Well 2015 is only a few hours from ending and 2016 is on the way! This past year has seen some great device, but 2016 could see something even better!
2015 has been a year for Chinese phone makers to show that they can build better looking and higher quality devices when needed (Huawei, Xiaomi), that new Chinese phone makers can build killer products off the bat (LeTV) and that Chinese brands can develop and launch phones faster than Rabbits multiply (Meizu).
But that’s all in the past and we are now looking forward to the new year and what 2016 could bring our thoughts?
Mediatek
Mediatek made huge leaps this year and launched some insanely good processors. In fact the MT6752 was seen as a better chipset than the SD 620 by most users, but can Taiwanese phone maker continue that momentum?
LeTV
LeTV launched 4 phones this year and are seeing amazing growth. Not only are they very popular in the hardware department, but they are also one of the fastest Chinese phone makers to embrace international markets. LeTV are set to tackle the U.S this coming year which will pave the way for Xiaomi, Meizu and other phone makers.
Chinese Tablets
The Chinese tablet market really took a bit of a dive since I started GizChina. In fact at the start of the site we mostly covered Chinese tablet tech (hard to believe I know), but things are starting to change. Thanks to Microsoft and Windows 10 the Chinese tablet market is making a bit of a revival, and with dual window features coming to Android 6, expect Chinese tablets to be better than ever in 2016.
Chinese Laptops
With Xiaomi working on a laptop, does this mean we are going to see LeTV, Huawei, ZTE and other phone makers take a step in to the PC space? If this is the case will Lenovo come to the party to show everyone who’s boss?
Lenovo
Lenovo aren’t a brand we speak of much here but they do make some killer hardware. The K3 Note was one of the best Chinese phones of the year, the Vibe X3 is a wonderful phone and their K4 Note is one of the most talked about devices of the month! Expect more from the PC come phone maker in 2016.
Gizchina News of the week
ZUK
Speaking of Lenovo what about ZUK?nbsp;The Lenovo backed phone brand have a lot going for it with official CyanogenOS, and a decent first phone, but they have lost momentum over recent months so what can we expect from them in 2016 and with the ZUK Z2?
Oppo Find 9, Vivo Xplay 5S, Vivo Xshot 2
Will these 3 phones ever be made? The Oppo Find 9 appears now and then in rumours, but it seems that Vivo and Oppo are both waiting for the other to make the first move. The Find 7, Vivo Xplay 3S and Xshot were all some of the best and most exciting phones of their time and its about time we saw their successors.
Elephone
Elephone are notorious for long teaser periods delays and launching phones that just undercut the competition so what does the future hold for them. Well we know they are already planning a follow up of their ELE Explorer camera, and that they plan actual launch events for the P9000 phone, W2 watch and other devices, we also expect Elephone will focus more on build and software over the next 12 months.
Chinese wearables
Bluboo, Elephone, Ulefone, and even Doogee are making new wearable devices for 2016 but do we (the Chinese phone enthusiasts) really want them? I would personally say ‘No’ but as they don’t cost manufacturers all that much to make expect more and more wearable for the foreseeable future.
Smaller Flagships
And finally, I think we are finally going to see smaller, better made phones with high end hardware. Think of your current 5.5-inch Snapdragon 810 devices shrunk down to 4.7-inch and 5-inch in size. Already Meizu are rumoured to be working on such a device and even a smaller iPhone might be in the works.
Happy New Year
Whatever happens over the next 12 months we would like to wish you all the greatest New Year you could hope for. You guys are seriously the best and we hope to enjoy the next 12 months of Chinese tech with you. Happy New Year!