Top 10 Most Prominent Trends in the Smartphone Market in 2018

What was once considered a flaw in the iPhone X's design has now become a trend for other companies to follow. Essential Phone, Sharp Aquos S2, Apple iPhone X... all feature a notch on the display to accommodate the front-facing camera and speaker. While Essential Phone and Sharp Aquos S2 opted to notch a portion of the screen to house the front camera, iPhone X boldly carved out a wider notch to accommodate both the camera and the Face ID system, resembling a bunny ears.

At MWC 2018, Asus unveiled the fifth-generation Zenfone with a smaller screen notch, offering a budget-friendly alternative to the iPhone X running iOS on the other side of the battlefield. Huawei also revealed a 'notch' design on their upcoming smartphone model. Meanwhile, smaller players like Doogee, Leagoo, Vernee, Oukitel... have promptly introduced smartphone models embracing this new trend. In the near future, edge-to-edge smartphone designs will likely need to accommodate the notch until manufacturers find suitable solutions for positioning the front camera and familiar sensors. Before finding the perfect spot, manufacturers have opted for compromise solutions, either allowing the screen to have a notch area like on the iPhone X or shrinking the top bezel entirely as seen on the Galaxy S9.

Faced with the rising wave of 'notch' phones, Google recently announced the first Preview of Android P promising to pave the way for smartphones with notched screens by adjusting the position of top screen details to accommodate the notch and supporting app developers to avoid the notch area.

Some manufacturers have adopted a new approach to make users 'live in harmony' with the notch design by hiding it when displaying full-screen content, making the smartphone look less peculiar.

AI, or Artificial Intelligence, is a form of intelligence programmed by humans to make every machine understand and operate similar to how humans use them. Artificial intelligence brings a completely new advancement to machines, enabling them to learn, think, and serve humans. Integrated into the processing chip on smartphones, AI provides the foundation to handle tasks without the need for the internet, acting as a separate processor attached to the system chip but possessing super-fast computational power, easily handling more complex tasks like voice recognition, facial recognition, language translation, or information retrieval.

For example, the A11 Bionic chip on the iPhone X integrates the Neural Engine chip, supporting machine learning algorithms and neural networks, allowing the Face ID system to analyze and recognize faces quickly and accurately at up to 600 billion instructions per second. Moreover, the AI chip also learns and improves facial recognition capabilities over time. Not only the renowned Apple with its Apple Neural Engine but also Huawei with its Kirin 970 chip integrated with AI capabilities allowing the device to process various image recognition tasks and voice communication. Instead of AI in those tasks, OPPO chose to integrate AI for the camera on its smartphones, enabling the creation of more authentic selfie photos.

Almost all major smartphone manufacturers nowadays have made moves to utilize AI. Notable examples include the iPhone X, Pixel 2, Galaxy S9... AI on the iPhone X optimally supports features like Face ID or Animoji, while on Pixel 2, AI delivers excellent portrait mode photography experience without the need for dual cameras. Some mid-range manufacturers like ASUS also integrate AI into their Zenfone 5. This smartphone features various AI technologies, including AI Boost (automatically boosting performance when gaming), AI Photography (learning user habits for photo editing and portrait shots to enhance the camera), AI Display (always-on display and automatic color temperature adjustment based on the environment), and even AI Ringtone (automatically adjusting speaker volume based on ambient noise levels).

AI Artificial Intelligence on smartphones will bring even better experiences for technology users. And undoubtedly, this will be the trend for future smartphone editions.

Chinese smartphone brands are dominating a significant portion of the mid-range phone market by continuously releasing new products with vibrant designs and robust specifications. According to market analysis firm Gartner, in 2017, over 208 million mid-range smartphones were shipped, accounting for about 49% of the total phone market in China. Among them, domestic brands like Huawei, Oppo, Vivo, and Xiaomi held 90% of the market share in the first half of 2018. Five years ago, before entering the Chinese market, Samsung held a 20% market share. However, the current figure has dwindled to only 2% due to increasingly fierce price competition from domestic Android brands.

In recent years, Oppo has primarily developed phones in the mid-range segment and regularly integrated various new technologies into these products. Most recently, the Oppo R17 Pro became the world's first phone equipped with a Time-of-Flight (TOF) sensor, a feature that the premium Oppo Find X lacks. Additionally, Oppo is also developing an application to leverage TOF technology, utilizing 3D sensors for AR features.

In the Vietnamese market, Chinese smartphone brands also consistently introduce products in the mid-range segment. Prominent names like Huawei Nova 3i, Xiaomi Mi 8 Lite, Oppo F9, or Vivo V11i all feature unique designs with color-changing glass backs, good configurations, dual AI-integrated cameras, and various beauty modes.

Moreover, Huawei, Xiaomi, and Oppo have brought sub-brands to Vietnam to enhance competitiveness in specifications. Models such as Honor Play, Pocophone F1, or Realme 2 Pro are equipped with hardware specifications of high-end smartphones but are priced in the mid-range segment, around 6-8 million Vietnamese dong.

Google is making significant efforts to make smartphones more accessible to a wider audience, and the most effective solution is to streamline the Android operating system. Android One is considered the most optimized choice currently available as this customized operating system offers many benefits. In fact, many Android smartphones have already appeared on the market and received positive feedback.

Smooth performance is the primary demand of smartphone users. And it's fantastic that today's Android One phones all run smoothly. There are two reasons for this: first, Google has customized Android One to be lighter, and secondly, Google also checks the performance of smartphones participating in the Android One program. Furthermore, Android One itself is based on the original interface, so the pure Google interface is very lightweight and does not require too many resources.

All Android One phones currently have very competitive prices. Although not all Android One smartphones are in the low-price segment, compared to products in the same price range, Android One phones usually have better technical specifications, both in terms of configuration and camera. There is a hypothesis that Google subsidizes products participating in the Android One program. However, regardless of the reason, the fact that affordable Android One phones are easier for users to access cannot be denied.

One of the things that Android users envy about iOS is that Android phones are rarely updated, and the time to update the operating system is very long. However, if you use an Android One device, you will always enjoy the pleasure of continuously receiving new Android updates. Immediately after Google releases a new version of Android, Android One phones will receive the update. Currently, all Android One devices are running on the latest Android 8.1 Oreo. Moreover, you can even experience the Android 9 Beta OS on some Android One devices.

Not only are they updated promptly, but Android One devices are also committed to receiving software updates for at least 2 years from their launch date. This is important as your phone will regularly receive bug fix updates, new features to make the system more stable. A regular cheap Android smartphone is only supported for a very short period, less than 1 year, and sometimes not even supported for software updates. Therefore, the frequent updates and long-term support of Android One devices are something that users of other products crave.

Lately, glass has become the ultimate choice for premium smartphones, and this trend is expected to expand even further this year. If you've noticed, most premium smartphones launched in 2018 feature glass backs. The Nokia 8 Sirocco, Samsung's Galaxy S9 duo, Sony's Xperia XZ2, ZTE's Blade V9, and Asus's Zenfone 5 all sport glass backs. Last year, LG's V30 and Huawei's Mate 10/Mate 10 Pro used glass, and these companies are expected to continue unveiling smartphones with glass backs this year.

Glass looks beautiful, undoubtedly, but it's also more prone to breakage than aluminum. So why has it become popular and appeared on every premium smartphone model?

• Firstly, glass provides a glossy appearance, and holding a heavier smartphone also gives users a sense of luxury. Surely, everyone wants their device to exude luxury, especially when they're spending up to $1,000 to buy them.
• The second reason is a technological issue. Glass is used instead of aluminum because aluminum is not compatible with wireless charging, a key feature of premium smartphones. Using glass also enhances WiFi, LTE, and Bluetooth signals without the need for visible antenna bands on the phone's frame.
• Lastly, and most importantly, companies will make more money if you break the glass. If you don't purchase AppleCare+ service, you'll have to pay up to $549 to Apple for replacing the back glass of the iPhone X and $279 for the front glass. And if you replace the back glass for the iPhone 8 and 8 Plus, you'll lose $349 and $399, respectively (without AppleCare+). Meanwhile, Samsung charges $199 for front glass replacement and $75 for back glass replacement of the S9 Plus.
• Therefore, if you're planning to buy a premium smartphone in 2018, you'll have to accept that they come with glass backs whether you like it or not. Besides, equip your smartphone with a case to avoid spending a significant amount of money on glass replacement.

Apple has recently introduced the new iPad Pro, with the most significant change being the switch from the Lightning port to USB-C. In recent years, the computer and smartphone industry has witnessed the rise of USB-C ports, also known as USB Type-C. The Universal Serial Bus (USB) was introduced to standardize ports and connectors, aiming to facilitate connections between devices. USB Type-C, or USB-C, is an evolution of USB, bringing changes from design to data transmission capabilities.

USB-C features a reversible design, so users no longer have to worry about plugging in the wrong direction as with traditional USB ports. This design resembles Apple's lightning connector, making it very convenient. Technically, USB-C can transmit data, charge batteries, output video and audio signals, and transmit ethernet network signals. USB-C also supports bidirectional power delivery, meaning you can charge your smartphone from a laptop. Similarly, the new iPad Pro from Apple can be used to charge an iPhone.

Another advantage of USB Type-C is its ability to support connection conversion with other devices. Due to this advantage, on the 2015 MacBook version, Apple boldly removed 5 connection ports including HDMI, VGA, USB, DisplayPort, and the charging port, equipping only one USB Type-C port. However, since not many devices support this connection standard yet, users will need to equip themselves with additional dongle accessories to convert connections to their compatible devices (such as an HDMI monitor or an older USB device). This will be addressed soon as USB-Type-C becomes more widespread in technology products. Recently, Microsoft's two new flagship smartphones, the Lumia 950 and 950 XL, were equipped with a very interesting feature called Windows Continuum, allowing them to connect to the Microsoft Display Dock via the USB Type-C port, thereby enlarging Windows applications like Word, Excel, and Microsoft Edge on an external screen.

Biometric security seems to be taking a step further with fingerprint sensors placed beneath the screen. This is a fantastic way to maintain edge-to-edge screen designs while still retaining fingerprint unlocking functionality on the front, thereby creating differentiation and enhancing convenience.

Huawei recently launched the Honor 10 with an ultrasonic sensor beneath the glass, and earlier this year, Vivo introduced the X20 Plus with a fingerprint sensor placed beneath the screen. These solutions will provide users with a better experience and lower production costs as they can be placed directly on the screen of smartphones with edge-to-edge designs, without the need to cut out a portion of the screen space for them.

However, due to using optical sensors beneath the screen or beneath the glass to recognize fingerprints, the fingerprint recognition speed is noticeably slower compared to conventional fingerprint readers, which use capacitive sensors. This may be why Samsung has refrained from equipping their flagship devices, such as the Samsung Galaxy S9 and S9 Plus, with these types of fingerprint sensors.

The trend of smartphones featuring multiple cameras is heating up as more and more manufacturers are willing to equip two, three, or even four lenses on the back of the device to enhance its photography capabilities. Clearly, manufacturers have not hesitated to equip smartphones with multiple cameras, each with different purposes, to enhance competitiveness in their own way. And once everyone is equipped with dual cameras... some manufacturers with sufficient capabilities seek to surpass others by equipping even more lenses to increase flexibility and improve camera quality on smartphones.

One of the first smartphones equipped with three rear cameras is the Huawei P20 Pro, which made efforts to improve photo shooting capabilities with its trio of 40MP, 20MP, and 8MP cameras. The emergence of the P20 Pro is a specific illustration of how a multi-camera system works together to produce interesting results. That is the ability to improve photo quality through the combination of monochrome and color sensors working together to produce high-resolution images to provide zoom effects with guaranteed image quality.

Not only does it help create high-resolution images, but a multi-camera system on smartphones also offers more flexible photography capabilities. The Galaxy A9 2018 (A9s) even has four rear cameras, superior to the Galaxy A7 2018 in terms of 2x optical zoom capability thanks to the addition of a 10MP sensor with a telephoto lens...

High-detail images, optical zoom capability, and support for portrait mode photography are some of the important requirements for the imaging capabilities of modern smartphones, and multi-camera technology can achieve all of these goals.

Instead of using individual cameras, combining multiple cameras on a smartphone brings advanced and flexible photography capabilities that could be the future of mobile phone photography. Not stopping there, a multi-camera system also promises to meet many other functions such as improving facial recognition, scene recognition, or better serving augmented reality (AR) technology...

We've become quite familiar with the term 'fast charging' in 2018. With battery life improvements lagging behind, fast charging provides quick energy replenishment for devices in our busy lives, which are now heavily reliant on smartphones. Fast charging is a technology that reduces phone charging time by increasing the amount of electricity fed into the device. The basic USB port standard only delivers 0.5A current at 5V voltage, which translates to 2.5W power, fast charging boosts these figures. For example, Huawei's SuperCharge offers 5V/5A (25W) power, Samsung's Adaptive Fast Charging is 9V/1.7A (15W).

No longer limited to flagship models, many budget and mid-range smartphones like Nokia 6.1 Plus and Motorola One Power now feature fast charging support. In addition to Qualcomm's Quick Charge, many OEMs have introduced their own exclusive fast charging standards.

OPPO's VOOC Flash Charge system can charge the battery from 0 to 75% in just 30 minutes. Similarly, OnePlus introduced the Warp Charge 30 technology with the recent launch of the OnePlus 6T McLaren edition, promising to charge from 0 to 50% in just 20 minutes.

Fast charging leverages the initial stage, trying to pump as much power into the device as possible before the voltage peaks. This makes fast charging effective only if plugged in when the battery is low (less than 50%), whereas when the battery is still high (around 70-80%) and plugged in, fast charging hardly has any effect. The constant current phase also has the least impact on battery life. When the voltage peaks and remains constant, combined with high temperature, it will affect the battery in the long run.

The amount of voltage and current transmitted to the battery is managed through the charging control circuit in the phone. Along with temperature and voltage sensors, the controller can manage the current flow to optimize charging speed while still ensuring battery life.

The dominance of Apple and Samsung has never been so strongly challenged, as Chinese manufacturers release products that are both affordable and innovative. A worrying sign for the giants - those who have dominated the $500 billion smartphone market for years. China's Huawei Technology has surpassed Apple to become the world's second-largest smartphone manufacturer. Now, they aim to claim the number one spot from Samsung. Not to mention, a host of other manufacturers are also rapidly catching up, such as Oppo, Xiaomi, Vivo...

One of the most promising potential markets today is India, which is witnessing a surge of Chinese smartphones. Indian smartphone brands like Micromax, iBall, and Intex are gradually disappearing from the smartphone market. Indian manufacturers have been heavily impacted by the rapid rise of Chinese OEMs, especially Xiaomi, Realme, and OPPO.