Customers wanting a smartphone with the biggest possible screen-- something better described as a phablet-- get a Xiaomi option with the Mi Max 3, a handset with a 6.9-inch 18:9 aspect ratio display.

The big IPS LCD display handles 2160 x 1080 resolution and has slim bezels, making for a fairly slim device considering the size. Being a mid-range smartphone, the Mi Max 3 runs on a Qualcomm Snapdragon 636 CPU, with 4/6GB RAM, 64/128GB storage (expandable via microSD card) and a hefty 5500mAh battery complete with QuickCharge 3.0 allowing it to charge from empty to 71% in an hour.

The mid-range Xperia XA2 Plus smartphone is "designed to entertain," Sony says-- specifically through a 6-inch 18:9 ratio "Full HD+" display and High-Resolution Audio technology.

As an update of the XA2, the XA2 Plus offers improved internals with a Snapdragon 630 processor, 4/6GB RAM, 32/64GB internal storage, 23MP rear-/8MP front-facing cameras and a 3580mAh battery. As for further entertainment-friendly features, the fact the handset retains the humble headphone jack should prove a relief to at least some customers.

Oppo takes on the true edge-to-edge smartphone display with the Find X-- a motorised mechanism slides the backside to reveal a 25MP front-facing camera and a rear-facing dual-camera array.

As a bezel-free flagship device the Find X lacks buttons or a fingerprint button. Instead, it uses the sliding mechanism to reveal the camera in order face unlock the device via iPhone X-style infrared depth detection. Dubbed "O-Face," the system promises to work in nearly all lighting conditions and allows for portrait lighting effects and "Omoji," the Oppo take on Animoji.

The BlackBerry Key2 is an unusual device for 2018-- the sequel to the 2017 KeyOne features a full physical keyboard, bringing fond memories of what one thinks of as the traditional BlackBerry device.

As BlackBerry license holder TCL puts it, the goal of the Key2 is to "capture all the traits that have made BlackBerry smartphones iconic, while introducing new innovations and experiences." It features a slimmer design compared to the KeyOne, even as smaller bezels allow for slightly wider keys. Construction is in glass and aluminium, and the 4.5-inch display retains the unusual 1620 x 1080 resolution (making a 3:2 aspect ratio) of the previous model.