This year has been significant for Android phones, with innovations like the Snapdragon 8 Elite's CPU performance leap and the rise of silicon-carbon batteries. Durability improvements and slick camera hardware have also been notable trends.
Looking ahead to 2026, next-generation smartphone processors have already been revealed, with the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 and Dimensity 9500 chips expected to power most high-end Android phones globally.
Some expected features include super-dim displays and higher-quality 200MP photos.
Technology waits for no one
The first next-generation high-end phones have already been seen in the Xiaomi 17 series.
Author's summary: Expect improved performance and cameras in 2026 Android flagships.