My Ideal Smartphone of 2016

I know the holidays have recently come and gone, but I am already getting my wish list filled out for this year.  My ideal smartphone of 2016 wish list.

With Mobile World Congress just a month away, the rumor mill is in full throttle for what we can expect from our favorite tech companies.

Virtual reality devices are the hot topic, but let’s not forget about smartphones.  While they seem to be somewhat plateauing in features and design, I can’t help but get excited for what 2016 has in store for us.  Literally.

One of the biggest announcements is that LG will finally take Samsung head-on this year at Mobile World Congress and unveil their LG G5 which is rumored to have a radically different design.

You know what also is radical?  My thoughts on what the perfect smartphone would be.  Radical of course being a 90’s adjective meaning “awesome” and not a “person who advocates fundamental political, economic, and social reforms by direct and often uncompromising methods” according to Dictionary.com.

Here is my laundry list of features that I want:

Stereo speakers by HTC

Of course this is at the top of my list because I’m a bit of a sound junkie.  If I’m listening to music it better sound fantastic and that is exactly what HTC has managed to do with their smartphones.

Ever since the HTC One M7 debuted in 2013, every one of their devices have had, the now iconic, BoomSound speakers and have continued to get better every year.

Speakers on the front of the device make media intake extremely enjoyable and are less prone to being covered up when holding it in your hand.

Camera by LG

I am infatuated with LG’s camera.  The G4 had an amazing camera and was the defining feature of the device.  It always put a smile on my face.

Everything from the plethora of settings, to the speed of the camera, and the quality of the images made it an absolute delight to use.

Customization by Motorola

Motorola is the only company that offers a service like Moto Maker.  When you buy a Moto X or Moto G from their website you have the option to customize the entire thing, right down the personal greeting when you power on the device.  The custom phone comes at no additional cost and is truly one-of-a-kind.

Want it in red with a black front?  Go for it.  Maybe blue and white?  Sure.  How about pink accents with a bamboo back?  Of course you can!

There are also storage options to choose from, personal engraving, and with the Turbo 2 you can send it back and re-do the customization once.

 Waterproof by Sony

Ok so Sony does a lot of things right with their devices, but I’d have to say that their stand-out feature is that most of the Xperia phones are IP65/68 certified.

These two ratings mean that the phone can withstand jets of water from every angle such as a running faucet, shower head, etc and be submerged for an extended amount of time in fresh water.

I’ve given my Sony Z3v the plunge in my aquarium and it has survived like a champ.  I also wash it off in the sink to clean it or if it gets a bit too hot.  You really can’t do that with other phones.

I don’t want water-repellent.  I want waterproof and that is what Sony offers.

Stock Android by Google…a Nexus

I simply prefer Android for my smartphone over iOS.  For tablets it is the other way around.

Android should also be completely up-to-date to make sure your device is safe and secure.

When an Android has different skins applied to it, updates can take longer to roll out.  They can take even longer when the device is sold through a wireless carrier because the update has to be authorized as “safe” for the network.

A Nexus phone will get the updates that I desire.  Straight from Google themselves and on-time.

Smart stylus by Samsung

When I reviewed the Galaxy Note 5 the one thing that I found that I used most was the S-Pen.

A stylus?  Really?   That’s what you want from Samsung?

Yup.  They made it work wonders.

I’d want some of the included S-Pen software to really make the device shine.

I consider the Note 5 the King of Productivity.  Having an included stylus with appropriate Samsung software would make my ideal smartphone awesome.

SD card by Microsoft?

I’m not really sure where I was going with this, but I do know that I want an SD card in my phone of 2016.

Microsoft’s Windows Phones all have SD card slots.  Seriously, even the lowest end devices have expandable storage.  It seems like they genuinely believe extra physical storage is required for the user.  That is something I can definitely get behind.

For good measure let’s just say that my ideal smartphone could also dual-boot Android and Windows 10 Mobile.  Ok?  Does that sound better than just asking for a $45 SD card?

Designed by Apple/HTC

I want these two companies to get together and make an absolutely gorgeous smartphone for 2016.

Make it from incredibly durable aluminum that feels premium

Don’t make it huge, make it easy to hold in my hand.

With Apple taking design pointers from HTC’s One and HTC taking design ideas from Apple’s iPhone, I bet they would get along just fine.

Screen by Motorola

Corning Gorilla Glass 4 is cool and all, but Motorola upped the ante with their ShatterShield display that is guaranteed to not crack for five whole years.

I’m sold.

Battery by Motorola/Sony/LG

The two big kids on the block when it comes to battery life.  Both Motorola and Sony are about the only ones who are even touching the two-day mark for their devices.

Big, beefy batteries that can be turbo charged.

Sony’s STAMINA mode to really make the device stretch the battery to its limits.

The battery would of course be removable thanks to LG.

I can only imagine how great it would be.

Processor by Qualcomm

Pretty much every flagship today has a 6-8 core processor designed by Qualcomm.  Snapdragon has actually become a bit of a household name among mainstream consumers.

Only a few devices have home-built processors which can really shrink dev support.

RAM by Samsung

I trust Samsung to make high-quality RAM.  Throw in 4GB and I’m set.

There.  Two things that I want from Samsung.

Sold by Motorola/Apple

Let it be sold in a physical retail store dedicated to the manufacturer, not the wireless carrier.  It will make customer support easier.

Make it unlocked and available on all carriers like Apple and Motorola.  Easy peasy.

Marketed by 2015 Google and 2013 Apple

Lately Apple’s commercials and marketing have been a bit…off.  I want them  to go back to those great commercials that were unobtrusive.  Give me some of that Apple soul and love that I remember.  Like this one:

Flash forward a few years and Google’s marketing has skyrocketed.  You actually see ads on television during prime-time events that make you want to go out and buy a Google device.

That is still my favorite from 2015.

And that wraps up my Fantasyland, USA dream phone of 2016!  Will it ever be made?  Definitely not.  Will anything come close to it?  Probably.  This year?  Good gosh I hope so.

I hope you enjoyed it.

What would your ideal smartphone be?  Let me know in the comments below!