The best phones I'm looking forward to in 2025

2024 is almost behind us, so it’s time to take a look at the year ahead. I’m excited about 2025 and all the great gadgets we’ll see in the next 12 months, especially smartphones. While I generally love to see as many great handsets as possible on the market, as more competition is ultimately always better for us, consumers, there are specific models that I’m a little more excited about than others.

I’ll share my list of the best phones I’m looking forward to in the year to come and my reasons why. Let’s dive in.

Pixel 10 Pro

The first on the list is the upcoming Pixel 10 series, which will likely debut in September or October next year. More specifically, I’m looking forward to the Pixel 10 Pro, which is expected to have most of the features of the larger and more expensive Pixel 10 Pro XL and a footprint closer to the cheaper Pixel 10.

I’m a Pixel user and am in love with Google’s phone series. It offers me everything I need and want from a phone. The performance is great, the software is a joy to use, the updates are available on day one, and the camera experience is brilliant. Then there’s the design and the overall build quality, which are second to none.

I love a phone that packs as many features as possible, but I have a distaste for massive phones with displays that stretch to almost 7 inches. I remember that my first tablet had a 7-inch screen, so I generally just always preferred something a bit smaller when it comes to phones. And while a 6.3-inch display of the current Pixel 9 Pro isn’t technically small, the overall size of the phone is great for me, as it doesn’t feel overwhelming for my tiny hands.

Samsung Galaxy S25

Samsung’s Galaxy S series is a close second to the Pixel lineup for me, and the new generation is just around the corner. It’s rumored to be announced on January 22 and should consist of the Galaxy S25, S25 Plus, and S25 Ultra, although there are rumors about a possible name change, which you can learn more about here.

Out of the three, I’m most excited for the Galaxy S25, for a few reasons. Yes, I know it technically offers the least of the upcoming trio, and I’d love to see it come with all the extra features you get with its two larger brothers. However, it still has everything I need from a phone and is the perfect size for me, which is the most important part.

The Galaxy S24 has a 6.2-inch display, and the one on the S25 is expected to be the same size. So, I’d rather get the S25 for its compact size and cheaper price tag than the uncomfortably large Ultra with all its bells and whistles, but that’s just me.

Pixel 9a

And we’re back at the Pixel series. While I prefer Google’s flagship phones, the Pixel A series always gets me excited. I mean, just look at the Pixel 8a. It’s a $500 phone with seven years of software support, a wonderful camera, a fantastic software experience, and more power than the average user needs. It’s also a looker if you ask me.

While high-end phones usually grab all the attention, I think most people actually don’t need one. I get asked for phone recommendations by friends and family all the time, and I point most of them in the direction of the Pixel A series. If you’re not a super-demanding user, a phone like that offers everything you need.

The upcoming Pixel 9a is expected to be the best phone in its class, just like the current Pixel 8a model. The only phones that come close to it are the current Galaxy S24 FE and the upcoming S25 FE, which we’ll likely see towards the end of 2025 and will compete with the Pixel 9a. I’m more excited about the latter, although you can’t go wrong with the FE lineup as well.

OnePlus 13

Before getting a Pixel, I was a OnePlus user for many, many years. I switched because I think the brand lost a lot of its identity over the years, but I still like their phones. The software is great, especially specific features like gestures that allow me to open an app with a swipe across the screen while it’s turned off. The charging speeds were always amazingly fast, the Alert slider was something I almost used daily, and the price has generally been lower than those of its rivals.

For those reasons, I’m excited for the upcoming OnePlus 13. Well, upcoming is perhaps not a completely accurate description of the phone since it’s already been announced, but it’s still on this list since it’s only available in China for now, with a global launch scheduled for January 7.

The phone looks amazing and has all the features and specs I could ever need. Although I’d rather get the upcoming Pixel 10 Pro, I always love to see the new OnePlus hit the market because of the great memories I have with its predecessors. I really enjoyed using them, and I see why so many people like OnePlus phones. While I may switch back at some point, I’ll stick to the Pixel for now.

iPhone 17 Pro

I’m an Android guy, but there’s no denying that iPhones are great devices. While I won’t switch to iOS anytime soon, I love seeing all the new things iPhones bring to the table — even though we sometimes only see small upgrades throughout the lineup.

As I already mentioned, more competition is always better for the consumer, and the Apple and Android rivalry benefits us all. A vastly improved iPhone always puts pressure on Android manufacturers, pushing them to produce better phones.

Apple’s upcoming 17 series is still a long way from being released, as we expect to see it sometime in September 2025. Rumors have it that the lineup will consist of four phones, and it’s the iPhone 17 Pro I’m personally the most excited for.

It’s the same story here as with the Pixel series. The iPhone 17 Pro will likely have more features than the base iPhone 17, but it won’t be as big and bulky as the iPhone 17 Plus and Pro Max. The current iPhone 16 Pro has a 6.3-inch display, which is the size I’m very comfortable with.

And as you can expect from iPhones, the upcoming series will have more than enough power, stylish looks, and great software support — although it may not be as good as the ones from Google and Samsung.

So, there you have it. These are the phones that I’m most excited to see in 2025, although there are plenty of others I’m looking forward to. What about you? Let me know in the poll above and share your reasons in the comment section below.