These are the 10 most beautiful smartphones of the past 15 years

When a brand new smartphone launches, we frequently spend a number of time speaking about its inner {hardware} specs and what it could possibly do that almost all different telephones can’t. Nonetheless, the very first thing anybody ever notices a few telephone is the way it appears, and that has a major bearing on how we really feel about it, which is simply as necessary as what it could possibly do for us.

Over the previous 15 years, we’ve seen some really beautiful telephone designs. As we speak, smartphones may appear to be largely boring rectangles, however that hasn’t all the time been the case. Sometimes, firms create a murals that simply so occurs to behave as a telephone, and we wish to rejoice them right here!

Needless to say most of the gadgets beneath had been lovely whereas additionally being nice telephones basically. Others seemed unimaginable however had been mediocre gadgets general. This listing is just targeted on appears, although, so we’re ignoring all that. If the telephone’s beautiful, it belongs on this listing!

The Nextbit Robin is a really unusual-looking telephone, however that traces up with its uncommon backstory. In 2015, Nextbit launched a Kickstarter for the Robin, pitching it as a cloud-based telephone that will rely as little as attainable on inner storage. The corporate noticed an amazing response, with funding hitting $1 million in simply two weeks.

Across the time the telephone began delivery, although, the preliminary response to its efficiency was tepid. Nonetheless, in 2017, Razer ended up shopping for Nextbit and instantly shutting down gross sales and manufacturing of the Robin. The primary Razer Telephone would launch shortly thereafter, which took all of the joyful design parts of the Robin and Razer-ified them (learn: turned all the things black and inexperienced).

The Razer Telephone (and its eventual successor, the Razer Telephone 2) didn’t win an viewers. Razer deserted the cell market shortly thereafter, basically killing off Robin within the course of.

Whereas the telephone itself didn’t win us over, the design actually did. The 2-tone again, playful aquamarine coloration scheme, color-matched equipment, and even the delicate tweaks to Android made the Robin a pleasure to make use of (and even simply have a look at in your desk). It’s a disgrace firms as we speak don’t appear to take many design dangers or prioritize synergy throughout all parts of the telephone as Nextbit did.

Older smartphone followers who noticed the title of this text instantly knew the HTC One M7 can be right here. The design of the M7 has achieved legendary standing to the purpose which you could’t even speak concerning the common thought of smartphone design with out bringing it up. It’s just like the Blade Runner of smartphones.

What will be mentioned concerning the M7 that hasn’t already been mentioned? Its all-metal, unibody design is just not solely beautiful but in addition a technical marvel. Its twin front-facing audio system had been fantastic, and its barely curvy again made it a pleasure to carry.

It additionally was a terrific telephone. HTC’s Sense Android pores and skin was pretty, and its BlinkFeed house display setup was intuitive and helpful. The digital camera {hardware} was nice (for the time, clearly), and its Qualcomm Snapdragon 600 processor was lots quick for 2013.

Actually, the one factor that was lacking from the HTC One M7 was wi-fi charging, which the metallic design prohibited. Aside from that, it would simply have been the proper Android telephone, each in type and in operate.

Over the previous few years, the smartphone trade has moved away from curvy shows. They’re much less sturdy, much less sensible for swipe navigation gestures, and are tougher to guard with a display protector. However in 2016, curvy shows had been simply arising, and the Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge was the primary “wow” telephone to have one.

Not like earlier “Edge” gadgets from Samsung, the Galaxy S7 Edge was curvy throughout. The corners, entrance, sides, and even the again all had curves. This made it really feel clean and premium in your hand, like a treasured jewel.

It was additionally an incredible telephone and the proper comeback from the lackluster Galaxy S6 collection. It reinvigorated Samsung’s smartphone gross sales and helped additional differentiate the Galaxy S household from its chief rival, the iPhone.

After all, curvy telephones are out of pattern in the mean time, so we probably gained’t see something like this once more quickly. However The Galaxy S7 Edge will all the time be remembered fondly for its beautiful design if nothing else.

When the Google Pixel 5 launched in 2020, Google’s smartphone division was in sizzling water. The Pixel 4 had been an unmitigated gross sales catastrophe, sufficient in order that your complete Pixel line was in critical jeopardy. The Pixel 5 was a reinvention of the Pixel model (not the primary, and never the final). General, it went simply OK throughout its retail run, however time has been fairly sort to the Pixel 5 due to its small type issue, ingenious design parts, and playful aesthetic.

The factor that basically makes the Pixel 5 a marvel is the truth that it’s made from metallic however nonetheless helps wi-fi charging. Google made this attainable through the use of a novel “mesh” alloy with gaps simply massive sufficient for the wi-fi energy transmission to achieve success.

This distinctive building made the Pixel 5 really feel premium and much more sturdy than any glass sandwich telephone may hope to be. Its small dimension and completely beautiful Sorta Sage colorway solely enhanced its standing as one of many best-looking telephones of the yr.

Sadly, Google made an enormous guess with the Pixel 5 that didn’t pan out: choosing a mid-range processor as a substitute of the everyday flagship CPU one would count on with a mainline Pixel. This was a one-off, because the Pixel 6 as soon as once more reinvented the model solely and launched the Tensor chipset we nonetheless see in Pixels as we speak.

The actual query, although, is why Google hasn’t tried to convey that lovely unibody metallic design to every other telephones?

For a lot of, the OnePlus 9 collection was the final launch from the “outdated” OnePlus, that means earlier than Carl Pei left and the corporate was folded immediately into OPPO. For those who agree, what a telephone to exit on, because the OnePlus 9 Professional, specifically, is among the most lovely smartphones we’ve ever seen.

The mirrored end of the Morning Mist colorway was particularly beautiful. It will seem to alter coloration in a sure mild, making it a telephone you’ll detest to restrict to a case. The Forest Inexperienced model was additionally fairly breathtaking, and even the usual Stellar Black seemed positively elegant.

The telephone itself was additionally one of the best factor we had seen from the corporate up till that time. It had probably the most highly effective processor on the time, a digital camera system that was a step up for OnePlus (a model that’s infamous for chopping corners within the digital camera division at any time when it could possibly), and what was indisputably top-of-the-line shows of the yr.

“Outdated” OnePlus is likely to be gone, however the OnePlus 9 Professional will ceaselessly be remembered as its most lovely creation.

The Important Telephone was one of the crucial thrilling releases within the historical past of Android. It had the notable pedigree of being the brainchild of the grandfather of Android itself, Andy Rubin. It had a novel titanium and ceramic construct that made it really feel each like a tank and a murals. It had an edge-to-edge display, too, that was the primary to hold a notch on the prime.

These qualities made the one and solely telephone from Important Merchandise an actual head-turner. The truth that it got here with a virtually inventory model of Android that acquired updates sooner than Pixels on some days made it an Android lover’s dream.

Sadly, the telephone was removed from excellent. The digital camera left rather a lot to be desired, each from {hardware} and software program viewpoints. Important additionally made the massive mistake of constructing the telephone unique to Dash. Bear in mind, this was again within the days when shopping for telephones unlocked wasn’t quite common. Even again then, Dash was struggling to retain clients, which left the Important Telephone excessive and dry for gross sales.

A large worth lower didn’t save the telephone, and Important finally canceled the deliberate launch of the Telephone 2. Regardless, we’ll all the time keep in mind the Important Telephone as representing what could possibly be attainable if an organization actually put some thought behind its smartphone design.

Android followers have all the time had a love/hate relationship with Sony. Whereas most Android followers would agree that Sony makes unimaginable telephones, they’re normally overpriced, troublesome to get, and have such a poor assist dedication from Sony that it’s exhausting to abdomen really shopping for one.

For those who look previous all that, although, you gotta admit that Sony has designed some actual bangers over time, and the Xperia XZ1 is one among them. Its give attention to symmetry and particulars actually set it aside from the group when it launched in 2017.

The Xperia XZ1 was made from a wraparound metallic chassis, giving it an ultra-premium really feel. It was additionally one of many earliest telephones to have an HDR show, making it look terrific whereas it lay inert in your desk and in addition once you had been really utilizing it.

An honorable point out right here is the Xperia XZ1 Compact, which, as its identify implies, was a smaller model of this telephone. That gadget was additionally superb from a design standpoint and makes us lengthy for the times when “compact” telephones had been nonetheless a factor.

The Galaxy Observe line led to 2020 with the launch of the Galaxy Observe 20 and Galaxy Observe 20 Extremely. Observe telephones had been then swallowed up by the Galaxy S line in 2022 when Samsung launched the Galaxy S22 Extremely, which was a Observe telephone by a unique identify.

Earlier than all that went down, although, we noticed the Samsung Galaxy Observe 10 collection launch, which included the Galaxy Observe 10 Plus. Whereas we may argue all day which Observe telephone was one of the best general (in all probability the Observe 9, actually), the Observe 10 Plus stands as probably the most lovely, particularly the Aura Glow variant you see right here.

Just like the OnePlus 9 Professional talked about beforehand on this listing, the mirror-like again of the Aura Glow mannequin modified colours in varied lighting situations, giving it a stunning and dynamic look. The curved sides additionally refracted mild in a barely totally different manner, making it so the telephone all the time had a “body” round it — really beautiful stuff.

The Observe 10 Plus was additionally a tremendous telephone, even when its worth enhance in comparison with the Galaxy Observe 9 made it seem to be Samsung was getting grasping. Nonetheless, no listing of probably the most lovely smartphones ever can be full with out this one.

Earlier than Google launched the Pixel line, it partnered with different smartphone manufacturers to create Nexus telephones. These telephones launched with inventory Android and acquired software program updates sooner than most others, making them a prequel to Pixels, of kinds.

One such telephone was the Nexus 4, produced by LG (again when LG nonetheless made telephones, RIP). Whereas most individuals studying this who keep in mind the Nexus days would in all probability agree that the HUAWEI-made Nexus 6P was in all probability the height of the Nexus collection, few may argue that the Nexus 4 wasn’t one of many prettiest telephones they’ve ever seen.

Probably the most notable facet of the gadget was its glass again, which featured tiny star-like dots throughout an intricate matrix. It made it appear like the telephone actually sparkled within the mild, which was mesmerizing and simply flat-out superior.

It’s unlucky that the Nexus line finally got here to an finish, and much more unlucky that LG exited the sport utterly. Nonetheless, we’ll all the time look again on the Nexus 4 with an enormous ol’ smile.

We talked about earlier how the Pixel 4 virtually doomed your complete Pixel line. There are a lot of causes for that: Google’s large misguided guess on Soli (a radar system that allowed for gimmicky hand gesture controls), the shortage of a fingerprint scanner, the shortage of an ultrawide lens, and pricing that left a number of customers turning up their noses.

One factor that wasn’t in any respect an issue with the Pixel 4 collection, although, was how the telephones seemed. As a result of man, they had been sizzling.

We’re particularly calling out the XL model right here, however each it and the vanilla Pixel 4 had been lookers. The matte rails had been superior each for aesthetics and grip, and the orange energy button actually stood out. For those who like orange, the Oh So Orange mannequin was only for you, which was in all probability the boldest assertion in smartphones we’ve ever seen.

The Pixel 4 could have been a gross sales failure, however it may by no means be a failure in relation to design.

Which of those telephones do you assume is probably the most lovely? Is there a fantastic smartphone we didn’t embrace on this listing? Tell us your ideas within the ballot beneath and be sure you hit the feedback along with your ideas!