GoKawiilJoe Maring / Android Authority
I’ve been reviewing and writing about smartphones for over a decade, and while it has been a dream come true to do this for a living, the past few years have left me jaded. It’s not because I’ve lost interest in the space; I think it’s more about smartphone makers drip-feeding us so-called “upgrades” and marketing them like it’s the greatest thing since sliced bread. Quite frankly, I’m fed up, and I think a lot of people are too.
Phone manufacturers have trapped themselves in this annual cycle where they are now expected to launch a new product, year on year, and it’s somehow supposed to be vastly better than the one before. That’s obviously a near-impossible feat, and as expected, it rarely (if ever) happens. Instead, what we end up getting are “new” smartphone models with higher prices, minor hardware upgrades, and very little to no innovation.
We’ve had years like this before, but 2026 has so far had some of the most boring and uninteresting phone launches yet.
How do you feel about annual smartphone launches? 20 votes I love it. Keep 'em coming. 5 % Don't mind it, provided the upgrades are meaningful. 15 % I'm starting to lose interest. 60 % I don't care. 20 %
The worst offenders so far
Google’s Pixel A series has been my go-to recommendation for the budget-conscious buyer, but this year, the Google Pixel 10a was a huge disappointment for me. It’s still one of the best phones at $500, but it’s also nearly identical to the Pixel 9a that came before it. Minor hardware changes and some new software tricks aside, I don’t see why Google even bothered launching the phone.
Next up, Motorola’s 2026 Razr series got some new colors, tweaks to the hinge, and a switch to larger silicon-carbon batteries — but that was the extent of it. What’s worse, the base Razr 2026 jumped in price while cutting down on storage. It’s also worth noting that while silicon-carbon batteries offer greater capacity without bulking up the phone, there are some downsides to this tech.
It's hard to get excited for a new phone launch in 2026 because more often than not, there's very little that's new.
Samsung’s Galaxy S26 and Galaxy S26 Plus have once again been largely ignored, with all the limelight shed on the Ultra model. The base S26 suffered the most, as not only does it keep getting more expensive, but it also has to fend off competition from Samsung’s own Galaxy FE series. Even Samsung’s latest foldables, like the Galaxy Z Flip 8 and Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra, are largely unimpressive compared to their predecessors and are now more expensive.
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