It truly has been a remarkable year of so many amazing companies launching so many amazing prizes.
Android Central has taken hours revisiting some of the best of the best that were released this past year. When it comes to our reviews, we do extensive testing, taking note of how companies have performed and, in some cases, underperformed.
This article is to showcase the winners. To shower the companies that worked incredibly hard to provide products that are worth your time.
Whether it was the OnePlus 15, the Oura Ring 4, the Google Pixel Watch 4, or the Sony WH-1000XM6, I can state with all my conviction, as the Editor-in-Chief of Android Central, that this has been an incredible year.
Android Central congratulates all the winners. You all deserve it, and we are very excited about all the devices and services that you will launch in 2026!
Best Android Phones
The OnePlus 15 absolutely crushed it this year, grabbing the Best Android Phone title thanks to its killer specs, think the fastest chip, a battery that lasts three days, and a super-smooth 165Hz screen.
The Google Pixel 10 Pro was right there as runner-up, and it snagged Best Camera, mainly for its super-friendly, Gemini-powered photo system.
If you're hunting for a deal, the $250 Nothing's CMF Phone 2 Pro is the must-have budget pick and winner for best value phone, with seriously great software.
In the folding world, the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 finally got sleek and took the crown, while the Motorola Razr Ultra 2025 is the flip phone to beat, packed with premium power.
And speaking of Samsung, they were named the most improved brand, proving they can still innovate, especially with that wild new Galaxy Z TriFold.
Best Wearables
For the wearables category, the Google Pixel Watch 4 absolutely cleaned up, winning Best Smartwatch for packing in a ton of upgrades like a better battery, faster charging, satellite SOS, and a sleek new design.
The Oura Ring 4 is still the king of smart rings for the second year running, not slowing down with updates like the new Ceramic finish and their AI chatbot, Advisor, that helps you understand your health stats.
When it comes to smart glasses, the Ray-Ban Meta Gen 2 took the top prize.
The runner-up, the Oakley Meta Vanguard, is the one for athletes.
Best XR or Smart Glasses and Games
The Xreal One Pro won Best XR Glasses because they made them even thinner and boosted the viewing angle.
The runner-up is the Samsung Galaxy XR headset, which is a huge deal as it's the first to use the new Android XR software, and you can load any Android app or game on it.
On the gaming side, the winner for Best Single-Player VR is the blockbuster Marvel's Deadpool VR, and the Best Multiplayer VR Game is the awesome crossover Demeo x Dungeons & Dragons: Battlemarked.
Best Chromebooks and Tablets
For the Chromebooks and tablets world, it was a good year! The Lenovo Chromebook Plus 14 stole the show as the Best Chromebook.
In the tablet fight, the OnePlus Pad 3 finally knocked Samsung off the top spot.
And if you love reading, the Amazon Kindle Scribe won Best E-Reader
Best Apps and Software
Spotify kept its crown for Best Music Streaming Service because it finally rolled out Lossless audio quality for free to Premium users, plus it has cool new features like an AI DJ and 'Prompted Playlists.'
Over in video streaming, Netflix is still the top dog for Best Video Streaming Service.
The Best Android App award went to Gemini.
And finally, the Best Android Game is Pokémon TCG Pocket, it’s totally free and lets you collect, build decks, and battle with your favorite Pokémon cards on your phone.
Best Audio and Accessories
Wrapping up with Accessories and Audio, Spigen took the trophy for Best Phone Case Manufacturer.
But if you want to splurge, the premium and super-thin Thinborne was the runner-up. For keeping your gear charged, Anker is still the undisputed champ for the best chargers and power banks.
Finally, for listening to music, the Sony WH-1000XM6 won Best Wireless Headphones for its awesome sound quality and support for lossless audio.
And for earbuds, the Apple AirPods Pro 3 snagged the win for their amazing Active Noise Cancellation (ANC), a redesigned comfy fit, and a new heart rate monitor.
