The year 2016 has seen the rise of several phablets with varying successes. From Android to iOS, phablets have been on the rise this year, and there's no end in sight for these big screen monsters of a smartphone.
These devices are not as disctintive as they once were due to rising popularity. In the past, it was always exciting seeing a person walking down the street with a massive smartphone in their hands, but today, it feels normal seeing a person holding a huge device on their ear while saying "hello."
With phablets making a big impact to the point where even Apple has joined the party after years of taking the back seat, we feel the need to talk about the best of the bunch to hit store shelves this year. From Android right back to Apple's finest, we're going to have all the important bases covered.
Who would have thought that Google's first official smartphone would turn out to be a solid entry? Many reviewers are claiming it is the best Android handset of 2016, and this is mainly due to how the company integrates hardware with software.
If you're a fan of Google services and looking for an Android phablet, this is likely the best device to get. The handset looks similar to the iPhone 6S, which could be a deliberate move to grab iPhone owners. Furthermore, it has 4 GB of RAM and a 12-megapixel camera.
As for the screen size, it comes with 5.5-inch 2,560 x 1,440 AMOLED display.
Apple iPhone 7 Plus
This is the best of what Apple has to offer in 2016, and it comes at a time when its competitor is facing more problems than it can handle.
It's not a powerhouse when compared some Android devices, but by now, one should know an iPhone doesn't require extreme computational and other hardware power to perform well.
The device has a 5.5-inch display with 1,080 x 1,920 resolution. It's water resistant and has a 12-megapixel sharpshooter. It's probably the best iPhone Apple has ever made, and that should bode well for loyalist.
What we have here is a solid device that one could say is the best smartphone Samsung has ever brought to market. It has a 5.5-inch display with dual edges, and a 12-megapixel camera at the back, along with a 5-megapixel selfie shooter at the back.
The phone is also water resistant, the battery can hold 3,600 mAh worth of power.
After releasing such a great handset, we're surprised to see the Galaxy Note 7 fall from grace. Samsung has decided to end manufacturing, so we shouldn't hear much about any explosion.
We haven't seen many Windows 10 Mobile handsets in 2016. Microsoft isn't supporting the platform in ways some have come to expect, but that hasn't stopped HP from releasing one splendid phablet.
The screen size here is 5.96-inches and the processor is the Qualcomm Snapdragon 820. 16-megapixel camera on the back make for some decent looking photos, and the 4 GB of RAM should keep most users happy.
Probably the most interesting thing about the HP Elite X3, is a Windows 10 Mobile feature that is called Continuum. Simply connect the phone to a monitor and use it like a regular computer.
Overall, these handsets are some of the best consumers can pick up this year. There's truly no need to wait around for 2017 to get a new phone when great ones are available today.
