GoKawiilIn 2025, CNET tested phones from Apple, Google, Motorola and Samsung. Celso Bulgatti/CNET
While this year started with a few iterative phone launches, the last couple of months have taken us back into the exciting phones territory. From the all-new wide Galaxy Z Fold 8 to a software-centric Pixel 11 upgrade, we’re fresh off the flagship launch cycle from Samsung and Google. Now, it’s time for Apple to take the stage. We’re likely just a couple of weeks away from the next-generation iPhones.
However, the ongoing RAM shortage and growing competition in generative AI are making it harder for phone-makers to deliver bold designs and features that are both useful and innovative without pushing prices too high. This could lead Apple to shake things up with its iPhone 18 lineup. While the long-rumored foldable iPhone Ultra is tipped to debut next month, the base iPhone 18 model might launch early next year.
It’s already August, but there’s a lot to look forward to in the coming months. Apart from Apple, there are more high-end phones coming out of China. While the Galaxy Z TriFold and Oppo Find N6 took a radical approach to design, the Ultra models from Vivo, Oppo and Xiaomi took mobile photography to the next level. And we might see a few high-end features trickle down to their Pro siblings in the upcoming months.
The bottom line? 2026 is far from over, and some of the most impressive phones have yet to be revealed.
Phones released in 2026 so far
Apple
The iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max marked the return of vibrant colors to Apple’s highest-end iPhones. Prakhar Khanna/CNET
A split iPhone 18 launch strategy
Apple introduced a slew of upgrades with the iPhone 17 line — an 18-megapixel selfie shooter, upgraded rear camera optics, thermal cooling on the Pro variants, among other updates. It also added the thin iPhone Air to the lineup. This year, the Cupertino company could shake up its iPhone launch timeline.
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