G.
Link: https://bit.ly/3ig13YY
6. MICROSOFT SURFACE DUO
These days there is an explosion of folded smartphones for users to explore. One such new addition is MICROSOFT SURFACE DUO. Again, like Samsung’s Fold, it is a smartphone that can be turned in a tablet when unfolded. However, Microsoft itself is reluctant to use the term to describe the device.
Released on September 10, 2020, MICROSOFT SURFACE DUO is making headlines everywhere. Unlike previous Microsoft products, which run on the Windows operating system, the Surface Duo runs on Android instead, which is a good thing! It shows that they are aspiring to be a serious challenger in this segment.
MICROSOFT SURFACE DUO looks like a small digital book that can be carried around in your back pocket. Heck! It doesn’t even have a screen or a camera when closed. However, it gets interesting when you open it. In fact, the difference with MICROSOFT SURFACE DUO to other gadgets is the way you do things is unique. There are tasks which I may find it absolutely frustrating in other gadgets to perform than in MICROSOFT SURFACE DUO.
The hinge is quite thoughtfully designed to feel great. It rotates a full 360 degrees so you can swing one of the screens around the back and use it as a traditional phone. Or you can angle one side up, and feel it like a laptop while you’re making a video call. The folding feature is firm without being stiff, and the gap between the screens is also minimal.
Highlight features of MICROSOFT SURFACE DUO are opening two apps simultaneously side by side taking advantage of the two screens design. Even Pair any two apps and launch simultaneously, each on a full screen, for a completely custom experience. Type on one screen and view on another, drag and drop across screens, and open and view two websites at the same time to compare content and get inspired, shop, and pin ideas. Some of the benefits you get in folded smartphones.
One of the attractive features of MICROSOFT SURFACE DUO is that it is quite thin, ergonomically well designed, handsome looking and lightweight (250 gms). Dimensions are when in the unfolded state it is 186.9 x 145.2 x 4.8 mm and in the folded state its 145.2 x 93.3 x 9.9 mm. The display uses an AMOLED capacitive touchscreen, 16M colors.
MICROSOFT SURFACE DUO supports 5G.
Link: https://rb.gy/ffgnos
To draw a personal conclusion after going through each of the products, I felt when it comes to choosing a smartphone for yourself with a camera in mind, I would definitely go for Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra, no doubt.
On the professional aspect, I guess Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 2 appeals to me the most. However, Apple has always been tagged with a phone with great security standards besides being a symbol of status and class.
Google and Microsoft is yet to prove and gain experience when it comes to the smartphone business.
Soon I intend to find time to research and write a blog on mid-range and lower-range non-Chinese made smartphones. This is where most of the confusion stays as the segment is huge with numerous brands of smartphones.
But, before I leave I would like to make some of my readers clear about the origin of the country of a few brands that they might be confused with. This will certainly help people, in general, to identify which are non-Chinese mobile brands.
Non-Chinese (Mainland) Mobile/Smartphone Brands
Thanks for reading! I hope I have been able to share some useful information with you.
Deep
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