2013's Best Phones Reviewed: iPhone 5S, Galaxy S4 And Nokia Lumia 940 Rated Via Time Machine (PHOTOS)

Tomorrow's Best Phones Reviewed... Today

As we head into 2013, the question on everyone's mind is obvious - what's going to be next year's biggest mobile phone?

Fortunately we've managed to get hold of a time machine, which we found in the lower decks of Steve Jobs' giant yacht currently moored in the Netherlands.

We managed to have a root around the web circa December 2013, and came back with the top five mobile phones of the era.

Take a look below for our exclusive reviews of the iPhone 5S, the Galaxy S4, the Lumia 940, Microsoft's Surface Phone and the long-awaited Facebook phone, by HTC.

Oh, and if you're wondering where BlackBerry's BB10 devices are - we're sorry, those got delayed. Roll on January 2014.*

*Not really.

Above: a lucky customer with the UK's first iPhone 5S

iPhone 5S: A solid, boring upgrade

While a familiar upgrade - with both the same design and only a slightly upgraded screen compared to last year's model - the iPhone 5S keeps Apple on track-ish, with the new A6X processor, which is twice as fast as the old one, improved battery life, an amazing new 15MP camera (with a 360-degree Photo Ball feature) and the all-new iOS 7 operating system, which adds redesigned notifications, better maps, better sharing of data between devices and improved multitasking. It's not the most innovative phone of the year by any stretch - but yes, it's the best iPhone yet. Snore.

Samsung Galaxy SIV: a frankly absurdly good screen

Samsung's Galaxy SIV is the best Android phone on the market, again. Featuring a massive, clear and exceptionally high quality 4.7-inch 440ppi wraparound screen and huge processor upgrades, it only suffers from a a lack of truly amazing new ideas. What it does feature are a host of new nature-themed colours: It comes in ocean gray, ocean blue and ocean green. The design still features a relatively cheap-feeling plastic back cover, and the curved look still might not appeal to those more familiar with the iPhone's chiseled looks, but it's nevertheless a great device.

Nokia Lumia 940: a beautiful tomb

Nokia's latest - and perhaps last - flagship smartphone running Windows Phone 8.5 is a masterpiece of industrial design and doom - like an Egyptian pyramid. Coming in three bold new colours - Last Autumn green, Mortuary blue and Gunshot red - it has the best camera ever seen in a mobile device (since the PureView 808) at 35 MP. It's also far lighter and thinner than last year's Lumia 920, and has the processor chops to run the best Windows Phone 8 games. That is, if they existed - the Windows Phone platform is still worryingly low on top quality apps, and we don't see that changing any time soon. Goodbye, Nokia?

The Facebook Phone: sort of makes sense, is blue

The Facebook Phone by HTC is a curiously old-fashioned device. Running an HD screen (1280 x 720) and featuring a dual-core processor, its main distinguishing features are those related to Mark Zuckerberg's social network. Based on a heavily-modified version of Android Gingerbread, it comes with automatic Facebook uploads for photos, integrated notifications and contacts, hardware buttons to post updates and refresh your news feed and a brilliant use of Facebook's trademark blue in the phone's industrial design. Yes - every other phone on Earth can run Facebook too. But none are quite as neat - or relentless - as the HTC Facebook.

Microsoft Surface Phone: it runs Windows, kinda

The Surface phone is the first Windows mobile device to run a full version of Windows 8 as well as the mobile OS, Windows Phone 8. The idea is to seemlessly switch from the mobile OS while on the go, to the full system when at your desk or plugged into a tablet-sized screen. And it works! Well, almost. The mobile version is actually Windows Phone RT 8 - a slightly modified OS for mobile processors, while the main OS is Windows 8 ST, designed for mobile phones, but not able to run Windows 8 or Windows RT apps. Confused? No. You're Not. Nice hardware though, with two (count 'em) kickstands. Oh and it has Office.

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