The new year is just around the corner but if you thought smartphone brands were done with product launches for this year, well, you couldn’t be more wrong. December 2023 marks the arrival of what would set the tone for next year, especially for flagship smartphones.
The OnePlus 12 is easily among the most highly anticipated products to launch this month, even if it would currently be limited to the China market. This is because global markets would get a sneak peek and early look at what’s in store from OnePlus at the top end. And if the 12 is anything like the 11, expect fireworks no less.
India meanwhile awaits the official launch of the iQOO 12, the country’s first smartphone with Qualcomm’s top-shelf Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chip. For more budget conscious buyers, Xiaomi’s Redmi is gearing the affordable Redmi 13C with a 5G twist.
Here are five of the most highly anticipated smartphones to launch in December 2023:
- OnePlus 12: The OnePlus 12 is launching in China on December 5. Confirmed specs include Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 processor and 2K LTPO OLED display with up to 4,500 nits of peak brightness sourced from BOE. For photography, it will come with a custom Sony LYTIA dual-layer stacked CMOS primary sensor and another 64-megapixel periscope zoom camera. The OnePlus 12 is also set to bring back wireless charging, a feature which was dropped from the OnePlus 11. The other big highlight is that the OnePlus 12 will work flawlessly in rain, thanks to OnePlus’s in-house “rainwater touch” feature previously seen on the OnePlus Ace 2 Pro.
- Redmi 13C 4G: The Redmi 13C 4G is expected to be the most affordable smartphone under the Redmi 13C series with its India launch set for December 6. The Redmi 13C 4G is already a go in select global markets and so, we can expect similar specs though rumour mill has it that the India-bound model could get a chip upgrade from the MediaTek Helio G85 to a slightly more powerful Helio G99. The Redmi 13C 4G sold in global markets has a 6.74-inch IPS LCD display with 720p resolution and 90Hz refresh rate. Running the show is Android 13-based MIUI software. Powering the phone is a 5,000mAh battery with 18W fast charging support. It has a dual camera setup on the rear with a 50-megapixel main and another 2-megapixel secondary sensor for depth joined by an 8-megapixel camera on the front for selfies.
- Redmi 13C 5G: The Redmi 13C 5G will make its India debut on December 6, alongside the Redmi 13C 4G. Xiaomi has confirmed that the 5G Redmi 13C will be powered by the MediaTek Dimensity 6100 Plus, same as the Realme 11, Realme 11X, and Realme Narzo 60x. Also, unlike the 4G version, the Redmi 13C 5G will come with a single 50-megapixel camera on the back.
- Realme GT 5 Pro: The Realme GT 5 Pro is launching in China on December, two days after the OnePlus 12. Looking at what’s in store, it could give the 12 serious run for its money. It will have the same Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 and a 50-megapixel Sony IMX890 3x telephoto that will also, apparently, offer 6x lossless and up to 120x super zoom, plus a top-notch “8T LTPO Pro-XDR” 1.5K resolution display with up to 144Hz refresh rate and a whopping 4,500 nits of local peak brightness (1,600 nits global), sourced from BOE.
- iQOO 12: The iQOO 12 India launch is set for December 12. As we mentioned in the intro, the iQOO 12 looks all set to become the country’s first phone with Qualcomm’s fastest chip, aka Snapdragon 8 Gen 3.
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