The Best Android Phones of All Time

Five years ago, Google embarked on a mission to shake-up the smartphone landscape with the release of its own mobile operating system labeled Android. With the support of the industry's biggest telecommunication manufacturers, alongside nearly 71 percent of the developer population, the company's done just that—activating over 1 billion devices and securing close to 80 percent of the global smartphone market. Needless to say, the open-sourced OS that Apple, BlackBerry, Nokia, and Microsoft all considered “no major threat” has become the preferential option for the consumer public.

In acknowledging the dominant success of Andy Ruben's software, it's only right to look back at the hardware that helped define the platform over the years. The creations of HTC, Motorola, and Samsung to name a few, all which tranformed Android into a mobile mainstay. Fom the T-Mobile G1 to the Galaxy S4, we rank The Best Android Smartphones of All Time.

Released: May 14, 2011

Months after Verizon launched its warp-speed LTE network across the nation, Sammy's first and only Droid demonstrated the carrier's superior 4G capabilities—delivering fast data speeds and great call quality. The Droid Charge also managed to accomplish something every other 4G handset failed to sustain at the time, that being favorable battery life. Samsung's inclusion of its gorgeous Super AMOLED Plus display only strengthened the phone's mobile value.

Released: Aug. 23, 2013

No one could predict what direction Motorola was headed once acquired by Google. All we knew was that a rejuvenation of the brand was in order. Knowing where the portable market was moving next, the mobile giant focused its efforts on creating the most personalized smartphone ever assembled—one customizable on both the design and performance ends. With the ability to deck out the phone in different body colors and engravings, plus an advocated touchless experience governed by an updated version of Google Now, the Moto X definitely hit its mark on functionality and personalization.

Released: March 17, 2011

Most experts developed a love/hate relationship with Verizon's debut 4G phone. While the majority justifiably complained over its horrendous battery life, the rest of us learned to appreciate the smartphone's premiums. We're talking its premium build quality with HTC's patented kickstand, lightening-fast benchmarks, and dope wireless features.

Released: Nov. 1, 2010

Popular in demand, yet limited in quantity, the G2 was one of T-Mobile’s flashier and feature-packed phones. The alluring stainless-steel frame, solid call quality, and speedy performance remained standouts. Though it was the G2’s adaptable QWERTY keyboard that won subscribers over. It served as a great follow-up to the original model and notable replacement for another popular keyboard-equipped mobile franchise that remained MIA for a while: the Sidekick.

Released: Sept. 8, 2011

Big on performance, memory, and enterprise capabilities, the Droid Bionic was a remarkably dominant piece of mobile hardware that quickly became overshadowed by the Droid RAZR series. It represented the essential business smartphone, combining incredibly powerful benchmarks with great business-centric features and an assortment of productivity enhanced accessories. Till this day, this thing pulls faster LTE and processing speeds than some of the newer devices on the scene.

Released: June 4, 2010

Samsung’s first major Android smartphone made us all believers in the Galaxy imprint from the start. It was visually attractive both on the design and display end, with an eye-grabbing 4-inch Super AMOLED display that crushed all other mobile panels through its rich color and superb HD-video quality presentation. From high-powered speed to innovative input features like the responsive SWYPE keyboard, the Vibrant showcased what was to come from the franchise.

Released: April 20, 2011

Before Apple or Google-powered devices entered the smartphone scene, the Danger Hiptop AKA Sidekick was considered the must-have cellular during the early millennium. It took a while, but T-Mobile with the manufacturing assistance of Samsung resurrected the popular smartphone and gave it the Android treatment. Keeping intact the patented slide-out QWERTY keyboard, the Sidekick 4G epitomized everything that made the original such a pop culture staple such as its amazing messaging capabilities and comforting form factor. Classics never go out of style.

Released: Nov. 21, 2012

It was heartbreaking to see HTC hit a dry spell with its Verzion offerings. In fact, every smartphone the company launched on the carrier flopped prior to the Droid Incredible. Then the device we labeled “The Beast” was brought to the market and demonstrated HTC’s mobile ingenuity in terms of design, hardware, and performance. It merely adopted all the fanices of the One X likes its insane camera technology and upped the visual ante by plastering an alluring 5-inch FHD Super LCD 3 screen on the front of the device. The 1.5GHz Qualcom Snapdragon quad-core shaped it into a multitasking freak of nature.

Released: September 2011

Sony’s flashy and multimedia-heavy smartphones have earned a strong international presence throughout the years. However, the Xperia line has failed to capture an audience on the domestic front. It wasn’t a matter of quality, but more so the stiff competition it's faced in the US. A shame too, as the Arc S not only boasted one of the most seductive designs ever imagined, but also carried the expansive display quality and Android UI customizations that could have transformed it into a stateside success if promoted better. At least the unlocked market got to bask in its awesomeness.

Released: Jan. 5, 2010

Google’s original flagship smartphone served as a steppingstone for the Android platform, which was backed by strong hardware, intuitive software, and a comforting form factor. The Nexus One’s extremely fast processor resulted in swift execution and solidified Qualcomm’s presence as a mobile processing goliath from the git-go. And hot features like the ability to transcribe voice to text and access voice-guided, plus turn-by-turn GPS navigation kept it on everyone’s radar. Nevertheless, it was HTC’s transition from AMOLED to Super LCD displays after the phone’s launch that made it such a revered item.

Released: Nov. 17, 2011

Up until then, Google’s OS was simply a cluttered and unpolished mess. The introduction of the Galaxy Nexus and its exclusive inclusion of Ice Cream Sandwich (Android 4.0) revitalized the platform by welcoming a more beautiful and cleaner presentation, along with advanced features and elegant hardware. Its 4.56-inch Super AMOLED panel was considered a significant attribute, producing crisp and vibrant picture quality. Enhanced UI navigation and commands only signified the Galaxy Nexus’ massive leap in Android functionality.

Released: Jan. 26, 2012

Motorola did the unthinkable and constructed the longest-lasting smartphone ever made. Many credit the Droid RAZR Maxx’s extended vitality to its massive 3,300 mAh built-in cell, but its true magic lied in Moto’s groundbreaking Smart Actions feature—software engineered to preserve energy by creating triggers and setting actions on the device at assigned times. This alone helped users clock a good 15 hours on moderate use and about 10+ hours during heavy multimedia engagement. You'd be lucky to get half those results on standby mode with today's current-gen devices.

Released: Oct. 22, 2008

First impressions mean everything. So when HTC released the Android 1.6-powered G1 in October 2008, expectations rode ridiculously high for the first-ever Android phone. Though it was generally met with a mixed, but mostly positive reception due to its limited functionality and third-party software, T-Mobile’s smartphone provided great Google suite integration and a well-built QWERTY keyboard that was exposed when swiveling up device’s touchscreen. The G1’s bizarre design might be considered a travesty amongst the Android faithful, but it resonated with gadget hounds worldwide and inspired several future phones like the Droid series and Sidekick 4G.

Released: April 26, 2013

From functionality to hardware, Samsung sought to optimize its next-gen Galaxy phone every way possible. And it did just that, minus the plastic rear shell. The GS4 hold claims to being the quintessential feature phone ever made backed by a plethora of motion-sensor and productivity options such as Air Gesture and the multitasking windfall known as Multi-Window. That was obviously the phone’s bigger selling points. We on the other hand found the device’s unprecedented benchmarks to be its most valued treasure with Qualcomm’s newest Snapdragon CPU spearheading all commands. Still, to know Sammy could even squeeze in so many features into this thing is a feat well deserving of high recognition.

Released: Nov. 13, 2012

Not one person believed LG had the manufacturing talents to create Google’s last flagship phone. Low and behold, the South Korean electronics chief defied all odds and presented us with a remarkable handset that broadened the market’s taste for unlocked mobiles and Android stock software. Stripped of all third-party bloatware and skins, the Nexus 4 piggybacked off of the Jelly Bean OS, smoothening the Android experience with swift execution.

Released: March 12, 2013

A beauty on all levels, HTC’s flagship device won numerous critics and consumers over with its stunning aesthetics, powerful hardware, and a dynamic, user-friendly interface. Molded from a single block of anodized aluminum using a specialized CNC machine, the One’s premium and sturdy composition is like nothing we’ve ever witnessed on a smartphone. A powerhouse spec sheet consisting of Qualcomm’s superior 1.7GHz Snapdragon CPU, marveling 4.7-inch LCD panel, and HTC’s new front-facing BoomSound speaker technology championed the device's numerous “Best of Show” awards.

Released: Oct. 17, 2009

If the cleverly marketed “DROID Does” ads didn’t sell you on Motorola’s hero device, then it was certainly the Droid’s distinguished countenance and premier spec sheet that had you sprinting to the nearest Verizon store. Mobile consumers fed up with the iPhone’s limitations and transparent presence embraced the Droid’s badass appeal best exuded through its behemoth form factor and developer-friendly environment. A large and sharp touchscreen mated with a not-so-great, but cool-looking QWERTY keyboard put the consumer public on high notice.

Released: Sept. 26, 2012

The notion of a smartphone/tablet still seems foolish to most. And while Samsung gambled huge with the first-gen Galaxy Note, its successor reaped the benefits, therefore officially ushering in a new mobile category that many have attempted to duplicate ever since. The Note II pretty much adapted the “bigger is better” mantra, bringing together the most powerful hardware specs with intuitive software features. Sammy also managed to transfer over several of its tablet-esque features present on the Galaxy Tab series to its smartphone, all of which benefited gratefully from a long-forgotten mobile accessory that the manufacturer made relevant for modern times: the stylus.

Released: April 2, 2012

If we ranked the most underappreciated Android smartphones of all time, best believe the One X would merit the No.1 spot. Eclipsed by the Galaxy S3's sales figures and marketing muscle, HTC's smarthpone reinvented the brand and its mobile division with marveling specs and what we stressed to be the greatest mobile camera technology created for its time. No other phone was capable of snapping 4 frames per second and clocking 0.7-second shutter speeds, while capturing videos and photos simulatenously. An updated Sense 4.0 also introduced a sleeker-looking UI and some great customizations to go along with its superb performance. If anything, the One X truely personified HTC's former company slogan: "Quietly Brilliant".

Released: Feb. 22, 2011

Moto's accessory heavy handset goes down as the most buzzed-about and revered Android device in the history of the Consumer Electronics Show. The Atrix was the first dual-core smartphone to hit the scene and emanated raw power from the moment you powered it on. It packed in the high-end features and swift speed into an attractively sleek form factor, plus it came equipped with an additional desktop HD dock that strengthened the phone’s powerhouse axiom.

Released: Oct. 11, 2009

Unlike T-Mobile, which was quick to jump on the open-sourced platform with the release of the G1, Sprint held back on launching its own Android offering, stating it wasn’t “good enough” at the time. The introduction of HTC’s highly customizable Sense UI pushed the Hero to elite status by improving on the overall Android experience with info synchronization (contacts, calendar, Outlook), 5MP camera, and modern wireless functionality like Bluetooth, GPS, and Wi-Fi. In short, it was the platform's first real hero device, pun intended.

Released: July 15, 2010

To say the Droid X was a vast improvement over the original model would be a gross understatement. It’s arguably the greatest Motorola Android phone ever created. A redefining form factor meshed with an awesome 8MP shooter, popular multimedia attributes, superb messaging synchronization, and a zip-like processor helped the smartphone set the bar for Android power. The fact that it was backordered twice throughout the summer of 2010 speaks for itself.

Released: June 4, 2010

The EVO 4G launch wasn’t only instrumental to the mobile high-speed movement—it was an event of mass proportions for Sprint subscribers. HTC’s handset played Android trailblazer introducing a number of firsts to the market from its massive screen real estate to the company’s trademark built-in kickstand. Not to mention its commanding benchmark prowess courtesy of Qualcomm’s early Snapdragon chips. Even with Sprint’s WiMAX network proving to be less than subpar and nowhere near Verizon’s warp-speed LTE service, it still delivered noticeably faster data speeds than 3G and stimulated our fancy for streaming hi-def content and downloading numerous apps simultaneously.

Released: May 29, 2012

Who knew the next best thing would also become the highest-selling Android device of all time. Samsung’s next-gen Galaxy molded Google’s mobile OS into a household name, while evolving into the iPhone’s biggest threat. Sales aside, the GS3 pioneered NFC (Near-Field Communication) technology, bringing forth a more innovative alternative for sharing and streaming multimedia content on the go. With a variety of other high-tech features under its belt, alongside great voice calling, sharp display resolution, and tenacious benchmarks, it only made sense to exercise your upgrade option on this portable stunner.

Released: April 29, 2010

No other smartphone manifested Android's full potential, plus sparked the curiosity of both the consuming public and tech experts in the platform like the Droid Incredible did during its run. The Verizon-exclusive resulted in everything we sought in a premium smartphone during its early beginnings—amended software, dynamic performance, and sleek design, which originated the carrier’s signature black and red color motif. HTC Sense improved Android 2.1 in every possible way. Qualcomm's Snapdragon chip enforced prompt execution, forging the phone's legacy as one of the fastest and most responisve smartphones created. Overall, the Droid Incredible earns top billing as the landmark Android phone of all time...for now!