Apple is expected to dominate the smartphone scene in the coming days and months with the actual release of the iPhone 6S and 6S Plus happening this week. This early, the handsets are reportedly selling by the millions.
But there are still worthy challengers out there that can stop the 2015 Apple flagships on their track. They can easily match or even surpass what the latest iPhone models can do. Four of them are listed below for the consideration of those shopping around for a new smartphone:
LG Nexus 5X and Huawei Nexus 6P
First on the list is the two handsets that Google will reportedly unbox on September 29. One will be the LG-made Nexus 5X and the other is the Nexus 6P from Huawei. The former is designed for the mass market and has been called in reports as a sub-flagship. Unsurprisingly, the specs is far from jaw-dropping, bannered by a Snapdragon 808 chip and 2GB of RAM with the screen stretching to 5.2-inch.
The Nexus 6P is the bigger of the two at 5.8-inch and draws its power from the combo of Snapdragon 810 chip and 3GB of RAM. Many Android fans favor the Nexus brand because of two things - native Android, which in this case is Android 6.0 Marshmallow, and affordable price. No confirmation yet from Google but rumors say that Nexus 2015 asking price is no more than $500.
Super premium LG G4 Note
The details available so far for the LG G4 Note is it will better what were seen with the regular LG G4 and it packs a stylus, making it a direct competitor of the Samsung Galaxy Note 5. The screen profile is said to reach 5.8-inch, which in turn makes the device a phablet or a rival of the iPhone 6S Plus.
Earlier, LG teased that it's coming up with a super premium phone, which reads of upscale specifications and premium build. The company later toned down on its hints but it remains to be seen if the super premium capabilities will still be delivered.
Microsoft Lumia 950, 950 XL and Surface Phone
Microsoft has confirmed of an upcoming October event and the prevailing buzz indicates the impending release of Windows 10-powered phones. The names floating around are the Lumia 950, the Lumia 950 XL and possibly the Surface Phone.
The specs associated with these handsets are in the high-end zone but the highlight function is on their capability to channel Windows 10 features to mobile devices.
HTC A9
Struggling HTC is trying to stay afloat with a new flagship that is being called as a close clone of the iPhone 6S and the leaks that came out so far somehow prove such labelling. On the account of its near-iPhone look, the HTC A9 will certainly attract considerable attention.
On the specs department, HTC has been known to be generous on device hardware so users can expect power and speed stuffed with the HTC A9.