NEW SAMSUNG GALAXY S7,GALAXY S7 EDGE,AND GALAXY S7 EDGE+

Samsung Galaxy S7, Galaxy S7 Edge, and Galaxy S7 Edge+

Samsung's Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 Edge changed a number of important aspects of the Galaxy S series design. They lost the removable battery and expandable storage, and a lot of people fell out of love with the Korean manufacturer as a result. However, Samsung still produced two fantastically fast handsets, with delicious displays and compelling cameras, things that Samsung rarely gets wrong.

• Read all the latest Samsung Galaxy S7 rumors here

The Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge are likely to be only incremental upgrades to their predecessors, with a similar glass and metal designs. This time, though, there are rumors that Samsung will implement its own 3D touch technology, as well as bring back microSD card support.   

Approximate release date: February 2016

NEW PROJECT TANGO

Project Tango

Project Ara isn't the only new Google phone/prototype/thing that's set to arrive in 2016. There's also Project Tango, for which Google has teamed up with Lenovo to transform "your smartphone into a magic lens that lets you place digital information on your physical world". OK...

What this means is that the Project Tango smartphone is equipped with extra sensors that enable its camera to perceive depth, expanding the opportunities for what app and software developers can achieve with a smartphone. 

Lenovo hasn't finalized the design yet – the image below shows a number of possibilities – but we do know that it will arrive in the summer and will cost less than US$500. Check out some of these Play Store apps to see the kinds of things the technology can be used for.

Approximate release date: Summer 2016

NEW MOTOROLA MOTO G (4TH GEN)

Motorola Moto G (4th gen)

Motorola's G series made its name by producing low-cost handsets with good specs, but last year's Moto G (3rd gen) failed to strike the same price/performance balance as its predecessors. Will Motorola's fourth-generation Moto G reclaim the budget Android crown? 

If that is indeed its aim, the Moto G (2016) might need to include a Full HD display. Sony released the expensive Xperia Z5 Compact with a 720p display only a short time ago, so it may still be too soon to expect this technology on a budget device like a Moto G, but if Motorola did manage to include such a screen on a low-priced device, the Moto G (4th gen) could be an awfully compelling handset. 

Approximate release date: July 2016

NEW MOTOROLA MOTP X (4TH GEN)

Motorola Moto X (4th gen)

The Moto X range was split in 2015, with the Droid Maxx 2, known as the Moto X Play outside of the US, and the Moto X Pure Edition, also known as the Moto X Style. The former is a mid-range handset with a big battery, and the latter is a high-end flagship that we once described as a much better and only fractionally more expensive Nexus 5X.

Following comments at CES 2016 that Lenovo would be "phasing out" the Motorola brand name, the status of the Moto X was in question. However, it was quickly clarified that the Moto brand would live on.

• All the latest Moto X (4th gen) rumors

The Moto X (2016) or Moto X (4th gen) is the new flagship, which may house a Snapdragon 820 processor and a huge camera sensor, or look much like the Moto X Pure, with slightly updated specs. The next round of rumors will hopefully clear this up.

Approximate release date: September 2016 

NEW XIAOMI MI5

Xiaomi Mi5

Xiaomi is the incredibly popular Chinese manufacturer edging its way towards the West. It's yet to release one of its flagships in the US, but that hasn't stopped Xiaomi becoming the fourth largest smartphone manufacturer (based on market share) in the world during 2015. 

• All the latest Xiaomi Mi5 rumors

The Xiaomi Mi5 is the company's next flagship, and is set to be launched at MWC 2016 in Barcelona. There has been a ton of rumors about this device and all signs indicate it will be another powerful and full-featured smartphone and will undercut the price of Apple and Samsung flagships. 

Xiaomi Vice President Hugo Barra announced the Mi5's presence at MWC with a tweet saying "it's everything you imagined, and more." Sounds good to us. 

Approximate release date: February 24, 2016

NEW ONEPLUS 3

OnePlus 3

OnePlus is one of the most exciting smartphone manufacturers right now. Two years in a row it has produced reasonably priced flagship phones that have been (almost) capable of going toe-to-toe with the major manufacturers. While OnePlus' "flagship killer" slogan may be a little hyperbolic, there's no doubt that its phones are of a high standard.  

• Read the latest OnePlus 3 rumors here

It's early days for the OnePlus 3, with little information available beyond some questionable leaked renders. We do know that the company wishes to ditch its invite-only purchase system at some point and co-founder Carl Pei has admitted that omitting NFC on the OnePlus 2 was a "misstep". This could give us some clue about the direction the OnePlus 3 will take. 

We're sure to learn much more in the coming months. If there is one thing OnePlus knows well, it's how to build #hype.  

Approximate release date: Q3 2016