What does the word flagship actually mean? What is a flagship smartphone? Review of smartphones What does a flagship model mean?

Flagship smartphones are always the most interesting models. After all, they best reflect the level of development of smartphones at the moment. In this article, we have prepared a short review of the most popular flagship smartphones of 2017.

Samsung Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 Edge

The review of flagship smartphones of 2017 should start with the Samsung Galaxy S7 smartphone. A new version of this smartphone appears every year and is expected no less than the iPhone. This year new flagship Samsung has received what many fans of this brand have been waiting for for so long. Namely, a high-quality premium case. Now the body of the Samsung Galaxy S6 is made almost entirely of glass and metal.

Another unique feature new version Samsung's flagship is a modification with curved edges. This version The smartphone has the prefix Edge in its name and is distinguished by the fact that the side edges of the screen are slightly curved towards the end of the device. How convenient this solution is to use can only be said by twirling the device in your hands. But, in any case, this is at least a demonstration of Samsung’s technological capabilities.

As for the technical characteristics of the device. That's how they always are high level. The gadget runs on an eight-core Samsung Exynos 8890 processor with a MALI T880 MP12 graphics accelerator; a modification with the processor will also be available in some countries Qualcomm Snapdragon 820. Volume random access memory is 4 gigabytes, the built-in memory capacity is up to 128 gigabytes. The screen of the device is almost the same as in the Galaxy S6, its diagonal is 5.1 inches and the resolution is 1440x2560 pixels. The front camera has also not changed; its resolution is 5 megapixels. The resolution of the rear camera has decreased, now it is 12 megapixels. Battery capacity 3000 mAh.

For lovers of curved screens, as always, there is Galaxy version S7 Edge.

Apple iPhone 6s and Apple iPhone 6s Plus

Apple iPhone 6s and Apple iPhone 6s Plus are already last year's flagships, but before the release of the new iPhone versions they remain full-fledged flagships.

The main feature of the sixth generation iPhone, of course, was the screen size. Apple Company I finally went ahead with a significant increase in screen diagonal. Apple iPhone 6 received a screen with a diagonal of 4.7 inches (resolution 750x1334), and Apple iPhone 6 Plus had a screen with a diagonal of 5.5 inches (resolution 1080x1920). In the Apple iPhone 6s and Apple iPhone 6s Plus models, the screen sizes and resolutions have not changed.

The technical characteristics of the iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus do not break records. But this is quite typical for Apple products. It uses a dual-core Apple A9 processor with clock frequency 1.8 gigahertz and 64-bit architecture. Graphics accelerator PowerVR GT7600. The amount of RAM is 2 GB, and the amount of internal memory is up to 128 gigabytes. The main camera is 12 megapixels, the front camera is 5 megapixels. Battery capacity 1715 mAh.

HTC 10

In 2016, HTC released another modification of its metal flagship. This time the new product is called HTC 10.

HTC 10 is a typical flagship smartphone of 2016. Four are used here nuclear processor Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 with Adreno 530 graphics accelerator. 4 GB of RAM, up to 128 GB of internal memory. The screen has a diagonal of 5.2 inches and a resolution of 2560×1440 pixels. The rear camera resolution is 12 megapixels, the front camera resolution is 5 megapixels. The battery capacity is 3000 mAh.

Huawei Nexus 6P was introduced last year, but in 2016 it can still be considered a flagship smartphone. This time, Google entrusted the production of its flagship smartphone to Huawei. Let us remember that Nexus smartphones were previously produced by LG and Motorola, and even earlier by Samsung.

Huawei Nexus 6P offers top-end specifications that are in no way inferior to those of other flagship smartphones of 2016.

It uses an eight-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 810 processor with an Adreno 430 graphics accelerator. RAM capacity is 3 gigabytes, internal memory capacity is up to 128 gigabytes. The device screen has a diagonal of 5.7 inches and its resolution is 1440x2560 pixels. Permission front camera 12 megapixels, rear resolution - 8 megapixels. There is also a good battery installed here, with a capacity of 3450 mAh.

Sony Xperia Z5

Sony Xperia Z5 was introduced at the end of last year. But, Sony has not yet introduced a new phlegm in 2016, so let’s look at the Xperia Z5 model.

As always, the main advantage of the Xperia Z line is security. No other flagship smartphone has the same level of protection as the flagships from Sony. These smartphones can be submerged, thrown into sand or dust and nothing will happen to them.

Sony Xperia Z5 received fairly typical characteristics. It uses an eight-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 810 processor with an Adreno 430 graphics accelerator. The RAM capacity is 3 gigabytes. The screen diagonal is 5.2 inches and the resolution is 1080x1920 pixels. The resolution of the main camera is 23 megapixels, and the resolution of the front camera is 5 megapixels. The battery capacity is 2900 mAh.

LG G5

G5 is the new flagship smartphone from LG. The main feature of this device became a modular structure. The lower part of the smartphone can be removed and replaced with another one, which will give the smartphone additional functions. For example, this way you can get a more advanced camera.

Otherwise, this smartphone does not stand out in any way. It uses a quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 processor with an Adreno 530 graphics accelerator and 4 gigabytes of RAM. The screen diagonal is 5.3 inches and the resolution is 2560x1440. The rear camera has a resolution of 16 megapixels, and the front one has 8 megapixels. Battery capacity 2800 mAh.

Articles and Lifehacks

Let's ask ourselves the question: what is a flagship phone?

We, ordinary people, are constantly told a couple of times a year, or even more often, that Samsung, HTC, LG and many others will soon release or have already released a new company flagship.

But what is a flagship? Let's discuss the term in this article.

basic information

• All phone manufacturers produce devices that differ in technical characteristics, design and cost. Some are cheaper, others are more expensive.
• One has a 5.2-inch display with a pixel density of 440 per inch, while the other has a faded 3-inch TFT matrix with a resolution of 320x240.
• A flagship is a phone that has the latest cutting-edge features.
• Manufacturers are trying to amaze us with new built-in functions (just remember the heart rate sensor in the Samsung Galaxy 5), the number of megapixels of the camera, the size and quality of the screen, and much more. In general, who is good at what.
• This whole race is not only because of the humane desire for us to enjoy using the device, but also because of money.
• If the flagship device from one company is more famous than from another, sales of the first will accordingly increase, and the second will incur possible losses.
• The flagship manufacturing company tries to keep information about the external design secret for as long as possible. detailed characteristics new items and its features right up to the release of the device.
• Because of this, user excitement is fueled, the company receives increased attention to itself, and competitors are trying their best to find out news about the upcoming flagship.

Why are flagships so popular?

• Recently, the fashion for increasing the number of pixels and screen size is slowly fading away. The development of innovations that have never been seen before, as well as quality, comes to the fore.
• For example, in addition to the heart rate sensor, the SGS 5 has a built-in and usable fingerprint recognition sensor. Before this, this feature was only available on the iPhone. HTC has revised the camera's performance.
• Now the number of megapixels does not exceed ten, but the quality of the images, if not improved, then at least remained at the same level. In addition to cameras, NTS are working on sound quality, constantly improving it from both headphones and external speakers.

Usually this is a device that is noticeably superior in its capabilities to other models of the manufacturer. Every company has its own flagships, but the greatest interest, of course, is in devices created by recognized market leaders. They are the ones people talk about most, and they are the ones that other, less well-known companies focus on.

At the same time, a flagship smartphone, by definition, cannot be cheap. But even the high price does not stop those who want to own top-end devices. Today we will tell you why you should choose such devices.

Advanced Solutions

All the most interesting and unusual things appear first in flagship smartphones. Dual cameras, screens with incredible high resolution, support for NFC and 4G/LTE networks, extremely powerful processors, a solid amount of RAM, wireless charger- this list can be continued. Everything we listed could initially be seen only on top-end devices. And only after some time these features begin to be found in devices belonging to other price categories.

Unique Features

Although many solutions are gradually moving from the flagship segment to the middle class and even to the budget category, top-end devices can often boast that they have truly unique functions. Such that they are almost, if not not, found in other smartphones. Examples? Please! A screen optimized for the use of a stylus or distinguishes between pressures made with different strengths. Camera with optical zoom. Display resolution compliant with 4K standard.

Stylish design

It not only has a powerful filling, but also a stylish design, as well as carefully thought out ergonomics. Such a device cannot help but look attractive. Therefore, he makes an impression even on those who are poorly oriented in the world of modern mobile devices. You can immediately see from it: this is a thing that is worthy of attention. Most modern flagships are made from carefully crafted metal and tempered glass, and developers come up with interesting colors for them.

High quality

A flagship smartphone is made with the expectation that you will use it for a long time. This means that it is simply impossible to find fault with the build quality. This device is pleasant to hold in your hand, nothing creaks in it, and all functions work perfectly. The same applies to optimization; after all, the top device is considered the face of the company, and they work on it with special diligence. Yes, minor troubles and real incidents do happen, but much less frequently than with models in other price categories.

Doesn't get old for a long time

Any top-end device is ahead of its time. This means that it will not become outdated for a long time. Even if you don’t have the opportunity to purchase a new device every six months or a year, the capabilities of your flagship will allow it to compete on equal terms with new middle-class models for several years and even surpass them. First of all, this concerns computing abilities: top devices released several years ago can easily handle running modern applications and games. It is not surprising that there are people who are happy to purchase last year’s flagships, which have fallen in price due to the appearance of fresh, top-end devices that have just gone on sale.

Long-term support

The reason mentioned above is related to another one - long-term support. Manufacturers pay special attention to their flagship devices and do not forget to update them OS and branded shells. It is the top models that receive updates first, and in some cases they are the only ones that are updated. Therefore, despite the fact that 2-3 years have passed since its release, a smartphone belonging to this category does not look outdated.

Simple repairs at the service center

Separately, it is worth noting that spare parts for a flagship smartphone are easier to find than for a nameless budget phone from a little-known manufacturer. In addition, leading companies have a wide network of authorized service centers staffed by specialists who know their business well. And repairing a top-end device is really profitable.

Versatility

The flagship device is a universal device with which you can solve a variety of problems. Using it, you understand that the definition of a smartphone is mobile computer, which you can call, is completely true. You can watch videos on the screen with excellent detail, play the latest games, surf the Internet at high speed, make video calls, take photos, and each function works without compromising the others. It's not that easy to get that kind of experience with a budget device or even a mid-range device.

In the last two years or so, one word has become increasingly popular in the mobile industry: flagship.
New flagship from Samsung. What is the best flagship of 2015? Is this the new flagship of company X?

It is used everywhere, and almost every new high-quality smartphone is called a flagship. But what is a flagship smartphone really? What does this term actually mean? Are we using it correctly?

By Wikipedia, the flagship is the best model at the moment, and most importantly, it is produced in a specific organization.
From this it can be understood that specifications They don’t determine whether they belong to the flagships in any way. Suppose we take the most good model from explay (Explay AIR) and with its meager characteristics, it is still a flagship, although it was not close to the same Samsung Galaxy S6.

The roots of this term go back to the navy. The word flagship originated as a naval term, used to describe the most important vessel in a fleet - or the vessel carrying a commander. This also explains why, especially in the mobile industry, the term has become so popular, and... abused.
If the flagship is the best and most revered vessel in the fleet at the moment, then it is natural that the company's highest-end smartphone is considered its flagship, right? In most cases, absolutely. But the term is losing its meaning, and not just because of the media.
About a month ago, everyone was expecting the release of Lumia 730 and Lumia 830. And none of them even claimed to be the flagship. If Microsoft hadn’t blurted out the slogan: “830 is the first affordable flagship.”
What does this even mean, sorry Bill, but the Lumia 935 is more like a flagship, and does it cost no less than the flagships of other companies?


Speaking in terms mobile phones, or even more specifically from Samsung's point of view, which model can we call a flagship?
Samsung releases dozens of phone models every year. Of course, only a few stand out in the endless list Samsung smartphones: Galaxy S5 and S6, Galaxy Note 4, and currently the Galaxy Alpha series of smartphones. Of these Galaxy, Alpha is definitely not a flagship brand.
The other two are regularly called flagships, but that can't be true, can it? There is only one flagship.

The flagship has become almost synonymous with “high class” or “premium”, it is not correct.

So how to determine such a smartphone - by specification, price, or sales volume. I think the flagship shouldn't even be absolute best phone in the company's lineup. I would say that a flagship smartphone is the one that brings the best profit and sells better than others.

Most smartphone manufacturers highlight the top devices in their product line, on which they pin their hopes. Such devices are usually called flagships. A flagship is a smartphone that is distinguished by advanced functionality and is superior in equipment to other models of the manufacturer. The term migrated from the navy, where the flagship is the most powerful ship in the squadron, on board which the command is located.

A flagship doesn't necessarily have the best of the mobile world. If a manufacturer produces budget handsets (like many Chinese companies), then the flagship may also correspond to the middle class. This state of affairs can be observed, for example, in Philips or Fly. Their tops can only compete with the “average” Samsung or LG. However, these are full-fledged flagships against the backdrop of the most popular inexpensive smartphones for 100-300 dollars.

In their advanced smartphones, manufacturers strive to embody all the achievements and new technologies that are ready for practical use. If a company has its own powerful research base, then the latest developments are used. Companies that use components from third-party developers do not have access to them. In this case, use the best parts that are freely available. Processor suppliers are companies such as Qualcomm or MediaTek, memory is purchased from Samsung, Hynix or Elpida, and displays are purchased from Sharp, Samsung, JDI or LG.

Samsung flagship series

Samsung is the main flagship manufacturer in the smartphone world. The company's top-end devices are such not only in the manufacturer's model range, but also in the market as a whole. This is possible thanks to the concentration of enormous resources, the presence of our own divisions for the development and production of components, as well as large-scale financing.

Samsung installs the fastest RAM and permanent memory in its flagships, the latest Exynos Octa processors, Super AMOLED ultra-high (2.5K) resolution screens and high-quality cameras. All these smartphone parts are made by Samsung independently and are not available to other companies until the jackpot is hit on sales of new products.

Series Samsung flagships from Galaxy S (2010) to Galaxy S6 (2015)

Samsung's flagship line is Galaxy smartphones S. Top phablets belong to the Galaxy Note series. It is in these smartphones that the main achievements are concentrated.

Apple flagships

Apple has a different approach when it comes to releasing flagships. Unlike Samsung, the company does not have its own production facilities. The components are supplied by third party contractors, and they also do the assembly. As a result, Apple does not have the opportunity to install the most advanced parts. Yes and the lineup, compared to competitors, looks more modest. Therefore, there are no obvious flagships among the iPhone. Almost every iPhone (with the exception of models positioned as budget ones, like the 5C or SE) can be called a flagship.

Not having the opportunity (and even the particular desire) to be “in the forefront” of implementing new technologies, Apple prefers to work on the quality of implementation. The company's policy is that it is better to thoughtfully implement proven technology than to experiment with a new one and “catch” bugs in it. Therefore, the iPhone is a flagship, despite the fact that “on paper” its characteristics can be attributed to the middle class at most.

Other flagship smartphones

LG produces flagship smartphones in the G line, where it also implements advanced developments in the field of screens and cameras. Until 2016, Sony promoted the Xperia Z series, which also installed the best displays (up to 4K) and cameras (up to 22 MP) of its own production. Now the Xperia X series has become the flagship.

Other companies do not have such a powerful production and research base, so they are forced to use third-party developments. The only exception is Huawei, which makes Kirin processors themselves. Until 2016, HTC released top-end smartphones in the One M series, but the latest flagship of 2016 bears the name HTC 10, without additional letters.

The most difficult thing is to determine the flagships of the Chinese. While Xiaomi and Meizu have it easy with this (Mi and MX series, respectively), Lenovo, ZTE, Huawei, Oppo do not produce special series, which include only distinct flagships. And the wide range of models does not allow us to clearly identify the “best” smartphone from the company.

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