HTC launches a midrange addition to the One smartphone family-- the One A9, an Android 6 (aka Marshmallow)-powered handset featuring an aluminium unibody perhaps all too similar to the Apple iPhone.

The device has a 5-inch 1920 x 1080 resolution display and is powered by an octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 617 processor, 3GB RAM, 32GB storage (expandable via microSD slot) and a 1250mAh battery. The rear-facing camera has a 13MP sensor behind a f/2.0 lens, and comes complete with optical stabilisation and dual-tone flash.

Google announces annual device lineup updates-- the 5.7-inch Nexus 6P and 5-inch Nexus 5X smartphones, Microsoft Surface/iPad Pro rival Pixel C, a redesigned Chromecast HDMI dongle and, in new offerings, the Chromecast Audio wifi audio streamer.

The smartphone offerings have features new to the Nexus family, namely a Nexus Imprint fingerprint sensor and a USB Type-C port. The bigger of the two, the 5.7-inch Nexus 6P, is Huawei-made and is the first Nexus devices with an all-aluminium body and a 12.3MP camera with a sensor promising "massive 1.55µm pixels."

Further spec details include a 2560x1440 resolution AMOLED display, 64-bit Qualcomm Snapdragon 810 octa-core CPU, 3GB RAM, 32/64/128GB storage, 8MP front-facing camera and 3450mAh battery.

Qualcomm describes the upcoming Snapdragon 820 mobile device processor as its most powerful yet, as it features the company's "most advanced" integrated modem and Quick Charge 3.0 technology.

The integrated modem in question is the X12. It handles LTE category 12 download speeds reaching up to 600Mbps, beating the previous company record of 450Mbp, as well as speeds of up to 150Mbps. It is also the first to support unlicensed LTE (aka LTE-U).

When it comes to wifi the X12 gets 802.11ac 2x2 MU-MIMO and 802.11ad support, making it fairly futureproof as far as mobile device modems go.

IFA 2015 sees Sony launch the flagship Xperia Z5 family-- the 4K display-equipped Z5 Premium, the Z5 and the Z5 Compact, all featuring the latest Sony cameras and a fingerprint sensor integrated in the power button.

The Z5 Premium is arguably the most intersting of the three, thanks to the 5.5-inch 3840x2160 resolution display. The resolutions on the other models don't go so high, as the Z5 has a 5.2-inch 1080p display while the Z5 Compact has a 4.6-inch 720p screen.

Obi Worldphone, the latest venture of ex-Apple CEO (and Misfit co-founder) John Sculley, presents a pair of mid-tier Android smartphones aimed at younger customers in emerging MEA markets, the SF1 and SJ1.5.

The SF1 and SJ1.5 are not the first Obi Worldphone handsets-- 2014 saw the company release 5 smartphones made with off-the-shelf parts in the UAE. The SF1 and SJ1.5 differ by being Obi-designed , if in collaboration with Ammunition, the San Francisco design firm behind the the first Beats headphones.

As such, the two handset have look reminiscent of the OnePlus handsets, with slightly raised "extruded" displays supposedly offering a bit of protection from drops. Both devices have 5-inch displays and components from the likes of Qualcomm, MediaTek, Sony, Corning and Dolby.

Samsung shows off its latest smartphone flagships at Unpacked 2015-- the Galaxy S6 edge+ and Galaxy Note5. Also revealed are more details on the Samsung Pay payments service and the round-faced the Gear S2 smartwatch.

The S6 edge+ and Note5 are fairly similar, being equipped with 5.7-inch Super AMOLED 2560x1440 resolution displays, octa-core 64-bit processors, 4GB RAM, 16MP rear-/5MP front-facing cameras and 3000mAh batteries. The S6 edge+ retains its predecessor's curved display, while the Note5 includes a stylus.

The two devices get an interesting accessory in the shape of a keyboard case-- a hardware keyboard user snap on the bottom half of the display. The device recognises the case and adjusts the UI accordingly, essentially turning into a BlackBerry-style phone.

The LG Wine Smart, an entry-level Android smartphone combining a touchscreen with hardware buttons in retro flip phone stylings, arrives in the European market following its S. Korean debut back in September 2014.

Supposedly enhanced with "more advanced multimedia features," the Wine Smart is has a physical 3x4 numerical keypad for users wanting "easy and accurate typing." It also has hotkeys for frequently used features such as phone dialer, address book, SMS and camera.

Other features include a 3.2-inch 480x320 resolution display, 1.1GHz quad-core CPU, 1GB RAM, 4GB storage, microSD slot and a 1700mAh removable battery. The OS of choice is Android 5.1.1.

Lenovo-owned Motorola launches the next generation of the popular Moto smartphone lineup with an updated version of the low-cost Moto G and a pair of Moto X models, the Moto X Play and the flagship Moto X Style.

The 3rd generation Moto G is a 5-inch handset with decent specifications, including a quad-core 1.4GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 410 chipset, 2470mAh battery 1 or 2GB RAM and either 8 or 16GB of storage (expandable via microSD slot). Like all Moto smartphones the OS of choice is Android, while the rear-facing camera has a 13MP sensor and dual-LED flash.

The new Moto G is also tough, as it has a Gorilla Glass display and IPX7-rated casing for protection against splashes.