Competition in the global smartphone market is heating up with traditional players such as Apple and Samsung being pitted against up-and-coming brands like Xiaomi.
In 2016 so far, there have been a number of high-profile launches of smartphones.
Many of these launches took place at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Spain last month and here are four of them.
Samsung Galaxy S7
Last month, South Korean smartphone maker Samsung launched its latest Galaxy S7 smartphone range, which includes its Edge device. The phones mark incremental improvements in performance when compared to the previous S6 range.
The new phones are expected to go on sale on March 11. The Galaxy S7 sports a 5.1-inch screen using its own Exynos or Qualcomm processors. Meanwhile, the larger 5.5-inch Edge model equipped with the same kind of wraparound display the company debuted last year.
The S7 also initially comes bundled with a VR headset. Samsung has also launched a 360 degree camera alongside its smartphone launch.
LG G5
Another South Korean smartphone maker, LG, also unveiled its first modular smartphone, the G5, in Barcelona last month. The phone is made up of components that can be upgraded or replaced. It also comes with a removable battery and a virtual reality headset.
Sony Xperia X
At Mobile World Congress earlier this year, Sony also unveiled its Xperia X range. These devices ranges from the Xperia X, Xperia X Performance and Xperia XA. They all feature premium cases as well as rounded glass fronts. The version X and X Performance devices feature a 23-megapixel camera. Other form factors of the X Performance handset include 32GB of storage and the Android 6.0 Marshmallow operating system.
Xiaomi Mi 5
Chinese smartphone maker Xiaomi also showcased its latest device at Mobile World Congress last month. The Mi 5 has features such as a 5.15" IPS 1080p display, 32 GB and Android 6.0 Marshmallow with Xiaomi’s MIUI 7.0. Xiaomi has started pushing into more markets and has teamed up with a local distributor in South Africa to sell the devices locally. Xiaomi is also trying to take on big players like Samsung and LG by employing features such as curved designs with its Mi 5 handset.