We’ve made our document. We’ve checked it twice.

With the Christmas weekend in full swing, and the end of 2017 shortly approaching, it’s time to mirror on the highs and lows of the 12 months in Android. That means we get to call out a number of of the heroes and villains of the smartphone world — producers and firms that had a bumper 12 months, and others that blew it spectacularly.

This is the Android Naughty & Nice document for 2017. Enjoy!

Nice: Google’s division

Even with some points spherical Pixel 2 XL’s present (which nonetheless will not be just about nearly as good as Samsung-made rivals, even after newest Software Program Program updates), the second 12 months of Google-made was spectacular to behold. The new telephones constructed on the earlier 12 months’s achievements, with improved computational photos capabilities, a slick UI and flawless effectivity. And elsewhere, Daydream and Home obtained even greater with updated, refined .

Naughty: Android tablets on the entire

Even Google wouldn’t suppose it’s worth making an Android tablet anymore. The two-year-old reference slate, the Pixel C, nonetheless hasn’t been retired, and with the shift to ChromeOS convertibles like the Pixelbook, who’s conscious of if we’ll ever see one different flagship Android tablet as soon as extra.

Naughty: Essential

A delayed retail launch, a foul Digital Digital Camera — even months later, poor product sales figures, a cancelled European supplier rollout topped off by plenty of weeks of unhealthy press spherical the man at the prime made for a dismal launch 12 months for Andy Rubin’s Essential. The phone’s solely worth purchasing for now on account of it’s low value, and even then, persistent software program program factors make for an generally shaky experience.

Nice: HTC

HTC has its points, for sure: Too many to document proper right here, between frequent govt departures, and a shaky start to the 12 months with the disappointing U Ultra. But the Taiwanese agency redeemed itself later in the 12 months with the superb U11 and U11 Plus, furthermore being the vessel for the Pixel 2, the biggest small Android phone of the 12 months. A troublesome 12 months awaits this Android veteran, nevertheless in 2017 HTC obtained its mojo once more, at the very least in relation to its merchandise.

Naughty: Razer

The Razer Phone is, at biggest, a demo of tech we’ll see further fluently realized in 2018. Razer swapped out my genuine consider unit, and the substitute unit wouldn’t have any of the autofocus factors I first expert with the gadget. But the digital digital camera continues to be unhealthy in a great deal of completely different strategies, and that 120Hz present is dim in low gentle. Throw in Android Nougat, with no company date for Oreo exterior of “Q1”, and you’ve got a recipe for disappointment.

Naughty/Nice: Huawei

This was a hard one: Huawei began the 12 months with the P10, and the near-criminal stupidity of transport a flagship phone with out an oleophobic show display screen. Huawei moreover missed the different to maneuver its software program program design forward in a major means in 2017, with persistent gripes spherical notifications remaining in the new EMUI 8. But in several areas, Huawei has made assured strides forward. Its cameras now rank amongst the biggest in the enterprise, and the Mate 10 Pro ranks as a champion of Android battery life. Meanwhile, the Mate assortment adopted a stunning new glass-backed design language. And the agency’s Honor sub-brand launched the spectacular Honor 9, 7X and View 10.

Naughty: LG Display

The Pixel 2 XL would’ve been a shoo-in for “best Android phone” have been it not for its disappointing LG-made OLED panel. Who is conscious of if there’s one thing to unconfirmed Reddit evaluations that new manufacturing traces weren’t ready in time, so older facilities had to be used for the V30 and Pixel 2 XL, but it surely absolutely could make clear the lackluster present effectivity of the 2 XL, and the one or two factors at lower brightness ranges in the V30’s panel.

Nice: LG Mobile

For all its display-related woes, the smartphone arm of LG shipped two of the biggest, most underappreciated Android telephones of the 12 months. The G6 was steamrolled by Samsung’s Galaxy S8, nevertheless actually had masses going for it — clear software program program, a compact dimension and a novel wide-angle digital digital camera. Same handle the V30, which constructed on the foundations of the G6 with sooner effectivity and improved video capabilities.

Naughty: Android Wear

I’m undecided Google really has a longterm plan for Android Wear at this stage. The LG Watch Sport and Watch Style bombed. The pivot to development producers has been met with restricted success, nevertheless in some other case Android Wear seems to be in limbo. The departure of VP David Singleton moreover wouldn’t look good for Google struggling wearable platform.

Nice: Samsung

Forget Bixby for a minute. Though Samsung’s mobile AI issue stays principally a waste of space, the agency launched a number of of its biggest merchandise however in 2017, effectively rebounding from the Galaxy Note 7 controversy. It was the first to ship tall, largely bezelless reveals to the mass market, and rehabilitated the Note mannequin with a robust, dual-camera equipped offering later in the 12 months. It’s moreover launched some superb wearables this 12 months, along with the Gear Fit2 and Gear Sport.

Naughty: Sony Mobile U.S.

Consider this award deferred until Sony broadcasts the Xperia XZ2 assortment in January, which most definitely nonetheless won’t have a working fingerprint scanner in the United States. Oh, Sony.

Naughty: Apple

Apple makes a great deal of good things, and employs a great deal of good of us. But is anyone really surprised to see the agency deliberately slowing down older iPhones? Derek Kessler’s write-up on iMore goes into further ingredient, nevertheless nonetheless many events I read explanations of why Apple downclocks CPUs and GPUs to guard the battery lifetime of faltering cells, the further the cynic in me merely wouldn’t buy it. Apple’s decision deliberately obfuscates the precise draw back with rising older (the battery), and degrades effectivity for patrons by — coincidentally — spherical the time they might merely be listening to about shiny new iPhones hitting the market. Android OEMs generally pull some pretty dumb, anti-consumer suggestions as correctly, nevertheless to me this merely seems like Apple abusing the near infinite amount of goodwill it has from prospects.

Nice: OnePlus

It’s not like OnePlus didn’t screw up the least bit in 2017. Some unhealthy press spherical info assortment practices and a backdoor for root entry observed the agency retreading acquainted ground. But the merchandise themselves have been sturdy — every the OnePlus 5 and 5T stood out as the biggest mid-priced flagships of 2017, topped off by a restricted model Star Wars collab to spherical off the 12 months.