"Bigger is better" seems to be the mantra adopted by most smartphone makers for 2013. A bevy of phablets from Samsung, Sony and ZTE that allegedly sport 6-inch-plus screens are waiting in the wings.
When Taiwan-based Huawei unveiled its 6.1-inch Ascend Mate phablet at CES 2013 in January, the idea of such colossal smartphones transitioned from being myth to reality.
We take a look at the top three 6-inch smartphones slated to take 2013 by storm. Here's a trio of ginormous phablets: The Samsung Galaxy Note 3, Sony Xperia Togari and ZTE Nubia Z7.
1. Galaxy Note 3
Samsung's Galaxy line-up of smartphones helped propel the Korean company to market leader status and judging by the rumors, it's gearing up to retain the mantle.
The grapevine has been abuzz with murmurs that Samsung will launch the successor of its best-selling Galaxy Note 2, the Galaxy Note 3, at the IFA 2013 in September.
Whether Samsung will be able to up its game with the Galaxy Note 3 is the burning question. The purported features Samsung will include in the Galaxy Note 3 have been creating quite a sensation.
Rumors point to a ginormous 6.3-inch OLED or PHOLED screen for the Galaxy Note 3. It is widely speculated that the phablet will feature Samsung's new "Youm" flexible display.
The Galaxy Note 3 may also have the Exynos 5 octa-core processor, which combines two quad-core processors: a 1.8GHz ARM Cortex-A15 and a 1.2GHz Cortex-A7.
The S Pen stylus, the phablet's USP, will be present as well and could be bigger and improved. Samsung could possibly include the Smart Pause and Smart Scroll eye-tracking features that have made their way to the recently launched Galaxy S4. The Galaxy Note 3 could also have the IR Blaster, dual camera functionality, temperature and humidity sensors, finger hovering, Drama Shot, S-Health, as well as the Group Play feature.
The phablet will likely feature a 16-megapixel primary camera with auto focus, LED flash and BSI, as well as a 3-megapixel front-facing snapper. The phone will have 3GB of RAM and will likely be available in 16/32/64 GB options and a 128GB one.
The Galaxy Note 3 is also expected to come pre-loaded with Android 5.0 Key Lime Pie OS. The phablet will likely make an appearance in the second half of 2013.
2. Sony Xperia Togari
Japanese smartphone maker Sony is rumored to have a colossal 6.44-inch phablet, dubbed Xperia Togari, in the works.
The Xperia Togari will look to challenge the Galaxy Note 3 and will have 1080p HD resolution.
A leaked image of the alleged device's glass panel indicates that the bezels on the side of are slimmer than those on the 6.1-inch Huawei Ascend Mate.
Given that Sony's flagship Xperia Z packs in a 13.1-megapixel primary snapper, the Xperia Togari could better its sibling. Moreover, the mystery Sony phablet could also be both waterproof and dust resistant like the Xperia Z.
The Xperia Togari was rumored to launch at the recently concluded MWC 2013, but it seems Sony has other plans for the behemoth.
3. ZTE Nubia Z7
China-based ZTE is not one to be left behind in the phablet wars either. ZTE is allegedly working on a 6.3-inch smartphone of its own, the Nubia Z7. Rumors hint at a 2560 x 1440 pixels resolution for the device, an 8-core processor that is clocked at 1.4GHz, and 128GB of on-board storage.
If you're hankering for more, hold on to your horses, as the Nubia Z7 is believed to pack in a 16-megapixel primary camera, LTE connectivity, Mali T658 GPU and a 4000mAh battery.
If you like the sound of the Nubia Z7 and you wonder if it can get any better, yes, it can! Like the Galaxy Note 3, the Nubia Z7 will purportedly house Android 5.0 Key Lime Pie out of the box.
No word on the release date but likely in the second half of 2013.
