Our editors talk: 2019 H1 highs and lows

George

I expect to be disappointed by the Google Pixel 4. I've been wanting an ultra wide angle camera on a Pixel since ultra wides became a thing, and Google (being Google) is taking its time to even put a second camera on a Pixel's back, and by the looks of it it's going to be a telephoto. Urgh.

Google Pixel 3

Mind you, even before the telephoto leaks came out, I was already expecting to be disappointed by what I imagined was going to be Google's half-baked attempt at an ultra wide that was going to lack autofocus (entirely my speculation, of course). In a way, by having such low expectations, you could say I was setting myself up to be amazed, but even so the Pixel 4 is looking set on delivering disappointment.

I'm also fairly skeptical about the future of foldables - as in their very near future in 2019, not in general (though I can understand if you feel they aren't happening anytime soon). The concept is mighty cool and all, but real-life abuse still seems too much and neither of the current designs strikes me as durable enough.

With the possibility of a second failure on Samsung's end and Huawei being happy to wait out and see what their competitor will do (plus some other issues it has on its plate) I don't think we'll be seeing too many Folds and X's on store shelves this year.

Ivan

I expect the second half of 2019 to be just as great if not greater than the first. I usually nab a Google Pixel in the fall so I’m naturally excited for the Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL. But since this part is about expectations and not aspirations, like my colleague George I expect a Pixel 4 with a dual camera - regular and telephoto. That’s disappointing not because I want an ultrawide over a tele (quite the opposite) but because I want all three cameras and I don’t think it’s reasonable to have to wait another year.

The Samsung Galaxy Note10 will be awesome - a Galaxy S10+ with more screen, more battery, the same great cameras and an S Pen.

Let’s see what Huawei brings. Now that it’s under pressure I expect the Chinese maker to put forward its absolute best in the Mate 30 lineup, which means a more than worthy Galaxy Note10 rival.

Huawei Mate 20 Pro

And finally we come to Apple. I expect a lackluster iPhone from Apple this coming fall. The new iPhone XI and XI Max will have the best chipset around, a new triple camera (with an ultrawide addition), possibly a great Night Mode. But they’ll also likely have an archaic Lightning connector, a chunky three-year-old notch and probably 64GB of storage on their base versions. Oh yeah, and there will be a third phone with a sub-1080p LCD screen, that will cost more than the OnePlus 7 Pro.

Kaloyan

After 10 years in this business and a couple of failed revolutions, I have very low expectations about the phones' future. I will be the first to cheer and buy the next big thing, I just believe it's not around the corner.

So, my expectations for the second half of the year are quite simple. Samsung will launch the Galaxy Note10 with a better S-Pen, Exynos chip, and nicer design.

Apple will follow with iPhones featuring that ugly camera setup on the back, but instead of innovative it will be playing catchup with the rest of the industry. Though I am pretty sure the next Apple chip will be a chart-topper as the ones to come before it. Oh, and USB-C ports, the excitement is overwhelming…

Then Huawei will launch the new Mate 30 series as if nothing has happened throughout the past few months, with an even better Leica camera. Those are in fact the only devices that I feel can surprise me.

And finally, maybe just in time for the holiday season Samsung and Huawei will launch some foldables that no one would buy? Here's hoping!

Victor

Like I already said, I feel truly excited about the current state of the budget and mid-range smartphone segments. Things are really looking up and the prospect of getting more and better devices at an affordable price point is something I am constantly looking forward to.

Circling back to the other points I talked about, I would really love to see this whole display "soul searching" the industry is undergoing finally start to take shape one way or another. Notches, punchole cameras and various convoluted mechanisms all seem like stepping-stones, but not really in the same unified direction. Perhaps the under-display camera concept holds some promise, but it is also currently plagued by plenty of growing pains and uncertainty. My point here being that whatever the ultimate solution to an all-display design turns out to be, I really hope to see it sooner rather than later, since what we currently have going on is more chaos than anything else.

Yordan

It looks like we’re forming a team here with Ivan and George. We are all fans of the Google experience, but the Pixel is still a niche product that can’t be used to its full potential in markets Google deems irrelevant (and that's most of them).

That’s why the Pixel 4 could try for the “Best smartphone in the world” title only to get disqualified because it’s missing in most of the world. Combine this with the camera issues my colleagues already mentioned and we are up for a disappointment.

Google Pixel 4 renders

Think of this amazing perfect 10 girl - you tell her a funny joke, she laughs…and has this a terrible laughter like the scream of hundred valkyries descending for a battle.

This is how I feel about the upcoming Huawei Mate 30 - big expectations, great specs sheet, and in the end, it will come with the same EMUI that has been plaguing the otherwise fantastic Huawei smartphones.

Do I sound a bit too negative? Probably. But am I willing to change my opinion? Definitely, if only companies strive to push forward instead of going for the status quo.

Peter

Samsung got spooked by how low-cost, high-performance phones from Xiaomi, Huawei and the BBK gang are eroding its market share and it released the excellent Galaxy A series. There’s also Google’s Pixel 3a phones. I’m not an iPhone guy, but the XR is proving quite popular too (that’s what passes for affordable over at Cupertino).

So, my expectation for the second half of 2019 is this – the flagship market will slump. It’s too late to change course this year, the H2 flagships are already set, hence their market prices are too. But this year’s slump will should hopfully lead to saner prices in next year.