2015 is already proving to be a great year for smartphones. Here we round up 26 of the best new phones that have or are soon to be announced in 2015. Also see the best new tablets you should be most excited about in 2015.

BEST NEW SAMSUNG PHONES 2015

Best new phones 2015: Samsung Galaxy S6

Samsung Galaxy S6

If you're a Samsung fan but would rather stick to a phone than a phablet then the S6 is just what you're looking for. With Samsung finally answering build-quality criticisms, it follows in the trend of the Galaxy Alpha and Galaxy Note 4 with a metal and glass body. There's also a quad-HD screen, plus plenty of other radical new features, including a super-fast Samsung Exynos processor (paired with 3GB of RAM), and a redesigned fingerprint scanner that works a lot more like Apple's Touch ID and, you know, actually works. The Samsung Galaxy S6 was unveiled at a Samsung Unpacked event on 1 March 2015, and went on sale on 10 April 2015. Prices start at £559 SIM-free. Read our Samsung Galaxy S6 review and learn more about the Samsung Galaxy S6 here.

Best new phones 2015: Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge

Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge

A second version of the Samsung Galaxy S6 launched alongside the standard S6 at MWC. It follows the trend set by the Samsung Galaxy Note 4 and Galaxy Note Edge, but with two curved screen edges rather than one and a marginally higher-capacity battery than is found in the S6. In other respects the specs are in line with the standard S6, but expect to pay a premium for that fancy screen. Learn more about the Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge here, which went on sale in the UK on 10 April 2015. Prices start at £749 SIM-free for the 64GB version.

Best new phones 2015: Samsung Galaxy S6 mini

Best new phones 2015

A Samsung Galaxy flagship launch is traditionally followed by several variants, most importantly a compact version, but we've also seen variants that offer, for example, improved cameras or more ruggedised designs. The Samsung Galaxy S6 mini is likely to arrive a few months after the standard Samsung Galaxy S6, perhaps in late July/early August, and will be a more compact version of its bigger brother with a slightly slimmed down spec. We expect to see a 4.7in full-HD screen, a slower-clocked Qualcomm Snapdragon 810 processor, perhaps 2GB of RAM and 16- and 5Mp cameras. You can read our Samsung Galaxy S6 mini predictions here.

Best new phones 2015: Samsung Galaxy S6 Active

Best new smartphones 2015: Samsung Galaxy S6 Active

Yet another rumoured Samsung  Galaxy S6 variant, the Active should be a rugged version of the Samsung Galaxy S6. It's a credible theory, given that the Samsung Galaxy S6 no longer features waterproofing. Plus, with an S4 Active and S5 Active before it, we could well see an S6 Active, but probably not until the summer. We've rounded up all the Samsung Galaxy S6 Active rumours here.

Best new phones 2015: Samsung Galaxy A7

Best new phones 2015

Samsung has confirmed its Galaxy A7, a gorgeous phablet with a 6.3mm unibody metal chassis, a 5.5in Super AMOLED screen and a 64-bit octa-core processor. The Samsung Galaxy A7 is not yet on sale on the UK, but will come in both single- and dual-SIM variants. Read all about the Samsung Galaxy A7 here.

Best new phones 2015: Samsung Galaxy Note 5

Best new phones 2015

Everyone always bangs on about Samsung's Galaxy S line-up, but it's the Note series that really impresses. The Note 4 was unveiled at a Samsung Unpacked event prior to September's IFA tradeshow (3 September 2014), and right now sits at the top of our fastest smartphone and best phablet charts. Traditionally Samsung's Note launches are held at IFA in September, but rumours suggest we might see the Note 5 as early as July to give it a headstart on the new iPhones. Check out all the Samsung Galaxy Note 5 rumours here.

BEST NEW HTC PHONES 2015

Best new phones 2015: HTC One M9

HTC One M9

We are massive fans of the HTC One M8, and the HTC One M9 is even better. Although HTC has kept the full-HD screen rather than the quad-HD screens seen in the new Samsung Galaxy S6 and S6 Edge, the HTC One M9 is a very attractive phone with some impressive performance. You can check out our HTC One M9 review here, and learn more about theHTC One M9 release date, price and specs here. The phone went on sale in the UK on 31 March from £579 SIM-free, making it £30 cheaper than its rival the Samsung Galaxy S6.

Best new phones 2015: HTC One M9+

HTC One M9+

A 5.5in-screen phablet version of the HTC One M9 is the One M9+ - and this is the one we were waiting for, with a Quad-HD screen and a fingerprint scanner. It's been announced only in China at 4,299 Yuan (£522), with UK availability and pricing not yet confirmed - that's if it ever officially comes to the UK. Read more about the HTC One M9+ here.

BEST NEW SONY PHONES 2015

Best new phones 2015: Sony Xperia Z3+ (UK Sony Xperia Z4

Best new phones 2015: Sony Xperia Z3+ (UK Sony Xperia Z4)

After all the rumours that the Sony Xperia Z4 would be delayed until September, the Z4 was recently unveiled in Japan. The Z4 won't come to the UK, but in late May Sony announced its Xperia Z3+ over here. The UK version of the Z4, the Z3+ is almost identical - read our Z3 vs Z3+ comparison to see exactly how it differs to both Z3 and Z4. In essence, the Sony Xperia Z3+ is a slightly slimmed down and much faster version of the Z3, with performance we expect to fall in line with the HTC One M9. The Z3+ will go on sale in the UK in June, with final pricing TBC. Read more about the Sony Xperia Z3+ here and check out our hands-on Sony Xperia Z3+ review.

BEST NEW HUAWEI PHONES 2015

Best new phones 2015: Huawei P8 and Huawei P8 max

Huawei P8 and P8 max

Huawei's latest flagship has a gorgeous unibody metal design that's stylish enough to rival HTC and Apple, yet it undercuts the price of those smartphones with a starting price of 499 Euro, or £357. There is a standard 5.2in Huawei P8, or a huge 6.8in P8 max. The phone and phablet should have gone on sale in the UK in April, with a worldwide launch following 15 May. We're unable to find them for sale right now, but keep your eyes peeled - they're worth hunting down. For more info check out our Huawei P8 and P8 max UK release date, price and specsHuawei P8 review and Huawei P8 max review. 

BEST NEW LG PHONES 2015

Best new phones 2015: LG G4

LG G4
LG is calling the G4 the 'most ambitious smartphone yet', which is focused on delivering 'comfortable elegance, a great visual experience and a human-centric user experience'. We stand by our statement that the LG G3 was the very best phone you could buy in 2014, and things just get better with the LG G4 - although opinion is divided on that leather case (also available in ceramic versions). Key specifications include a Qualcomm Snapdragon 808 processor, a 5.5in Quad HD IPS Quantum display, 32GB of storage (with microSD support) and a 3000mAh removable battery. The G4 was unveiled at a press event on 28 April, and will go on sale on 28 May from £495 SIM-free. Read all about the LG G4 here, and check out our LG G4 hands-on review.

Best new phones 2015: LG G4 Note

Best new phones 2015: LG G4 Note
Rumour has it LG has an even bigger and better flagship than the G4 planned for 2015. The G4 Note, if it materialises, will be a metal-chassis phablet with a faster Qualcomm Snapdragon 810 chip and a massive 4GB of RAM. Check out all the LG G4 Note rumours here.

Best new phones 2015: LG G Flex 2

Best new phones 2015
The G4 and G4 Note aren't LG's only exciting new smartphones for 2015. At CES 2015 it unveiled the G Flex 2, a curved-screen handset. The G Flex 2 is a 5.5in-screen smartphone with a 64-bit Qualcomm Snapdragon 810 octa-core chip, and it features self-healing technology. Read all about the LG G Flex 2 here.

BEST NEW MICROSOFT PHONES 2015 | BEST NEW WINDOWS PHONES 2015

Best new phones 2015: Microsoft Lumia 940 & Lumia 940 XL

Best new smartphones 2015: Microsoft Lumia 940 & Lumia 940 XL
Part of the reason we're so excited about the upcoming Microsoft Lumia 940 and 940 XL is that they will be among the first handsets to run full Windows 10 - Microsoft is to finally tackle the Windows Phone apps problem by running one OS across phones, tablets, PCs and laptops. The Lumia 940 has the beefiest spec of any Windows Phone we've seen too, and the XL is a larger version with a 5.7in screen. Check out all the Microsoft Lumia 940 and 940 XL UK release date, price and specs rumours here, and find out more about Windows 10 for phones here.

BEST NEW APPLE iPHONES 2015

Best new phones 2015: iPhone 7 / iPhone 6s

Best new phones 2015
The iPhone 6 and 6 Plus were released in September, and in the months leading up to that the rumour mill went mental. Be prepared for more of the same with the iPhone 7, which will launch in September 2015 running iOS 9. As always, we're expecting a faster processor and some upgraded specs, but little change to the design. (Note that it will probably be called the iPhone 6s rather than iPhone 7, but we're sticking with iPhone 7 for now.) Check out all theiPhone 6s and iPhone 7 rumours here.

Best new phones 2015: Apple iPhone 6S Plus

Best new phones 2015: Apple iPhone 6S Plus
Let's not forget Apple's other smartphone - the massive iPhone 6 Plus is also due a refresh this September. We're not expecting any major changes to the design (although the iPhone 6S Plus should be more durable - we haven't forgotten Bendgate), with the key improvements geared for speed. There will likely be an Apple A9 chip inside, paired with an M9 motion co-processor. Don't be surprised to find Apple Watch-style wireless charging and a larger-capacity battery, plus an upgraded camera - possibly to 12Mp. Check out all the iPhone 6S Plus rumours here. 

BEST NEW GOOGLE PHONES 2015

Best new phones 2015: new Nexus 5 2015

Best new smartphones 2015: new Nexus 5 2015
The new Nexus phone for 2015 is hotly tipped to be another Nexus 5. Google is reportedly in talks with both LG and Huawei, and a Huawei-made device has already leaked in an official Google promo video for Project Fi (now why would you do that, Google, when the only known device to work with Project Fi today is the Nexus 6?). If Huawei is in line for the new Nexus 5 2015 that can mean only one thing - Google's going back to its high-end specs, mid-range price business model. That's probably not too unlikely, either, given its Q1 2015 earnings call, in which it revealed Google Play takings were up, but the 2014 Nexus devices hadn't done so well at their higher price points. Being a Chinese phone maker, with Huawei we could also see the first dual-SIM Nexus phone, finally bringing dual-SIM functionality into the mainstream in the UK. Alternatively, with LG onboard, we could be about to get another Quad HD Nexus phone. One thing is for sure, the new Nexus 5 2015 will be the first device to run Android M, the latest Google OS that we expect to hear more details on in May's Google I/O. For more details on the new Nexus 5 2015 check out our New Nexus 5 2015 UK release date, price, specification and feature rumour round-up.

BEST NEW XIAOMI PHONES 2015

Best new phones 2015: Xiaomi Mi Note and Xiaomi Mi Note Pro

Best new phones 2015
Xiaomi has officially unveiled its Mi Note and Mi Note Pro, with the latter hailed as the most powerful phone in the world. Both offer staggering value at £244 and £350 respectively, given their amazing specs. These two Chinese phones are fitted with 5.7in curved screens - the Mi Note full-HD and the Note Pro Quad HD. The Mi Note Pro in particular should offer unrivalled performance, thanks to a 2GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 810 64-bit octa-core chip, a massive 4GB of RAM and Adreno 430 graphics. And still it's thinner than the iPhone 6 Plus. There's loads more to drool over in Xiaomi's juicy spec sheet too - read more about the Xiaomi Mi Note and Mi Note Pro UK release date, price and specs here. The Mi Note went on sale in China on 27 January and sold out within minutes, while the Mi Note Pro went on sale on 6 May. These phones won't officially go on sale in the UK, but it's probable that you'll be able to get them on grey-market or auction sites.

Best new phones 2015: Xiaomi Mi 4i

Best new smartphones 2015: Xiaomi Mi 4i
Xiaomi has taken the wraps off its Mi 4i, a plastic, upgraded version of its flagship Mi 4, with a low price tag of Rs. 12,999 (£136) yet some very good specs. It has a 5in full-HD screen with Sunlight display, a second-generation 64-bit Qualcomm Snapdragon 615 processor, 2GB of RAM and 16GB of storage. Just 7.8mm thick, Xiaomi has still managed to squeeze in a 13Mp rear camera that lies flush to the case. It's dual-SIM dual-standby out the box, with both SIMs supporting 4G. The Xiaomi Mi 4i will go on sale on 30 April, but to buy one in the UK you'll need to go through unofficial channels. Read more about the Xiaomi Mi 4i UK release date, price, specification and features

BEST NEW ONEPLUS PHONES 2015

Best new phones 2015: OnePlus 2 / OnePlus Two 

Best new phones 2015
The OnePlus One is an amazing phone if you've managed to get hold of one. It's priced from £229 but has the spec to match a £600 smartphone, hence OnePlus marketing it as a 2014 flagship killer. According to OnePlus co-founder Carl pei, the OnePlus Two will surprise us, and is likely to focus on flagship-rivalling design rather than specs. He told our sister site PC World the OnePlus Two would arrive in June 2015, along with a second model - perhaps a OnePlus Mini? More recently, OnePlus has announced it is ready to shake up the phone market once again on 1 June. We expect to see a Qualcomm Snapdragon 810 processor, 4GB of RAM, a 3300mAh battery and a 5.5in 2K screen. It will also run OnePlus' own OxygenOS, rather than Cyanogen. Check out all the OnePlus Two rumours here.

BEST NEW ASUS PHONES 2015

Best new phones 2015: Asus Zenfone 2

Best new smartphones: Asus Zenfone 2
We've yet to get our hands on an Asus Zenfone 2, but the top-end model (ZE551ML) is now available at Amazon for £309.99. This powerful phone has a staggering 4GB of RAM and a 2.3GHz 64-bit Intel Atom Z3580 quad-core processor. For storage 32GB is fitted, and you can get more through microSD. There's 4G LTE support (dual-SIM, dual active), a 5.5in full-HD IPS screen, and 13Mp rear- and 5Mp front cameras. The stylish brushed-metal case is just 3.9mm thick at the edges. Running the fully customisable ZenUI software, the Zenfone 2 also has Trend Micro security preinstalled. The Asus Zenfone 2 is well worth a look. 

BEST NEW TESCO PHONES 2015

Best new phones 2015: Tesco Hudl smartphone

Best new phones 2015
The Hudl tablet has seen phenomenal success, allowing the masses to enter the world of tablet computing. Tesco's taking a slightly different tack with its smartphone, however, which will be a high-end device with an aggressive price. Just the type of device we get excited about. The Tesco Hudl smartphone was supposed to be here in time for Christmas 2014, but Tesco put the project on hold. Despite recent financial problems causing Tesco to sell off its Broadband & Homephone and Blinkbox services, it remains committed to its mobile business. Check out all the Tesco Hudl smartphone rumours here.

BEST NEW UBUNTU LINUX PHONES 2015

Best new phones 2015: Ubuntu smartphone

Best new phones 2015
The Ubuntu phone is finally here in the form of the Aquaris E4.5 Ubuntu Edition. It costs €169 and runs a 1.3GHz quad-core processor with 1GB of RAM and 8GB of storage. More importantly, this is not an Android or iOS phone, it runs Ubuntu Linux - and that's interesting. You can find out more about the Ubuntu phone here.