Handset Manufacturers

Mobile Phone Manufacturers

In just ten short years, mobile phone manufacturers have become some of the world's most recognisable brands. In today’s brave new tech world, the names Nokia, Google and Apple are now as familiar to people as Coca Cola, Nike and McDonalds. And just as those brands command incredible loyalty from consumers, the same is now true of the leading phone makers.

Here, we’ll take a good look at the world’s biggest and best known phone makers to give you some idea of their strengths, what their handsets can offer, pricing and availability.

Nokia

Finnish company Nokia accounts for four out of every ten mobile phones sold worldwide. Its product range takes in everything from basic phones designed with simplicity at their core, as well as mid-range mobiles at affordable price points and a great selection of attractive features. Committed smartphone fans, meanwhile, are catered for by the high-end NSeries smartphones, which pack in an incredible array of functions, while the messaging focussed phones in the Eseries are tailor made for business users.

From humble beginnings, Nokia is now among the world’s largest phone makers, with a long history of producing iconic handsets, such as the early effort the Mobira Citiman, the best-selling 3210 which is synonymous with the late 1990s mobile phone boom and the N7, which took powerful smartphone technology to the mass market for the first time.

Sold on a Nokia phone? Find out more and compare handsets at our dedicated Nokia page

Samsung

South Korean company Samsung is famed for its massively popular Galaxy range of phones, many of which are rated as among the best Android powered smartphones around. These team great apps with massive processing power, great looks and excellent build quality.

Samsung's phone portfolio also takes in cheaper and mid-range models. The touchscreen operated Tocco range, which often feature some fantastic cameras, are especially sought after, as are the social networking focussed Genio models have sold millions of units worldwide. And the Wave range has made a splash across the globe, too. Using Samsung’s proprietary operating system Bada, they are truly next-generation handsets with ample scope for customisation and a slew of specially made applications.

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Apple

Apple is the Californian company behind the iconic iPhone, which changed how people thought about smartphones and brought new design standards to handsets – courtesy of British design doyenne Jonathan Ive.

iPhones are the go-to handsets if you want a massive choice of practical apps and fun games. They’re also brimming with built-in functions, such as high-end cameras, HD video recording, video calls and sat-nav-style route finding. What’s more, Apple pushes out regular software updates that add even more features, bringing older iPhones up to date with the very latest models from rival mobile phone makers.

Apple also makes the world’s best-selling tablet computer, the iPad. Fully touchscreen operated, iPads have revolutionised computing, moving consumers away from laptops and netbooks forever.

Interested in an Apple iPhone? Find out more about Apple and check out iPhone deals Apple

LG

Despite entering the UK phone market relatively late, LG has quickly made a real name for itself. Rather like Nokia, there is an LG phone for almost any kind of user. The Android powered Optimus range are at the very top of the smartphone tree, while the Viewty line’s multiple megapixel cameras and advanced imaging technology make them great for camera enthusiasts.

Check out the best LG phones deal and offers LG

Sony Ericsson

Sony Ericsson is a joint venture between the company behind the iconic Walkman and PlayStation and a Swedish phone maker. Sony Ericsson’s notable phones include the Android powered Xperia X10 range, which are a match for any smartphone around. Sony Ericsson is also famed for its Walkman branded mobiles, which team the functionality and rich, full sound quality of a dedicated music player with a superb mobile phone handset.

Keen on a Sony Ericsson phone? Find and compare the best Sony Ericsson deals Sony Ericsson

HTC

HTC is perhaps the most high-profile and best-rated maker of Android phones - that is handsets that run Google’s Android operating system. The Desire range in particular have set new standards for the platform, enabling Android phones to take their place next to the iPhone at the top of the smartphone tree.

Before making the move over to Android with the T-Mobile G1 (which was manufactured by HTC on behalf of T-Mobile and Google), the Taiwanese phone manufacturer was famous mostly for business focussed mobiles. However, following the mass market success of its more recent smartphones, it is now well on the way to becoming one of the best known mobile phone manufacturers in the world.

In the market for an HTC phone? You're in the right place. Compare HTC phone deals at our HTC page

BlackBerry

BlackBerry phones, made by Research in Motion (RIM), are synonymous with on the go messaging, thanks to the fantastic email and instant messaging experience they offer. Hallmarks of the range include physical QWERTY keyboards and the highly rated BlackBerry Messenger app, which comes pre-installed across the range.

The most famous BlackBerry phone ranges include models in the Curve, Torch and Bold range. BlackBerry has also moved into the tablet market with the PlayBook – a slate that focuses on the needs of business users.

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Palm

Palm’s excellent Pre phones are brilliant for multi-tasking and have helped the company that invented personal digital assistants (PDAs) to stay at the very forefront of mobile communications technology. Now owned by Hewlett Packard, Palm’s continued innovations are being harnessed for some great tablet computers, too.

Looking for a Palm phone deal? Head to our page for phones from Palm

Motorola

US firm Motorola came into prominence in the late 1990s, with its hugely popular RAZR range that introduced the world to the flip phone – a compact handset in two parts that fold together. It hasn’t rested on its laurels. Since then it has scored huge hits with phones running Android, such as its Milestone range.

Say hello to Moto and compare the best Motorola phone deals here: Motorola

Alcatel

Alcatel specialises in keenly priced mobiles that are ideal for entry level users. Alcatel phones also stand out for their fun colour schemes.

Check out the best Alcatel phone deals here: Alcatel

Dell

World renowned for its desktop and laptop computers, Dell’s Streak range of handsets combine everything that’s good about tablets with cutting-edge smartphones.

Get up to speed with Dell and compare phone deals at your Dell page

Google

Thanks to Google’s Nexus phones and the Android mobile phone operating system that it created, the search giant has established itself among the best phone manufacturers on the planet.

With regular updates for Android – each one bringing swathes of new functions to smartphones – Google is at the forefront of mobile phone technology and a key driver of innovation.

Find a great Google phone deal at our Google phones page