The new year is here, and with it comes, a fresh wave of next-generation smartphones ready to grab headlines and capture our attention. Forget new year resolutions, we’re resolving to get our hands on the hottest tech of 2025. Based on the data from Google Trends, smartphone enthusiasts are already losing it over the OnePlus 13 series with anticipation piping over what the OnePlus 13 and OnePlus 13R have in store. Hot on their heels is the Realme 14 Pro series, promising to redefine mobile photography while rocking a “colour changing” design like no other.
But wait, there’s more! Oppo’s Reno 13 series is generating serious buzz with its sleek design and innovative camera tech. And who could forget the Poco F7 series, set to deliver flagship performance at a price that won’t break the bank? Even Samsung’s Galaxy S25 series is making waves to no one’s surprise, albeit less than the others for some curious reason. With confirmed launch dates for the Poco F7 (January 9th) and OnePlus 13 (January 7th), the race is officially on. So, buckle up because January 2025 is shaping up to be an epic showdown.
OnePlus 13 series
The OnePlus 13 is already a go in China, and it seems the global and India-bound model would be largely the same. The phone in question is confirmed to come in three colour options including Midnight Ocean, Black Eclipse, and Arctic Dawn. The OnePlus 13 is also the first OnePlus smartphone to come with IP68 and IP69 ingress ratings, making it resistant to dust, water, and even high-pressure water jets. Powering the package is the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite. The OnePlus 13R, likewise, is confirmed to come in a choice of Nebula Noir and Astral Trail. It has the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 and a massive 6,000mAh battery under the hood, OnePlus has revealed ahead of launch. Both OnePlus 13 and 13R are set to launch in India on January 7.
Realme 14 Pro series
The Realme 14 series will launch sometime in January. Realme is promising a bunch of improvements for the upcoming Realme 14 Pro Plus and Realme 14 Pro, including a brand-new design and finish and improved cameras. The hype-train, which has already left the station, focuses almost entirely on their collaboration with Nordic industrial design studio Valeur Designers, which brings, among other things, a unique temperature-responsive, colour-changing back panel, possibly for both the models. The 14 Pro Plus is additionally getting a quad-curved display with 1.5K resolution and the Qualcomm Snapdragon 7s Gen 3 processor running the show. The Redmi Note 14 series is set to get some fierce competition in the coming days.
Oppo Reno 13 series
The Reno 13 series is coming to India in January, though the exact date of launch is not confirmed yet. There are two models: Reno 13 Pro and Reno 13. The lineup was recently launched in China, but Oppo is making some India-specific changes, at least as far as the design is concerned. The Reno 13 Pro will be available in Graphite Grey and Mist Lavender, while the Reno 13 will come in Ivory White and Luminous Blue. The Luminous Blue variant of the Reno 13 is exclusive to India, Oppo says. The phones are also confirmed to have a glass back and Corning Gorilla Glass 7i display protection. The frame is made of aerospace-grade aluminum. Rounding off the package is IP66, IP68, and IP69 ratings.
Poco X7 series
The Poco X7 series is confirmed to launch in India on January 9. There are two models: Poco X7 and Poco X7 Pro. The X7 Pro is expected to be a rebranded Redmi Turbo 4 from China with the MediaTek Dimensity 8400 at the helm. While the Poco X7 is speculated to be based on the Redmi Note 14 Pro. Poco India head Himanshu Tandon has separately confirmed there won’t be any Poco X7 Neo anytime soon. If history is anything to go by, we can expect two well specced phones at very aggressive prices.
Samsung Galaxy S25 series
Samsung is rumoured to launch the Galaxy S25 series on January 22, though the launch date is not officially out yet. As is usually the case, a lot of the stuff around the Galaxy S25, Galaxy S25 Plus, and Galaxy S25 Ultra, has already been leaked and we can more expect leading into the launch. The biggest news is that Samsung is said to launch the entire lineup with the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite in all markets, and not Exynos. The S-Pen toting S25 Ultra will obviously be the top-tier model bringing the latest and greatest that Samsung can offer today. At the S25 series Unpacked event, we are also going to get a first look at its Apple Vision Pro headset rival, Project Moohan based on the Android XR platform.
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