A top YouTuber did a ‘blind’ test to find the very best smartphone camera, and the iPhone lost in the first round

according to In a massive blind photo test that Brownlee conducted over social media, he pit 16 different smartphones against each other. Both the iPhone X and the iPhone XS flunked out in the first round to less capable smartphones — Xiaomi's Pocophone F1 and TCL's BlackBerry Key2, respectively. Most people are looking at photos on smartphone screens, through social media apps that compress images. Brownlee used a bracket system for the voting, a la March Madness — a necessity given the wide competition across 16 different smartphones. If nothing else, the video is a fascinating look into modern smartphone camera options — see it for yourself right here:

Who was the best newcomer to the smartphone game this year? (Poll of the Week)

Last week's poll results: Last week, we asked you which manufacturer had the best year in 2018. Not only did it launch plenty of Android phones under its own name, it also launched two new smartphone lines: Black Shark and Pocophone. Following that launch, Black Shark released another phone, the Black Shark Helo, in October with a massive 10GB of RAM. Related Best of Android 2018: the smartphone of the year is… The Best of Android series is designed to do one thing: give you definitive, objective answers to the subjective debates that fill the smartphone landscape. Who really knocked it out of the park: Black Shark, Realme, Poco, Palm, or Red?

Samsung Galaxy Note 9: The best smartphone of 2018 continues to impress

as mentioned in Some argue against anything but stock apps, but in this case using the Samsung apps on a Galaxy Note 9 is a better choice. Some argue against anything but stock apps, but in this case using the Samsung apps on a Galaxy Note 9 is a better choice. Samsung devices are known for outstanding reception and performance, both extremely important for the best smartphone experience. Samsung devices are known for outstanding reception and performance, both extremely important for the best smartphone experience. The Samsung Galaxy Note 9 is about as perfect of a smartphone as you can find.

The Pixel 3 has 2018's best smartphone camera

In general, the iPhone and Pixel had the cleanest, most intuitive camera apps with uncluttered, straightforward interfaces. The drawback is that they don't have as many special features and advanced tools as the Note 9 and Mate 20 Pro. For photos that are clear and realistic, the Pixel 3 is king, and it's what the four of us agree is the best camera of the lot. Throw in a helpful wide-angle selfie camera and superior Portrait mode processing and the Pixel pulls further ahead of the competition. The Mate 20 Pro and Galaxy Note 9 are also capable shooters; they just have some minor and occasionally frustrating quirks.

collected by :John Smith