Hit: Foldable smartphones: One of the biggest highlights of 2021 was foldable smartphones. While companies did launch smartphones with a foldable display before, it was in 2021 that these devices came without any major compromises. Samsung led from the front and launched two foldable smartphones (Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 review). Oppo gate-crashed the foldable party at the end of the year and launched the Oppo Find N, which is more compact than the Z Fold 3.
2/15
Hit: Motorola’s comeback: If there was one star performer in the budget segment, it was Motorola. The Lenovo-owned company struggled to compete against the likes of Redmi, Realme, who have been launching budget value-for-money devices. However, in 2021, the company launched multiple budget smartphones under Rs 15,000 in India, including the likes of the Moto G31, Moto G51, etc. It also introduced its Edge series in India, which offers mid-range to premium specifications.
3/15
Hit: Vivo X70 series, X60 series: Vivo debuted in the ultra-premium segment earlier this year with the X60 Pro Plus and the X70 Pro Plus. The segment is dominated by the likes of the Apple iPhone, Samsung Galaxy S-series, OnePlus 9 Pro, etc. Vivo offered excellent value-for-money, flagship hardware, particularly the camera on the Vivo X70 Pro Plus. It certainly is among the best smartphones of 2021.
4/15
Hit: Performance flagships under Rs 30,000: Consumers in 2021 got the best performance-focused smartphones without breaking the bank. The likes of iQOO 7, Mi 11X, Poco F3 GT, Realme X7 Max offered the best gaming hardware on a smartphone while ticking the right boxes for the display, camera and other parameters.
Hit: Under-screen camera technology: Smartphone companies have been working on removing the notch or hole-punch to offer an immersive viewing experience. While the motorised pop-up camera seemed like a good alternative, it came with several constraints and concerns, including durability, longevity, weight, etc. Another alternative introduced this year is the under-screen front camera. While the tech isn’t completely ready to replace the notch or hole-punch, it certainly is in the right direction. Samsung launched the world’s first foldable phone with an under-screen camera. While Xiaomi also launched the Mix 4 with its camera-under-panel (CUP) technology, the device is yet to make its way to India.
6/15
Hit: iPhone 12 for Rs 50,000: Apple launched the iPhone 13 series in India at a starting price of Rs 69,900. Soon after the launch, the iPhone 12 series got a discount in India. Apple itself cut the price and made the iPhone 12 series available for Rs 59,900. However, e-commerce giants like Flipkart and Amazon offered a steal deal by dropping the iPhone 12 price in India under Rs 50,000. The iPhone 12 mini, on the other hand, was available for Rs 36,999. Despite having year-old hardware, the iPhone 12 series can compete and even outperform several smartphones in their respective price range.
7/15
Hit: Budget tablets: Smartphone companies launched a few budget Tablets under Rs 20,000 in India during the pandemic. The segment was pretty much dead but the likes of Samsung, Realme and Nokia revived the budget tablet category by launching the Samsung Galaxy Tab A7 Lite, Realme Pad and the Nokia T20 tablet.
8/15
Hit: iPhone 13 Pro series: Apple upgraded the 2021 iPhone models with bigger batteries, better cameras, and a smaller notch. The iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro Max even got a 120Hz refresh rate screen. In terms of software, Apple introduced Cinematic Mode, Photographic Styles and Pro-Res videos on the Pro and non-Pro models. All these improvements were made without increasing the price year on year. In fact, for the same price, Apple offered double the storage, making the deal sweeter.
Hit: Apple MacBook Pro M1 Pro/ M1 Max: Apple introduced new MacBook Pro models earlier this year in India and other markets. The new MacBook Pro machines come in two sizes - 14”, 16” - and two new chips - M1 Pro, M1 Max. The new M1 chips offer up to 50 percent improvements in CPU and GPU. Not just that, Apple also brought back the SD card slot and many other ports, truly making it a machine for the Pros.
10/15
Bust: Nokia: In 2016, Nokia tried to resurrect its smartphone business after HMD Global took charge of its operations. The company has been focusing on launching budget and mid-range smartphones in India since then. However, the ruthless competition in the sub-Rs 20,000 smartphone category does not leave any room for devices that do not offer the best value. While Nokia was once a household name in India, the company has not been offering enough products in India that can attract buyers. Following its number series, HMD Global introduced budget smartphones under the C-series, G-series, and X-series. However, these devices offer below-average hardware for the price, which might not appeal to customers. Not just that, the company also struggled to launch devices with Android 11 and fast charging support in 2021. We hope Nokia as a brand pulls some trick out of its bag and launches value-for-money devices in 2022.
11/15
Bust: OnePlus Nord 2 blasts: The Nord 2 offers excellent hardware under the hood for Rs 30,000. With a 90Hz AMOLED display, a MediaTek Dimensity 1200 SoC and a 50MP triple-camera setup, the phone has enough to take on other devices in the price range. However, several incidents of the Nord 2 exploding have been reported online. The company looked into the matter but did not release an official statement on the findings.
12/15
Bust: OnePlus settling with Oppo: OnePlus’ USP, other than offering excellent hardware for the buck, was its software experience. Oxygen OS was often considered to be among the best Android skins available for consumers. It offered plenty of features while giving a premium user experience. However, in 2021, things took a turn when Oxygen OS introduced many bugs that hindered the user experience. Not just that, the company announced the merger of its teams with Oppo to develop a unified OS. Oxygen 11.3 gave us a glimpse of what the unified OS would look like. While ColorOS itself is quite stable and reliable, several tech enthusiasts and users did not appreciate the look and feel of Oxygen OS 11.3. The final version of the unified OS is slated to release next year.
13/15
Bust: Below-par phones under Rs 10,000: Due to the pandemic, several brands were forced to increase the price of their devices. While the trend was seen across segments, the budget smartphone category faced the maximum brunt. HD+ displays, slower charging, going back to micro-USB charging ports were some of the compromises that smartphones under or around Rs 10,000 brought back in 2021.
14/15
Bust: 5G smartphones with poor specs: 5G was the keyword for many smartphone brands in India. The next-generation network is still a few months, if not years away from being officially rolled out. However, brands launched 5G devices under Rs 15,000 that although offered multiple 5G bands but came with poor specs compared to the 4G variants. Tech does help in being future-ready. However, if the hardware is dated by the time the futuristic tech becomes available, it does not make sense for the consumer to pay the premium right now. We have said this before and will say this again to our readers: Do not buy a smartphone just because it has 5G. Buy one if it ticks all the boxes that fit your use case and consider 5G bands as a complimentary feature.
15/15
Bust: Increasing the prices of budget smartphones quietly: The pandemic created chaos in the supply chain industry, leading to a significant gap in demand and supply. Several brands have been hit by the ongoing chip shortage, resulting in delayed launches or devices being available out of stock. To compensate, smartphone companies quietly increased the price of budget smartphones in India. While the price hike made sense, not being public about it did not.
