Best Phones of 2016 in India – Best Phones of 2016 in IndiaThe year 2016 was a great year for smartphone enthusiasts in India, as they witnessed the launch of many exciting and innovative devices across different price segments. From flagship killers to budget champions, from modular marvels to explosive disasters, from camera beasts to battery monsters, there was something for everyone in the Indian smartphone market.
In this article, we will take a look at some of the best phones of 2016 in India, based on their performance, features, design, and value for money.
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Best Phones of 2016 in India
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Google Pixel and Pixel XL
Google surprised everyone by launching its own branded smartphones, the Pixel and Pixel XL, in October 2016. These phones were the first to run on Android 7.1 Nougat out of the box, and also the first to feature Google Assistant, a smart and powerful virtual assistant that can answer queries, perform tasks, and have conversations with the user. The Pixel phones also boasted excellent cameras, with a 12.3-megapixel rear sensor and an 8-megapixel front sensor, both with large 1.55-micron pixels and f/2.0 aperture.
The cameras were praised for their low-light performance, fast autofocus, and HDR+ mode. The Pixel phones also offered unlimited cloud storage for photos and videos at full resolution, which was a huge bonus for media lovers.
The Pixel phones had a premium metal and glass design, with a fingerprint scanner at the back and a USB Type-C port at the bottom. The Pixel had a 5-inch full-HD AMOLED display, while the Pixel XL had a 5.5-inch quad-HD AMOLED display. Both phones were powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 821 processor, coupled with 4GB of RAM and either 32GB or 128GB of internal storage. The Pixel had a 2,770mAh battery, while the Pixel XL had a 3,450mAh battery, both supporting fast charging. The Pixel phones were launched in India at Rs. 57,000 and Rs. 67,000 respectively for the 32GB variants.
The Pixel phones were undoubtedly some of the best phones of 2016 in India, as they offered a pure and smooth Android experience, along with top-notch hardware and software features. However, they also faced some criticism for their high price tags, lack of water resistance, and limited availability.
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iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus
Apple’s flagship smartphones of 2016, the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus, were launched in India in October 2016. These phones introduced some significant changes to the iPhone line-up, such as the removal of the 3.5mm headphone jack, the addition of water and dust resistance (IP67 rating), and the introduction of a dual-camera system on the iPhone 7 Plus. The iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus also came with new color options: jet black, black, silver, gold, and rose gold.
The iPhone 7 had a 4.7-inch Retina HD display with a resolution of 1334×750 pixels, while the iPhone 7 Plus had a 5.5-inch Retina HD display with a resolution of 1920×1080 pixels. Both phones had a new A10 Fusion chip with four cores: two high-performance cores and two high-efficiency cores. They also had an M10 motion coprocessor for sensor data processing.
The iPhone 7 had a single 12-megapixel rear camera with optical image stabilization (OIS), quad-LED flash, f/1.8 aperture, and phase detection autofocus (PDAF). The iPhone 7 Plus had a dual-camera system with two 12-megapixel sensors: one wide-angle lens with OIS and f/1.8 aperture, and one telephoto lens with f/2.8 aperture. The dual-camera system enabled optical zoom up to 2x and digital zoom up to 10x, as well as a new Portrait mode that created a depth-of-field effect by blurring the background. Both phones had a 7-megapixel front camera with f/2.2 aperture and Retina flash.
The iPhone 7 had a non-removable Li-Ion battery with a capacity of 1,960mAh, while the iPhone 7 Plus had a non-removable Li-Ion battery with a capacity of 2,900mAh. Both phones supported wireless charging and fast charging via Lightning port. The iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus were available in India in three storage variants: 32GB, 128GB, and 256 GB. The prices started from Rs.60,000 for the iPhone 7 (32GB) and Rs.72,000 for the iPhone 7 Plus (32GB).
The iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus were some of the best phones of 2016 in India, as they offered a sleek and elegant design, a powerful and efficient performance, a stunning and versatile camera, and a smooth and secure iOS 10 operating system. However, they also faced some backlash for their controversial decision to ditch the headphone jack, their expensive price tags, and their lack of major innovation compared to their predecessors.
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OnePlus 3 and OnePlus 3T
OnePlus, the Chinese smartphone maker known for its flagship killer devices, launched two impressive phones in 2016: the OnePlus 3 in June and the OnePlus 3T in November. These phones offered a premium metal design, a 5.5-inch full-HD Optic AMOLED display, a Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 processor (OnePlus 3) or a Snapdragon 821 processor (OnePlus 3T), 6GB of RAM, 64GB or 128GB of internal storage, a fingerprint scanner, a USB Type-C port, and a Dash Charge technology that could charge the phones up to 60% in just 30 minutes.
The OnePlus 3 had a 16-megapixel rear camera with OIS, PDAF, and f/2.0 aperture, and an 8-megapixel front camera with f/2.0 aperture. The OnePlus 3T had the same rear camera, but a 16-megapixel front camera with f/2.0 aperture and PDAF. The OnePlus 3 had a non-removable Li-Ion battery with a capacity of 3,000mAh, while the OnePlus 3T had a non-removable Li-Ion battery with a capacity of 3,400mAh.
The OnePlus 3 and OnePlus 3T were some of the best phones of 2016 in India, as they offered a flagship-level performance, a sleek and sturdy design, a vibrant and sharp display, a fast and reliable fingerprint scanner, and a quick and convenient charging system. They also ran on OxygenOS, a customized version of Android that was close to stock and offered some useful features and customizations. The OnePlus 3 and OnePlus 3T were launched in India at Rs.27,999 and Rs.29,999 respectively for the 64GB variants.
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Moto Z and Moto Z Play
Motorola, now owned by Lenovo, launched two innovative phones in India in October 2016: the Moto Z and Moto Z Play. These phones were the first to feature Moto Mods, which were modular accessories that could attach to the back of the phones via magnetic pins and enhance their functionality. Some of the Moto Mods available in India were the JBL SoundBoost speaker mod, the Hasselblad True Zoom camera mod, the Incipio offGRID power pack mod, the Insta-Share projector mod, and the Style Shell mod.
The Moto Z was the thinnest premium smartphone in the world at just 5.2mm thick. It had a metal and glass design, a 5.5-inch quad-HD AMOLED display, a Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 processor, 4GB of RAM, 64GB of internal storage (expandable up to 2TB via microSD card), a fingerprint scanner, a USB Type-C port, and a water-repellent coating. It had a 13-megapixel rear camera with OIS, laser autofocus, dual-LED flash, and f/1.8 aperture, and a 5-megapixel front camera with LED flash and f/2.2 aperture. It had a non-removable Li-Ion battery with a capacity of 2,600mAh that supported TurboPower charging.
The Moto Z Play was a more affordable variant of the Moto Z that had a metal and glass design, a 5.5-inch full-HD Super AMOLED display, a Qualcomm Snapdragon 625 processor, 3GB of RAM, 32GB of internal storage (expandable up to 2TB via microSD card), a fingerprint scanner, a USB Type-C port, and a water-repellent coating. It had a 16-megapixel rear camera with laser autofocus, PDAF, dual-LED flash, and f/2.0 aperture, and a 5-megapixel front camera with LED flash and f/2.2 aperture. It had a non-removable Li-Ion battery with a capacity of 3,510mAh that supported TurboPower charging.
The Moto Z and Moto Z Play were some of the best phones of 2016 in India, as they offered a unique and futuristic design, a smooth and responsive performance, a crisp and vivid display, a secure and convenient fingerprint scanner, and a versatile and fun modular system. They also ran on Android 6.0 Marshmallow which was close to stock and offered some useful features like Moto Display, Moto Voice, Moto Actions, and Moto Gestures. The Moto Z was launched in India at Rs. 39,999, while the Moto Z Play was launched in India at Rs. 24,999.
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Samsung Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 Edge
Samsung, the South Korean smartphone giant, launched its flagship devices, the Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 Edge, in India in March 2016. These phones were the successors of the Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 Edge and improved upon them in many aspects. The Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 Edge had a metal and glass design, with a curved back and a water and dust-resistant body (IP68 rating). They also brought back the microSD card slot and the 3.5mm headphone jack that was missing in the previous generation.
The Galaxy S7 had a 5.1-inch quad-HD Super AMOLED display, while the Galaxy S7 Edge had a 5.5-inch quad-HD Super AMOLED display with curved edges that offered some additional features like Edge Panels, Edge Lighting, and Edge Feeds. Both phones were powered by the Exynos 8890 octa-core processor in India, along with 4GB of RAM and 32GB or 64GB of internal storage. They also had a fingerprint scanner embedded in the home button, a heart rate sensor at the back, and a USB Type-C port at the bottom.
The Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 Edge had one of the best cameras of 2016, with a 12-megapixel rear sensor and a 5-megapixel front sensor, both with f/1.7 aperture and dual-pixel technology. The rear camera also had OIS, PDAF, LED flash, and a new Pro mode that offered manual controls over various settings. The front camera also had a wide-angle lens and a selfie flash feature. The cameras were capable of capturing stunning photos and videos in various lighting conditions, especially in low-light scenarios.
The Galaxy S7 had a non-removable Li-Ion battery with a capacity of 3,000mAh, while the Galaxy S7 Edge had a non-removable Li-Ion battery with a capacity of 3,600mAh. Both phones supported wireless charging and fast charging via Adaptive Fast Charging technology.
The Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 Edge were some of the best phones of 2016 in India, as they offered a gorgeous and durable design, a powerful and smooth performance, a brilliant and immersive display, a secure and fast fingerprint scanner, and a superb and versatile camera. They also ran on Android 6.0 Marshmallow with Samsung’s TouchWiz UI on top, which offered some useful features like Always On Display, Game Launcher, Smart Manager, and Samsung Pay. The Galaxy S7 was launched in India at Rs. 48,900, while the Galaxy S7 Edge was launched in India at Rs. 56,900.
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Xiaomi Redmi Note 3
Xiaomi, the Chinese smartphone maker that is popular for its affordable and feature-rich devices, launched its best-selling phone of 2016 in India in March 2016: the Redmi Note 3. This phone was a budget beast that offered a metal unibody design, a 5.5-inch full-HD IPS LCD display, a Qualcomm Snapdragon 650 hexacore processor, 2GB or 3GB of RAM, 16GB or 32GB of internal storage (expandable up to 128GB via microSD card), a fingerprint scanner at the back, an IR blaster at the top, and a micro-USB port at the bottom.
The Redmi Note 3 had a 16-megapixel rear camera with PDAF, dual-LED flash, and f/2.0 aperture, and a 5-megapixel front camera with f/2.0 aperture. The cameras were decent for the price range, but not exceptional. The Redmi Note 3 had a non-removable Li-Po battery with a capacity of 4,050mAh that supported fast charging via Quick Charge 2.0 technology.
The Redmi Note 3 was one of the best phones of 2016 in India, as it offered a premium and sturdy design, a fast and reliable performance, a sharp and bright display, a secure and accurate fingerprint scanner, and a massive and long-lasting battery. It also ran on Android 5.1 Lollipop with Xiaomi’s MIUI 7 on top, which offered some customizations and features like Second Space, Dual Apps, Mi Remote, and Mi Cloud. The Redmi Note 3 was launched in India at Rs. 9,999 for the 2GB/16GB variant and Rs. 11,999 for the 3GB/32GB variant.
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Lenovo K6 Note
Lenovo, another Chinese smartphone maker that acquired Motorola in 2014, launched its mid-range device, the K6 Note, in India in December 2016. This phone offered a metal body, a 5.5-inch full-HD IPS LCD display, a Qualcomm Snapdragon 430 octa-core processor, 3GB or 4GB of RAM, 32GB of internal storage (expandable up to 128GB via microSD card), a fingerprint scanner at the back, a Dolby Atmos audio system, and a micro-USB port at the bottom.
The K6 Note had a 16-megapixel rear camera with PDAF, dual-LED flash, and f/2.2 aperture, and an 8-megapixel front camera with f/2.2 aperture. The cameras were good for the price range, but not outstanding. The K6 Note had a non-removable Li-Po battery with a capacity of 4,000mAh that supported fast charging via Rapid Charge technology.
The K6 Note was one of the best phones of 2016 in India, as it offered a sleek and solid design, a decent and smooth performance, a clear and loud display, a secure and handy fingerprint scanner, and a huge and durable battery. It also ran on Android 6.0 Marshmallow with Lenovo’s Vibe UI on top, which offered some features like Secure Zone, Knock to Light, and TheaterMax. The K6 Note was launched in India at Rs. 13,999 for the 3GB/32GB variant and Rs. 15,499 for the 4GB/32GB variant.
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LG G5
LG, the South Korean smartphone maker that is known for its innovative and experimental devices, launched its flagship device, the G5, in India in June 2016. This phone was the first to feature a modular design, which allowed the user to swap out the bottom part of the phone and attach different modules that enhanced its functionality. Some of the modules available in India were the LG Cam Plus, which added physical buttons and extra battery for the camera, and the LG Hi-Fi Plus, which added a high-quality audio DAC and amplifier for the sound.
The G5 also had a metal body with a removable battery, a 5.3-inch quad-HD IPS LCD display with Always On feature, a Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 processor, 4GB of RAM, 32GB of internal storage (expandable up to 2TB via microSD card), a fingerprint scanner at the back, an IR blaster at the top, and a USB Type-C port at the bottom.
The G5 had a dual-camera system at the back, with one 16-megapixel sensor with OIS, laser autofocus, LED flash, and f/1.8 aperture, and one 8-megapixel sensor with wide-angle lens and f/2.4 aperture. The dual-camera system enabled wide-angle shots up to 135 degrees and zoom-in shots up to 8x. The G5 also had an 8-megapixel front camera with f/2.0 aperture. The cameras were excellent for capturing photos and videos in various modes and settings. The G5 had a removable Li-Ion battery with a capacity of 2,800mAh that supported wireless charging and fast charging via Quick Charge 3.0 technology.
The G5 was one of the best phones of 2016 in India, as it offered a unique and futuristic design, a powerful and smooth performance, a sharp and bright display, a secure and fast fingerprint scanner, and an amazing and versatile camera. It also ran on Android 6.0 Marshmallow with LG’s UX 5.0 on top, which offered some features like Smart Bulletin, Smart Settings, and LG Friends Manager. The G5 was launched in India at Rs. 52,990.
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Huawei P9
Huawei, the Chinese smartphone maker that is also the world’s third-largest smartphone vendor, launched its flagship device, the P9, in India in August 2016. This phone was the first to feature a dual-camera system co-engineered with Leica, the German camera maker that is renowned for its high-quality lenses and optics. The P9 had a metal body with a 2.5D glass front, a 5.2-inch full-HD IPS LCD display, a HiSilicon Kirin 955 octa-core processor, 3GB of RAM, 32GB of internal storage (expandable up to 256GB via microSD card), a fingerprint scanner at the back, an IR blaster at the top, and a USB Type-C port at the bottom.
The P9 had a dual-camera system at the back, with two 12-megapixel sensors: one RGB sensor and one monochrome sensor, both with f/2.2 aperture and Leica optics. The dual-camera system enabled better color accuracy, contrast, and detail in photos and videos, as well as a bokeh effect that blurred the background and focused on the subject.
The P9 also had an 8-megapixel front camera with f/2.4 aperture and Leica optics. The cameras were excellent for capturing photos and videos in various modes and settings, especially in low-light scenarios. The P9 had a non-removable Li-Ion battery with a capacity of 3,000mAh that supported fast charging via Huawei’s SuperCharge technology.
The P9 was one of the best phones of 2016 in India, as it offered a stylish and elegant design, a smooth and efficient performance, a sharp and vivid display, a secure and fast fingerprint scanner, and an outstanding and professional camera. It also ran on Android 6.0 Marshmallow with Huawei’s EMUI 4.1 on top, which offered some features like Knuckle Sense, Smart Key, and Huawei Share. The P9 was launched in India at Rs. 39,999.
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HTC 10
HTC, the Taiwanese smartphone maker that is known for its premium and innovative devices, launched its flagship device, the HTC 10, in India in May 2016. This phone offered a metal unibody design with chamfered edges, a 5.2-inch quad-HD Super LCD5 display with Corning Gorilla Glass 4 protection, a Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 processor, 4GB of RAM, 32GB or 64GB of internal storage (expandable up to 256GB via microSD card), a fingerprint scanner embedded in the home button, an IR blaster at the top, and a USB Type-C port at the bottom.
The HTC 10 had one of the best audio systems of 2016, with BoomSound Hi-Fi Edition speakers that delivered rich and loud sound output, and Hi-Res Audio-certified earphones that offered high-quality sound input. The HTC 10 also had a 12-megapixel rear camera with OIS, laser autofocus, dual-LED flash, f/1.8 aperture, and UltraPixel technology.
The rear camera also had a Pro mode that offered manual controls over various settings. The HTC 10 also had a 5-megapixel front camera with OIS, autofocus, f/1.8 aperture, and UltraPixel technology. The cameras were great for capturing photos and videos in various modes and settings. The HTC 10 had a non-removable Li-Ion battery with a capacity of 3,000mAh that supported wireless charging and fast charging via Quick Charge 3.0 technology.
The HTC 10 was one of the best phones of 2016 in India, as it offered a premium and sturdy design, a powerful and smooth performance, a brilliant and sharp display, a secure and fast fingerprint scanner, and an awesome and immersive audio system. It also ran on Android 6.0 Marshmallow with HTC’s Sense UI on top, which offered some features like BlinkFeed, Sense Home, and Freestyle Layout. The HTC 10 was launched in India at Rs. 52,990.
In conclusion, These were some of the best phones of 2016 in India, based on their performance, features, design, and value for money. However, there were many other phones that were launched in 2016 that could also be considered as good options, depending on the user’s preferences and budget. Some of these phones were the Samsung Galaxy Note 7, the Moto G4 Plus, the LeEco Le Max 2, the Asus Zenfone 3, and the Oppo F1s. These phones had their own strengths and weaknesses and offered different experiences to the users.
The year 2016 was a remarkable year for the Indian smartphone market, as it witnessed the launch of many exciting and innovative devices across different price segments. The competition among the smartphone makers was intense, and the consumers had a lot of choices to choose from. The smartphone industry also faced some challenges and controversies, such as the Galaxy Note 7’s battery explosion issue, the iPhone 7’s headphone jack removal, and the demonetization effect on sales. However, these did not stop the smartphone makers from delivering some of the best phones of 2016 in India.