For the past few years, the MySmartPrice Best of Tech Awards have aimed to reflect how Indian consumers actually experience technology. Instead of focusing only on specifications or launch-day hype, our awards have consistently highlighted products that deliver strong real-world performance, meaningful innovation, and genuine value across price segments.
As we step into the 2025 edition, the smartphone category remains the most dynamic and competitive space in consumer tech. From affordable 5G phones built around reliability and battery life, to flagships pushing boundaries in cameras, AI, and form factors, brands have clearly raised the bar this year.
Unlike traditional awards where winners are decided behind closed doors, the MySmartPrice Best of Tech Awards are driven by users’ choice. For 2025, we are announcing the nominees across key smartphone categories and inviting readers to vote for the devices and brands they believe truly stood out this year.
The Voting line is now open. Scroll through the categories below, understand what defined smartphone innovation in 2025, and vote for the phones and brands you believe truly stood out.
Phone of the Year (Under ₹15,000)
In 2025, the under ₹15,000 segment remained the most aggressive and competitive space in India’s smartphone market. This is where brands are expected to deliver dependable performance, strong battery life, usable cameras, and increasingly, 5G support, all without pushing prices upward.
The phones nominated in this category stood out by getting the fundamentals right and offering the kind of consistency and value that matters most to mass-market buyers. Explore the nominees below and vote for the smartphone you think delivered the best overall experience under ₹15,000 in 2025.
Phone of the Year (₹15,000 – ₹25,000)
In 2025, the ₹15,000 to ₹25,000 segment remained the most practical upgrade zone for Indian smartphone buyers. This is where users looked for noticeable improvements over entry-level phones, including better cameras, smoother performance, faster charging, and more polished software experiences, while still staying firmly within a value-focused budget. The nominees in this category stood out by delivering meaningful upgrades that improved everyday use without pushing buyers into higher price brackets. Check out the nominees below and vote for the smartphone you think offered the most sensible upgrade in the ₹15,000 to ₹25,000 range in 2025.
Phone of the Year (₹25,000 – ₹35,000)
In 2025, the ₹25,000 to ₹35,000 category became the true value-driven performance segment of the smartphone market. Buyers in this range expected solid performance headroom, dependable cameras, high-quality displays, and refined software without paying flagship prices. The nominees in this category stood out by offering the most complete and reliable overall experience, making them strong picks for users who wanted long-term value rather than headline features. Explore the nominees below and vote for the smartphone you believe delivered the best all-round value in the ₹25,000 to ₹35,000 segment in 2025.
Phone of the Year (₹35,000 – ₹50,000)
In 2025, the ₹35,000 to ₹50,000 segment served as a clear step up from value-driven smartphones, focusing on refinement rather than radical upgrades. Buyers in this range looked for better build quality, more reliable camera systems, improved displays, and performance that could comfortably handle long-term daily use. The nominees in this category stood out by offering a noticeably more polished experience, making them strong choices for users ready to move beyond mid-range phones without entering flagship pricing. Review the nominees below and vote for the smartphone you believe delivered the best step-up experience in the ₹35,000 to ₹50,000 range in 2025.
Flagship Phone of the Year
In 2025, flagship smartphones were firmly positioned as premium devices built around top-tier hardware, advanced camera systems, and long-term software and ecosystem support. This category represents phones priced well above mainstream segments, where brands focused on pushing boundaries through innovation, design, performance, and increasingly, on-device AI capabilities. The nominees in this category stood out by delivering the most complete and forward-looking smartphone experiences of the year. Explore the flagship nominees below and vote for the phone you believe truly defined the flagship smartphone experience in 2025.
Compact Phone of the Year
2025 marked a clear comeback for compact smartphones, as more users began prioritising comfort, one-handed usability, and pocket-friendly designs without sacrificing performance. After years of oversized devices dominating the market, brands responded with smaller phones that still delivered strong cameras, capable processors, and refined software experiences. The nominees in this category stood out by proving that compact phones can be practical daily drivers rather than compromises. Explore the nominees below and vote for the compact smartphone that impressed you the most in 2025.
Gaming Phone of the Year (Under ₹35,000)
In 2025, gaming-focused smartphones under ₹35,000 moved beyond niche appeal and into the mainstream. Buyers in this segment looked for sustained performance, effective thermal management, high-refresh-rate displays, and reliable battery life rather than flashy design alone. The nominees in this category stood out by delivering smooth and consistent gameplay over long sessions, making them strong choices for users who game regularly but do not want to pay flagship prices. Check out the nominees below and vote for the gaming phone you believe delivered the best overall experience under ₹35,000 in 2025.
Flagship Gaming Phone of the Year
Flagship gaming smartphones focused on delivering uncompromised performance for extended gaming sessions. This category is defined by top-tier processors, advanced cooling systems, high-refresh-rate displays, and large batteries designed to sustain peak performance without throttling. The nominees in this category stood out by offering the most powerful and consistent gaming experiences available on smartphones this year. Here are the nominees for this category and vote for the flagship gaming phone that sets the benchmark for mobile gaming in 2025.
Foldable Phone of the Year
Foldable smartphones continued to mature in 2025, with a sharper focus on durability, software optimisation, and real-world usability. Rather than being novelty devices, foldables increasingly positioned themselves as productivity tools and premium daily drivers, offering larger displays without permanently increasing pocket size. The nominees in this category stood out by delivering meaningful improvements in design, hinge reliability, and user experience. Review the nominees below and cast your vote for the foldable phone that stood out the most in 2025.
Camera Phone of the Year (Under ₹35,000)
In 2025, camera performance was no longer exclusive to premium smartphones. The under ₹35,000 segment saw significant gains driven by better sensors, improved image processing, and smarter computational photography. Buyers in this category expected reliable results across daylight, low light, and portrait shots, without needing flagship hardware. The nominees here stood out by delivering consistently strong photography experiences that made camera quality a genuine differentiator in the mid-range. Look through the nominees below and vote for the camera phone that impressed you the most under ₹35,000 in 2025.
Flagship Camera Phone of the Year
Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra delivered zoom and versatility leadership. Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max focused on video and consistency. OPPO Find X9 Pro 5G pushed mobile imaging boundaries. vivo X300 Pro highlighted sensor and lens innovation. Motorola Edge 60 Pro offered balanced imaging. realme GT 8 Pro focused on computational photography. Xiaomi 15 Ultra delivered photography-first hardware. POCO F7 5G balanced flagship cameras with pricing. Infinix GT 30 Pro surprised with imaging ambition. Nothing Phone (3) offered a distinct camera style. OnePlus 15 delivered refined camera tuning. iQOO 15 focused on speed and processing. Google Pixel 10 Pro led with AI photography.
Best AI-Powered Smartphone of the Year
Artificial intelligence became a defining part of the smartphone experience, shaping everything from photography and performance optimisation to on-device assistance and personalisation. This category recognises smartphones that used AI in meaningful, user-facing ways rather than as a background feature. The nominees stood out by integrating AI to improve everyday tasks, enhance efficiency, and deliver smarter overall experiences. Take a closer look at the nominees and vote for the smartphone that showcased the most impactful use of AI this year.
Selfie Phone of the Year
Front cameras received renewed attention as video calls, content creation, and social media remained central to how people use smartphones. This category highlights devices that delivered consistently strong selfies through better sensors, improved portrait processing, and reliable video performance. The nominees stood out by offering front-facing cameras that performed well across different lighting conditions and use cases. Have a look at the nominees and cast your vote for the selfie phone that impressed you the most this year.
Most Popular Phone Brand of the Year
Popularity in the smartphone market goes beyond sales numbers, reflecting trust, visibility, and sustained relevance among consumers. This category recognises brands that resonated most strongly with users through product consistency, innovation, and a clear understanding of buyer expectations. The nominees stood out by maintaining strong mindshare and influence across multiple segments. Cast your vote for the phone brand that you believe made the biggest impact with consumers this year.
So don’t wait and select your favourites now.
