Smartphones Awards 2021: The somewhat different award ceremony

Jan Johannsen

28.12.2021

Translation: machine translated

Brow-raising, book-substitute, understudy or pure average, our end-of-2021 smartphone awards are a slightly different review of the year.

The year started for me with the review of the Galaxy S20 FE 5G and ends with the Pixel 6. I am currently taking the latter under the microscope every day, but I cannot promise that my review will still appear in 2021. In between these two devices are many other smartphones that have been remembered in the newsroom for very different reasons. That should suffice as a preface, I open the envelopes with the award winners.

The smartphone that's most like a book, too

If you like to browse books, you'll definitely miss the flip open of the book cover with e-book readers. That lost moment is coming back with the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold3 5G. To look at the 7.6-inch screen, you have to flip open the smartphone. Once you've installed the e-book app of your choice, nothing stands in the way of reading pleasure.

However, closing and opening the Fold3 after each page is no substitute for turning the page.

Most ungrateful understudy of the year

The pandemic has shaken up the theatrical releases, giving the Nokia X20 an unplanned movie role. Actually, the last film starring Daniel Craig as James Bond was supposed to hit theaters in spring 2020. Nokia had certainly put no small amount of money in hand to ensure that 007 in "No Time To Die" would use the Nokia 8.3 5G and no longer a Sony smartphone. However, the movie release kept getting pushed back.

The first postponement by half a year Nokia still accepted. But then it became another year. So it was clear that the Nokia 8.3 would be one and a half years old by the time the film was released - and thus pretty damn old in the smartphone world. A replacement was needed, and so the Nokia XR20 stepped in. As an agent gadget, the more rugged version of the 2021 top model X20 performs better than the fragile variant in our test.

The smartphone with the oldest component

Usually, smartphone manufacturers boast about the latest components. With the Tyrannophone, it's the other way around. Manufacturer Caviar attaches great importance to a particularly old component in its refined iPhone: The tooth of a Tyrannosaurus Rex is integrated into the decoration of the iPhone. While paleontologists are pulling their hair out, someone somewhere with special design preferences is looking forward to this smartphone.

Special price for wasted time

Samsung invites us to an unpacked event on October 20th and our colleague Dominik starts the livestream full of anticipation. But instead of a new Note or S21 FE, the manufacturer only announces a color configurator for the Galaxy Z Flip 3. The disappointment was so great that Dominik had to write it down.

In hindsight, he would rather have wasted his time with the Toten Hosen.

The horror of all SUV boomers

"But use a smartphone" - hardly a silly argument young people had to listen to more often at Fridays for Future demonstrations. But that's over now. From now on, every older relative will have to fall silent when the Fairphone 4 is held up to them. More sustainability is not possible in a smartphone at the moment.

Most tempting little update of the year

Every year the same at the Apple event for the new iPhone. The changes to last year's model are so minor that you can get along just fine without them. On the other hand, they're so great that you want them so badly. This mean marketing strategy gets the iPhone 13 an award.

Best implementation of ideas from motorsport

Starting in 2018, OnePlus worked with McLaren for two or three years. The collaboration was reflected in the OnePlus 6T McLaren, mainly in the design and in a bit more power. Carbon Mobile goes a step further and uses the lightweight and very durable material that protects Formula 1 drivers in a crash in the Carbon 1 MK II.

The manufacturer has managed to get around a problem that doesn't bother anyone in Formula 1. Carbon is an electrical conductor and shields the smartphone. Not good conditions for a device that is supposed to dial into the mobile network and use WLAN and Bluetooth. The Carbon 1 MK II works flawlessly despite a carbon back. However, the rest of the smartphone seems as useful as a Formula 1 car after a crash.

Biggest around-the-corner looker

I used to wait for the right gimmick in the Yps magazine or the Mickey Mouse to be able to look around the corner. Now it works with the smartphone. At least, if the camera is movable like the Asus Zenfone 8 Flip. And since it stands pretty much alone with this feature - apart from its predecessors - it gets this award with its 6.67-inch display without any serious competition.

Average through and through - VW Golf Award

This award isn't about sales figures - then an iPhone or Galaxy S would get this award - but about features. It has to be good enough to use the smartphone every day. On the other hand, it has to be boring enough not to be out of the ordinary. And what could be more fitting than the smartphone we've named the new standard for the mid-range in 2021. The OnePlus North 2 is the VW Golf of smartphones - if you don't look at the sales figures. There, the average car does much better.

What award would you give to a smartphone? Let us know in the comments.

Jan Johannsen

Senior Editor

Jan.Johannsen@galaxus.de

When I was but a young student, I'd sit in my friend's living room with all my classmates and play on his SuperNES. Since then I've had the opportunity to test out all the newest technology for you. I've done reviews at Curved, Computer Bild and Netzwelt, and have now arrived at Galaxus.de. more