Best Android Camera Phone and Best Design: 2012 Rewards

Sony Xperia T is the best camera phone.

The last couple of years have seen some major advancements in camera phone technology, to the extent that the phone in your pocket is now a more than adequate replacement for a dedicated device. The camera phone scene on Android in 2012 was dominated by three companies. Samsung, whose Galaxy S III camera was super-quick and produced great shots almost every time, while HTC's One series featured a fast lens and dedicated image chip, as well as the best camera software on any device. But our winner is Sony, whose Exmor R sensor delivered clean shots in all but the dimmest lighting conditions to its wide dynamic range, speedy performance and a number of usability enhancements, ranging from the simple (a dedicated camera button) to the ingenious (the ability to take photos even when the phone is locked). The combination came together perfectly in the Xperia T, our camera phone of the year.

Other recommended Devices:

HTC One X. Unrivalled for speed, and the shots look great on the One X's stunning display. But the colours tended to be oversaturated and the images generally noisier than you might expect.

Samsung Galaxy S III. Fast and highly functional, as you’d expect from the S III. The dynamic range was limited, but with low light, performance was good, making this device a good choice for the casual snapper.

BEST DESIGN.

Android phones in 2012 stuck doggedly to the rectangle-with-large-screen form factor – even physical keyboards barely got a look in. But while that meant there was little variation in how phones looked, it didn't prevent the manufacturers with the greatest design chops from producing some beautiful handsets. Chiefly, that meant HTC. The company started the year with a new focus on creating a smaller, higher quality range of devices and it achieved that with the One  series. The One X was the standout.

Carved from a single piece of polycarbonate, housing a huge screen that looked like it had been literally painted onto the front glass, it was a bold statement about the company's determination to start competing with the likes of Apple and Nokia in the build and design stakes.

The One X was a striking piece of industrial design, and one that stood apart from the legions of ‘me-too' phones that pushed the limits in certain areas, without ever actually taking any risks.

Other recommended devices:

HTC One S. Considered by some to be an even better design than the One X, the S had a remarkably thin form factor, was the perfect size and featured a unique and appealing ceramic coating.

HTC One V

A throwback to the company’s golden days, the One V showed that HTC could even do budget phones with more style than its rivals had managed with their flagship models.