Sizzling hot: Most popular smartphones in 2015

They belong to different budget segments but when it comes to features and looks these seven stand out in the crowd.

The smartphone makers flooded first half of 2015 with incredible products to lure customers as competition sizzled in this space. Following is a list of such smartphones that are rated top globally and provide best in every class of their specifications list. Let's have a look at them: 

Samsung Galaxy S6

With its captivating design, Samsung Galaxy S6 is an amalgamation of smooth metal curves and subtly tinted glass. The smartphone sports a 5.1-inch quad HD Super AMOLED screen with a resolution of 2560 x 1440 pixels and pixel density of 577ppi.

Photography can now be done with perfection with its CMOS 16MP OIS snapper that can record UHD videos at 30fps. For selfie lovers, Samsung has provided a 5MP CMOS camera at the front. An octa-core (2.1GHz + 1.5GHz) processor based on 64-bit architecture is the heart of Galaxy S6 that provides lightening fast speed in sync with 3GB RAM and 32GB internal memory.

The powerful Li-ion 2,550mAh non-removable battery provides a talktime of up to 17 hours on 3G and up to 10 hours of internet usage on 3G network. With built-in wireless charging capabilities, S6 can work for up to 4 hours with only 10 minutes of charging.

Other supported features include Android Lollipop OS, enhanced security features like KNOX and fingerprint scanner, content sharing with BLE (Bluetooth Low Energy) and screen mirroring, handful of sensors such as Accelerometer, Barometer, Gyro sensor, Geomagnetic sensor, Hall sensor, HR sensor, Light sensor and Proximity sensor, heart rate monitor and connectivity options like ANT+, 4G LTE, Wi-Fi, NFC et al among many other notable ones. The Galaxy S6 costs Rs 55,900.

HTC One M9 Plus

Premium design with premium software is the USP of the new flagship device by HTC, named One M9 Plus. The company released the advanced version of M9 by the name of M9 Plus to grab a good hold of the smartphone market. With a 5.2-inch WQHD screen and 2.2GHz MediaTek Helio X10 octa-core processing engine, HTC One M9+ is a remarkably popular smartphone right now.

On the memory front, the device holds 32GB of internal memory with 3GB RAM and a microSD card slot that can hold a card of up to 2TB space. At the back side, there is a 20MP Duo camera with Sapphire lens f/2.2 aperture and 4K video recording facility, whereas in the front HTC Ultrapixel camera satisfies the needs of selfie addicts.

In terms of connectivity, the device sports NFC, Bluetooth 4.1, Wi-Fi, CIR, 4G LTE, USB and HDMI ports. A 2,840mAh battery provides for a talktime of 23 hours on 2G and 13 hours on 3G networks.

HTC Sense v.7.0 and HTC BlinkFeed along with Android Lollipop v5.0.2 OS take care of interface and Ambient light, Proximity, Accelerometer, Compass, Gyro, Magnetic, Sensor Hub and Fingerprint sensor are the sensors provided to the handset. HTC One M9+ costs nearly Rs 48,600.

Apple iPhone 6

The new iPhone sports a unibody design comprising of stainless steel and anodised aluminum. The smartphone comes with the thinnest 4.7-inch multi-touch display with retina HD resolution and 326ppi pixel density. An A8 chip with 64-bit architecture drives the smartphone accompanied with M8 motion co-processor and sensors.

An 8MP iSight rear camera is capable of recording Full HD videos, whereas for FaceTime, a 1.2MP HD camera is provided at the front. It runs on iOS 8 platform and comes with Touch ID security feature.

For connectivity options there is 3G, 4G, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth support. Apple iPhone 6's built-in rechargeable Li-ion battery can provide for 14 hours of talktime on 3G and standby time of 250 hours. The smartphone costs nearly Rs 56,570.

Sony Xperia Z3

Sony Xperia Z3, with a ‘Do more than you thought possible’ motto is unbelievably slim and waterproof. The winner of Reddot Awards 2015, Xperia Z3 claims to be the best in the class with powerful battery life, amazing display and quality camera. The 5.2-inch IPS LCD display supports a resolution of 1080 x 1920 pixels with 424ppi of pixel density. The smartphone is powered by a 3,100mAh battery that allows for mixed usage time of 2 days.

The smartphone sports a 20.7MP camera along with autofocus, a 1/2.3-inch Exmor RS sensor, full HD video recording and a 25mm wide-angle lens.

The secondary 2.2MP camera allows you to click selfies and group-fies with crisp details. The processing engine at work is a 2.5GHz quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 coupled with 3GB of RAM.

The smartphone is blessed with internal storage of 16GB and external storage of up to 128GB so that users can store ample number of files and applications. The device costs Rs 38,990. 

Xiaomi Mi 4i

Xiaomi Mi 4i is re-iterated Xiaomi Mi 4. The 'i' adds a 64-bit 2nd generation octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 615 processing engine with 1.7GHz speed, 2GB RAM, a 13MP Sony/Samsung camera and a 5-inch display by Sharp with full HD resolution.

For selfies, there is a 5MP camera. The 4G dual-SIM device sports connectivity options like Bluetooth 4.1, Bluetooth HID, Dual-band Wi-Fi with Wi-Fi display, microUSB port, GPS et al.

Xiaomi Mi 4i satisfies the storage needs with its 16GB internal memory, however there is no scope of increasing the memory size as the device does not support a microSD card slot. With a 3,120mAh capacity battery, you can charge your phone up to 40 percent in an hour.

The smart PA pumps the volume up for a really genuine sound playback. With many other incredible features Xiaomi Mi 4i costs Rs 12,999.

Moto Turbo

This mobile offering by Motorola holds a battery of 3,900mAh capacity. A 5.2-inch wide display offers a quad HD resolution.

At the back side, there is an unbelievable 21MP camera and at the front side for selfies and video calling there is a 2MP camera.

The smarphone draws energy from a 2.7GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 805 quad-core processing engine.

Connectivity options include Wi-Fi, NFC, Bluetooth and microUSB port. One can also enjoy voice and gestures command interaction in this phone.

The smartphone costs Rs 41,999.

Lenovo A7000

One of the most budget-friendly smartphones yet, Lenovo A7000, sports a 5.5-inch HD display and a 64-bit 1.5GHz octa-core processor coupled with 2GB DDR3 RAM.

With the help of this, one can easily get on heavy gaming, full HD movies and multi-tasking. It is just 7.9mm thick and is packed with Dolby Atmos for surround sound experience.

Connectivity options like 4G LTE, microUSB port, Bluetooth 4.0, GPS, WLAN, etc. are available in the handset. In terms of sensors, this dual-SIM device comes handy with Gravitation, Proximity and Light sensors.

The rear 8MP camera comes with auto-focus and LED flash support whereas the 5MP secondary snapper is sufficient to keep the appetite of selfie addicts full.

With 8GB ROM and up to 32GB expandable memory, Lenovo A7000 is available in Onyx Black and Pearl White color options.

Based on Android Lollipop platform, the mobile phone holds a 2,900mAh battery under the hood, which allows a talktime of up to 39 hours on 2G and up to 16 hours on 3G networks. Lenovo A7000 costs only Rs 8,999.

This closes the list of the most popular smartphones that have made a grand entry in the smartphone market of India in 2015 till date. For more, stay connected!