By Jacob Fisher

As the holiday season quickly approaches, phone manufacturers have rushed to draw the eyes of consumers from their current phones to the best devices money can buy. Apple, Google, and Samsung have or will release phones in the coming month, sparking excitement and curiosity for the next generation of phone innovation.

Samsung unpacked their newest arrivals last month in the form of the $999 Galaxy Z Flip 3 and the $1800 Galaxy Z Fold 3, two collapsible phones that introduce the future of device design in their best form yet. Both foldables are significantly upgraded from their last-gen counterparts, featuring a smooth 120Hz display, enabling a fluid viewing experience on every aspect of the device.

“Differences [in features] boil down to personal preferences and choices, not compromises.”

Likewise, the Galaxy Z Flip 3 and Fold 3 now include a top-end Snapdragon 888 processor along with a much needed IPX8 water resistance, giving protection for 1.5 meters underwater for 30 minutes. Samsung does note that there is no dust resistance due to the hinges on the Z lineup.

Prices have also dropped a couple hundred for each foldable, with the Z Flip 3 topping off at just under $1000, and the enthusiast grade Fold 3 dropping from $2000 to $1800. Both users and reviewers give positive reception. According to The Verge for the Flip 3: “Differences [in features] boil down to personal preferences and choices, not compromises.” The main points of contention for the Z lineup is poor battery life and suboptimal cameras.

However, reviews emphasize just how fun and futuristic both devices are. As stated by TechRadar for the Fold 3: “[You are paying for] the wow factor of being able to pull a phone out of your pocket and unfold it to not only reveal a 7.6-inch tablet-like display, but to also show that you’re symbolically ahead of the technology curve.” Most reviewers agree that the Flip 3 will be the phone for most people due to its appealing size and price point.

Meanwhile, Apple engineers have produced another flagship giant, despite the little amount of change to this year’s product. The iPhone 13 lineup is far from a revolution in the Apple ecosystem. Rather, it is a few but important changes that add up to be an upgrade worthy for those who have a several generation old phone, but maybe not for those who already have the newest device.

The main selling point of this year’s iPhone is two-factor: the battery life and cameras. For the battery life, Apple reports 1.5-2.5 more hours of battery life compared to last generation’s equivalent models. For reference, 9to5Mac speculates that battery life could be as long as 22 hours for video playback on the iPhone 13 Pro, a full five hours longer than the iPhone 12 Pro.

Likewise, cameras will look noticeably better than the competition on the iPhone 13. According to Dieter Bohn of The Verge, Apple’s night mode is superior, macro shots through the wide-angle lens are gorgeous, and, put simply, “there isn’t another phone that can match the iPhone 13 Pro [for photos].”

These changes are not industry-shaking, but with the iPhone 13 lineup now receiving a smaller camera notch, 120Hz screen on select models, 10% faster processing, and a 1TB storage option (for all those 4K clips!), it might just be a worthy upgrade for those who are looking for something familiarly fantastic. Prices for the iPhone 13 Mini, 13 base model, 13 Pro, and 13 Pro Max are $699, $799, $999, and $1,099 respectively.

Sadly, the world still has much to hear from the newest phone in the young Pixel family, the Google Pixel 6. Featuring better build quality, a rumored killer camera array, and a two-tone design, this Android device is sure to turn some heads. It would just be nice to learn more than, “wait and see!”

With Samsung’s traditional flagship lineup supposedly months away from announcement, competition remains between three tech giants through foldable, traditional, and pure speculation. Yet, with all phones recently announced embodying the spirit of innovation, none of these companies should fold quite yet – just the Z lineup.