Update: We finally come to the last awards for our smartphone categories. The Best Phone of the Year award only goes to that smartphone that have excelled in every aspect, including new technological innovations, refined experience, flagship-grade performance, and more. This is why our prestigious jury has selected Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra to be the Phone of the Year!
Winner: Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra
The Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra is the best smartphone that Korean brand has ever created. The phone is a perfect example of how balanced a phone can be. From beautiful display to power-packed hardware and flagship-grade cameras, Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra has earned the title of the best Phone of the Year.
Original story follows…
The smartphone is arguably one of the most important consumer gadgets of today. The reliability, performance, and functionality of phones today have advanced to the point where they can be used by virtually anyone as a computing device of any kind. In 2022, we have seen a sea of smartphones that were projected by the brands to be the best. However, only a select few were able to make it to Indian Gadgets Awards 2022. This category is perhaps the most challenging for our jury as the options that you get are just overwhelming. The year 2022 saw the introduction of new technologies, faster charging speeds, better computing capabilities, refined camera experience, and more. This is why our jury has handpicked these smartphones that are worthy to be called Phone of the Year. Check out the nominations to see whether your favourite smartphone is on this list or not!
Phone of the Year 2022 – Indian Gadget Awards Nominees
- Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra
- Google Pixel 7 Pro
- Apple iPhone 14 Pro Max
- Vivo X80 Pro
- Xiaomi 12 Pro 5G
- Motorola Edge 30 Ultra
- Samsung Galaxy Z Fold4
- Samsung Galaxy Z Flip4
- OnePlus 10 Pro 5G
- iQOO 9 Pro
- Realme GT 2 Pro
Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra
Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra is probably one of the best flagship smartphones from the company. The handset is one big smartphone with a large 6.8-inch AMOLED display, so clearly, it is not meant for everyone. However, once you get the hang of it, you will find it a pretty easy replacement for a tablet. This coupled with a powerful Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 processor and up to 12GB of RAM and 256GB of internal storage, makes it one of the fastest smartphones in the country.
The handset also offers flagship-grade cameras. It packs a 108MP primary sensor and two 12MP sensors that offer up to 100x Space Zoom, which is quite exceptional. Moreover, you also get S-Pen support, which makes it the first Galaxy S-series that boast in-built support that can be used for taking notes and more. Moreover, the phone also packs a large 5,000mAh battery, which offers 45W wired fast charging, 25W wireless charging, and 10W reverse wireless charging support.
Google Pixel 7 Pro
Google Pixel 7 Pro is a testament to evolution! With the latest smartphone, Google offers an unbeatable user experience with its stock Android skin and top-of-the-line camera systems. The phone features a triple-camera setup with a 50MP main wide-angle lens, a 48MP telephoto lens, and a 12MP ultra-wide-angle camera. The cameras are not only the only highlight of this device.
The Google Pixel 7 Pro is powered by the company's in-house Tensor G2 processor, which offers excellent performance in every aspect. This coupled with a large 6.7-inch AMOLED QHD+ display, makes it a delight for consuming multimedia content. In terms of security, the phone is also one of the safest phones that boast a Titan M2 security chipset, making it a desirable phone in this price range.
Apple iPhone 14 Pro Max
Apple iPhone 14 Pro Max is currently the most sophisticated iPhone to date. The latest iPhone is a testament to an ideal smartphone in India. The latest model from the company is equipped with cutting-edge features and powerful hardware. The new Pro Max variant features a premium design language as well as a 6.1-inch OLED Super Retina XDR display. The smartphone is powered by the iPhone 16 Bionic CPU, complementing a 5-core GPU.
The iPhone 14 Pro Max is the first iPhone to have a 48MP triple-camera setup, as well as 12MP ultra-wide and 12MP telephoto sensors. The front of the phone has a Dynamic Island notch. The smartphone features a 256GB internal storage capacity. The iPhone 14 Pro Max’s battery life is more significant than its predecessor’s, which makes it one of the iPhones that Apple has ever made.
Vivo X80 Pro
The Vivo X80 Pro is probably one of the best flagship smartphones from Vivo that offers a complete package. The phone comes with a quad-camera setup with ZEISS branding that makes it a stellar camera-centric smartphone. You get a 50MP primary sensor, a 48MP ultra-wide-angle lens, a 12MP gimbal portrait lens, and an 8MP periscope sensor. The ZEISS and Vivo teams have created a camera that is suitable for both professional and amateur photographers. The integrated Vivo V1+ professional photography chip also contributes to the overall performance.
Apart from this, the handset is also power-packed with other features. It has a 6.78-inch AMOLED display with a QHD+ resolution and 120Hz refresh rate. The handset is powered by the flagship-grade Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 processor. It also features a 4,700mAh battery with 80W wired fast charging and 50W wireless charging support. Overall, the Vivo X80 Pro is a stellar smartphone that has been rightly chosen for IGA 2022 awards.
Xiaomi 12 Pro 5G
The Xiaomi 12 Pro is currently the latest and the greatest smartphone from Xiaomi. The handset is equipped with a gorgeous 6.73-inch QHD+ AMOLED display that allows you to watch high-quality content with much ease. The smartphone is also excellent in the camera department, where you get a 50MP Sony IMX707 main camera, a 50MP ultra-wide angle lens with a 115-degree field of view and a 50MP telephoto lens.
The smartphone is also powered by the top-of-the-line Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 processor that offers flagship performance in every aspect. Moreover, you get a 4,6000mAh battery that supports a whopping 120W fast charging. Given the phone’s camera and hardware capabilities, Xiaomi has managed to undercut its competitors while introducing an all-rounder that can take up any challenge.
Motorola Edge 30 Ultra
The Motorola Edge 30 Ultra is the new champion from the company that brings drastic changes to its design language and form factor. The brand has left no stone unturned for this smartphone when it comes to its design. You get a beautiful and gorgeous rear panel, while the front offers a bezel-less display. The Motorola Edge 30 Ultra packs a 6.67-inch Full HD+ pOLED display with a 144Hz refresh rate, which makes it a great handset for multimedia consumption.
The handset is also loaded with flagship-grade cameras that include a 200MP Samsung HP1 primary sensor, a 50MP ultra-wide-angle lens, and a 12MP telephoto shooter. The good thing here is that the phone also supports up to 8K and 4k HDR10+ video recording. Moreover, you also get a 4610 mAh battery with 125W wired fast charging, 50W wireless charging and 10W reverse wireless charging support.
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4
The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 is the most-innovative smartphone of 2022. The foldable smartphone from Samsung is a testament to how technological advancement can be accessible to the general public. The Galaxy Z Fold 4 has two displays. One large cover display offers 2K resolution and a large foldable main display provides exceptional colours. The company has not stopped here, it went one step ahead with the specifications. The Galaxy Z Fold 4 is powered by the latest octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 processor, which offers great performance and 12 gigs of RAM. The phone is seriously a ‘PC in your pocket'!
The all-new camera system is also a significant improvement. A 50MP primary lens with night vision is included, a 10MP secondary lens with a 3x telephoto lens (30x hybrid zoom), and a 12MP ultra-wide lens. For selfies, there is a 4MP under-display camera and a 10MP cover camera. The battery of the Galaxy Z Fold4 is 4,400mAh and supports 25W fast charging, 11W wireless charging, and 4.5W reverse wireless charging.
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 4
The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 4 is a sensible, practical, foldable smartphone from Samsung. The handset offers a clamshell-like folding mechanism that is smooth and makes it easy to carry in your pocket. Moreover, you get an intelligent hinge design, and the smartphone outrightly looks premium from all angles. The Galaxy Z Flip 4 also features a great set of specifications and features. You get a long 6.7-inch primary display and a 1.9-inch cover display. The phone is powered by the flagship chipset: Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Plus Gen 1. It also features a dual-camera setup on the rear panel with two 12MP sensors, and a 10MP selfie shooter is onboarded as well.
OnePlus 10 Pro 5G
The OnePlus 10 Pro 5G is yet another contender for the phone of the year at IGA 2022. The device is fully-loaded with features that make it one of the best smartphones in 2022. Most importantly, the phone brings a fresh design language, which has been missing in OnePlus smartphones for a while now. Moreover, the 6.7-inch Fluid AMOLED QHD+ display packs a punch and offers vivid colours.
OnePlus flagships have always offered industry-leading processors, and the OnePlus 10 Pro is no different. The smartphone is powered by the best Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 processor, which is paired with 12 gigs of LPDDR5 RAM. Moreover, it is a camera powerhouse with its triple camera setup offering a 48MP primary sensor, a 50MP ultra-wide-angle lens, and an 8MP telephoto shooter. On the front, the handset is equipped with a 32MP shooter for selfies and video calling. This coupled with 80W fast charging support makes it an excellent smartphone in this price range.
iQOO 9 Pro
The iQOO 9 Pro is yet another interesting smartphone that deserves to be in the Phone of the Year nominations. The handset has rightly proved itself as one of the best smartphones in the country that focus on the gaming side as well. You get an intelligent display chip that drastically improves the gaming experience. Moreover, the phone is powered by an octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 processor and offers up to 12GB of RAM. The phone also packs a great combination of cameras that includes a 50MP primary sensor, a 50MP ultra-wide-angle lens, and a 16MP portrait sensor.
Realme GT 2 Pro
Realme introduced its ultimate flagship for 2022 with the launch of the Realme GT 2 Pro. The latest smartphone from the brand is a great example of how a smartphone can boast both a unique design and flagship features. The design of the Realme GT 2 Pro is probably so unique that we might not see any other phone in the future. The phone has a paper-like rear panel on which you can also write. The smartphone is also loaded with flagship-grade features like a triple-camera setup, a Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 processor, a 2K AMOLED display, and more. A great phone that deserves to be on this list!
