Best smartphones to look forward to in 2014

With the pace of smartphone evolution moving so fast, there's always something waiting in the wings. No sooner have you spied the latest handset, but there's anticipation of something else, the next big thing.
We've rounded up the best smartphones for 2013, those we consider to be the best across all platforms, and we've regularly updated that list as the smartphone world has evolved over the last year. You can find those in our Best smartphones 2013 feature.

Here we're looking at those phones that haven't yet launched, those we know are coming, or are anticipated. Some will be rumour, some will be fact, but here we'll cut through the speculation to highlight those phones we really want to see. We'll be updating this list on a regular basis, with those device rumours we think are credible and exciting, and devices just announced but yet to hit the shelves.

HTC M8/new HTC One

We've known since July 2013 that the next HTC flagship handset is referred to internally as the HTC M8, the successor to the M7, the device that became the HTC One. With HTC saying that the "One" name is here to stay, it's safe to predict that the final commercial name will be new HTC One or HTC One (2014) or something like that. That much has been mentioned by a judge in a patent case in the UK, along with a launch date of Q1 2014.
HTC is a creature of habit, so we'd predict that the next-gen HTC One will launch in February 2014. Perhaps not at Mobile World Congress 2014, but within a few weeks of the mobile tradeshow with its own global launch event and we'd expect the shipping date to be the end of March or early April.
As for the specs, it looks like HTC will be bringing the M8 up to mark with a 2.3GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 chipset, a 5-inch 1920 x 1080 pixel resolution display and Android 4.4 KitKat with Sense 6.0. There's little to surprise in there and we suspect most of the attention will be on the metal body construction as HTC looks to repeat the luscious looks of the 2013 HTC One.
We'll be keeping a close eye on HTC and bringing you any news we hear on the next HTC handset.
READ MORE HTC One (M8) release date, rumours and everything you need to know

Sony Xperia Z2/Sirius

Sony used CES 2014 to launch two devices, the Z1 Compact and the Z1S. Neither are a flagship replacement for the Z1. Traditionally Sony has launched a new device at the beginning of the year, but it looks like we're in for an update later in 2014. There are rumours of a new flagship handset, codenamed Sirius, to be launched at Mobile World Congress in February 2014.
The Xperia Z product line has a real strength in design. We love the slim monolitic looks, but felt that the Z1 took things a little too far, with the handset bloating too much to accomodate all the tech within. We'd predict that the Xperia Z2/Sirius will slim things down a little, but keep to a similar, recognisable, design that fits the family.
We'd also expect similar internals to the Z1, with a Qualcomm Snapdragon 800, perhaps 3GB of RAM, a full HD display, with suggestions it might grow to 5.2 inches to match the LG G2. If Sony can do this without growing the size of the phone's body, then it will be an impressive feat. We'd also expect Sony to be supporting 4K video capture with the camera, ready for playback on your Sony 4K TV.
READ MORE Sony Sirius tipped for MWC launch

Sony Xperia Z1S

We'd caught wind of the Sony Xperia Z1S name and that appears to be T-Mobile's (US) variant of the Sony Xperia Z1. Sony announced the new handset at CES 2014 in Las Vegas.
The device will come with a 5-inch full HD display, a Snapdragon 800 processor and 2GB of RAM. It will sport the same waterproofed design as other devices in the Xperia Z family and will be appearing on T-Mobile from 13 January.

Sony Xperia Z1 Compact

We'd heard rumours that there would be a "mini" Xperia Z1 coming. In fact, it launched late in 2013 in Asia with the Xperia Z1F, but has now made the hop to global markets as the Sony Xperia Z1 Compact.
Avoiding the common pitfall of downgrading the specs in the process of making a smaller version of a phone, the Xperia Z1 Compact has the same quad-core chipset and RAM as the Xperia Z1, so you'll be looking at the same sort of power. It also has the same camera and is waterproof too.
About the only negative is that the display resolution drops to 1280 x 720, but on a 4.3-inch display, it'll probably meet your needs. It's likely to be pretty expensive, but at least in going mini you won't have to live with less power or storage.

Nokia Lumia 929/Nokia Lumia Icon

Nokia has been going from strength to strength in 2013, making Windows Phone a much more attractive proposition over the past 12 months. The best device so far has been the Lumia 1520, as it breaks new ground for Windows Phone, pushing the display resolution up and making better use of the space available.
The Nokia Lumia 929 looks to be headed to Verizon to be called the Nokia Lumia Icon, but it appears to plug a gap in the Lumia line-up. That's perhaps difficult to believe, given the number of handsets that Nokia has, but the Lumia Icon will offer a full HD 5-inch display, along with a 20-megapixel PureView camera. That's something that might grab the attention of those getting tired of Android.
If the Lumia 929 appears outside of Verizon - which it probably will - it should give you all the goodness of the Lumia 1520, but in a pocketable package closer in size to the current batch of Android flagship devices. Now that's an exciting proposition.

Samsung Galaxy S5

For many, the hottest handset on the horizon will be the Samsung Galaxy S5. Where does Samsung go after packing everything into the Samsung Galaxy S4 and following up with the excellent Samsung Galaxy Note 3?
There are already rumours swirling about the Samsung Galaxy S5, including talk of a 5.2-inch device that bumps the resolution up to 2560 x 1440 (560ppi), meaning it would be super-sharp and class leading for pixel density. We're sure we'll see a matching of the Note 3's SD800 and 3GB of RAM to give it plenty of power. There's also talk of a metal body alongside the plastic version, with Samsung looking to draw those that HTC attracted with its premium finishes.
With Samsung usually launching later than others, we'd expect the Samsung Galaxy S5 release date to be April 2014, or thereabouts, again with a hugely spectacular launch event.

LG G Flex

The LG G Flex has already been announced, one of the first devices to launch with a curved display. It's certainly an exciting prospect. Not only is it offering a distinctive form factor, but it has a 6-inch display and plenty of power under the hood with a Snapdragon 800 chipset.
The thing that's the most interesting, however, is not the raw specs themselves, but that LG is seeing what it can do with a flexible display. Some will say it's a proof of concept as much as anything else, but we can see the appeal - not only to make it face hugging, so it's not so crazy when making calls, but also on how your thumb moves around the display.
We've had our hands-on the LG G Flex, which is confirmed to be coming to the UK in February 2014 with EE, and we're impressed with the range of software additions to make the larger format useful.

Samsung Galaxy Round

The Samsung Galaxy Round is another device, like the LG G Flex, that has already been announced, seeing the two Korean giants going head to head. They're a similar concept, but the curve of Samsung's device is on the opposite axis to that of LG.
The Samsung Galaxy Round has a 5.7-inch 1080p display and seems to take some of its styling from the Galaxy Note 3, with a faux leather back. There's plenty of power with a Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 chipset and 3GB of RAM, and all the normal Samsung software goodies.
We're yet to see the Galaxy Round hit the shelves, but again, like the LG, we're excited to see something a little different and see how the curved display is going to impact on the future of what we want from smartphones.