UPCOMING ANDROID SMARTPHONES FOR 2012

It's a new year and that means more exciting handsets for the Google Android platform. 2011 was a great year for Android and we can expect that trend to continue this year. With the growing threat from Windows Phone and the upcoming version of iPhone, the Android phones for this year are expected to aim for the top spot by pushing the boundaries that define a smartphone. Let us look at the rumored Android-powered phones and announced handsets for 2012.

Samsung Galaxy Note

This phone was announced in 2011 but its rumored to be headed for two major US carriers this year. Rumors indicate that AT&T plans to offer a version of the Galaxy Note with a 5.3-inch 1280×800 Super AMOLED HD display, a dual-core 1.5 GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon, and support for 4G LTE connectivity. Sprint is also rumored to be interested in selling a version of this phone. 

Motorola DROID 4

This phone has been leaked several times but the official announcement has still not been made. This Verizon Wireless 4G LTE phone is expected to offer a a 4-inch qHD screen, Android 2.3, a 1.2GHz dual-core processor, 1GB of RAM, 16GB of built-in storage, an 8-megapixel camera with 1080p video recording capabilities, HD Front-facing camera, HDMI-out, and a 1785 mAh battery.

HTC Ville

This handset is one of the phones that is expected to ship with Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich. Rumors indicate that the super-thin Ville will be available in April 2012. It will offer an impressive set of features including a 4.3-inch qHD Super AMOLED display, a 1.5GHz dual-core Snapdragon Series 4 processor, HTC Sense 4.0, Beats Audio, and an 8-megapixel backside-illuminated camera with 1080p HD video capture support. Image Credit: BGR

Sony Ericsson Nozomi

Sony Ericsson appears to be ready for this year's smartphone battles. The Nozomi looks like it can do some damage. Leaks and rumors for this upcoming smartphone for 2012 indicate that it will sport a  4.3-inch display with a 720x1280 pixel resolution, a dual-core 1.5GHz processor, 1GB of RAM, and a 12 megapixel camera with full HD video recording. Image Credit: GSM Arena

HTC Edge

This upcoming Android mobile phone for 2012 is rumored to be the first quad-core Tegra 3 smartphone. The Edge will also offer a 4.7-inch 720p HD S-LCD 2 with optical lamination, 32GB of built-in storage, Bluetooth 4.0, an 1,800 mAh battery, NFC, an 8-megapixel camera with backside-illumination and 1080p HD video capture support, and a 720p front-facing camera. Image Credit: PocketNow

Samsung Galaxy S Blaze 4G

This upcoming Android smartphone is expected to arrive at T-Mobile in the middle of 2012. The Galaxy S Blaze 4G will offer a Super AMOLED touch screen, HSPA+ 42 Mbps data, and a Qualcomm Snapdragon S3 Processor with 1.5 GHz dual CPUs.

LG Viper

This Android 2.3 Gingerbread phone offers a nice set of features packaged in a body that is made of 35 percent recycled plastics. The LG Viper offers a deadly combination of features that include a 4 inch WVGA Nova display, NFC, Google Wallet, 1.2GHz dual-core processor, 5MP rear camera, and a VGA front-facing camera.

LG X3

This rumored phone is expected to be a quad-core Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich OS handset that may be launched sometime in late spring or early summer. The leaked features for this exciting Android phone include a quad-core Tegra 3 chipset, a 4.7 inch touch display, an 8-megapixel shooter at the back, a 1.3 megapixel front camera, 21Mbps HSPA, a 2000mAh battery, 802.11b/g/n Wi-Fi, NFC, and 16GB of storage (supplemented by microSD).

Samsung Galaxy S III

Samsung's Galaxy S and Galaxy S II are formidable devices. This tradition makes folks excited about the Galaxy S 3 for 2012. Well, recent rumors indicate that this handset will also have a great impact in the market. The Glaxy S II is rumored to feature a 1.5GHz-1.6GHz quad-core chip, Android ICS, 12MP rear camera, and a large Super AMOLED Plus HD display. This handset might arrive as early as April.