This year's Mobile World Congress (MWC) in Barcelona has already seen the unveiling of several headline handsets. But are any of them any closer to killing the iPhone?
Lumia 640 and 640 XL
In what is probably a sensible move, so as not to be overshadowed by flagship handset launches from HTC and Samsung, Microsoft will be announcing no new flagship device until Windows 10 is launched. What it has brought to MWC are two mid-range phones - a Lumia 640 and Lumia 640 XL. No powerhouse iPhone killer to be seen here, so it's left on the shoulders of Android to do the job.
Alcatel OneTouch IDOL 3
Alcatel's new OneTouch Idol 3 is fully reversible so even if you're holding the phone upside down, the screen will rotate to accommodate and you can speak into and listen from either end. As far as smartphone innovations go, it's not a big one, but it shows smartphones are getting more ergonomic all the time (or smartphone users more lazy). Of course, Apple has its own fully-reversible Lightning cable, so the not-so-nimble-fingered among us don't have to worry about getting the fiddly USB in the correct way up each time. Alcatel one - Apple one. As with the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus, the OneTouch Idol 3 comes in two sizes - 4.7" and 5.5". The bigger-screened version is also more powerful, coming with an octa-core processor, while the 4.7" is quad-core. Alcatel is offering value for money with prices from €249 with free earphones, but this is a phone for the masses, it's not chasing the top end of the market, or the iPhone.
Sony Xperia M4 Aqua
With many people optimistically awaiting the announcement of the Sony Xperia Z4 handset, the manufacturer is keeping us in the lurch. It did, however, announce the new Z4 tablet and a new mid-range phone, the M4 Aqua. It still packs quite a punch with an Octa core processor and it does carry a 5 Megapixel front-facing camera, which outdoes that of the Xperia Z3, but this is not a flagship phone, and it's no match for Apple.
Blackphone 2
You may never have heard of the first Blackphone from Silent Circle, but it has just announced the second, and claims to be the world's most secure smartphone. It has its own operating system called PrivateOS 1.1 which works in conjunction with Android and offers a new interface that adds elements of security to every area of the phone. You can password protect your messages, and have different logins for different apps, for example. It's a pretty powerful device as well, packing an Octa-core processor and 3GB of RAM. The iPhone has Fingerprint ID, but Silent Circle doesn't care about that - it has another mobile maker in its sights. As Silent Circle chairman Mike Janke put it: "We're replacing BlackBerry, we don't care that BlackBerry's CEO is throwing nasty things about us onto Twitter. We're going to dominate them." No iPhone killer to be seen here then...
Samsung Galaxy S6 & S6 Edge
Arguably Samsung's most attractive phone to date, it seems that the Galaxy S6 and S6 Edge completely blow the Galaxy S5 out of the water. Moving away from the plastic design that was used in the Galaxy S3 through to the S5, it's a new chapter for Samsung. It boasts an Octa-core processor, 3GB of RAM and a better camera than its predecessor. In a similar vein to the iPhone, it no longer allows the battery to be removed or the memory to be expanded, which may upset many Samsung fans. But by furnishing the Galaxy S6 and S6 Edge with more pixels per inch than any other flagship model on the market, Samsung is showing it understands the fine line between functionality and design, and the burning need to beat the flagship competition on at least one feature
The Edge, in particular, is a stunning piece of machinery. That curved screen is more than just an aesthetic detail, glowing when face down to notify users of messages and calls, and making photos and videos appear 3D. That winning combination of beauty and functionality - that we normally see from Apple - makes the Edge a strong contender for the iPhone throne.
HTC One M9
Along with the hype surrounding the Galaxy S6, the HTC One M9 has been one of the most hotly anticipated smartphones this year. Opting for a very similar look to its predecessor, the One M8, the One M9 still makes a few improvements - with an almost entirely metal body. In addition to this, it's upgraded to 3GB of RAM and an Octa-Core processor. With these similarities, even though it is a beautiful phone, if the HTC One M8 didn't change the mind of the iPhone user, I'm not sure if the One M9 will have much luck.
To conclude, it seems that, with the aesthetic and the way it's completely blown its predecessor out of the water in terms of specs, the Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge has the biggest chance of killing the iPhone. Whether it succeeds or not, however, only time will tell.
Along with these, there have been some very intriguing mid-range phone announcements, which could tempt away those who are looking for a more affordable bang for their buck. Either way, MWC isn't over yet, so tech junkies still have plenty to look forward to.