India, Feb. 2 -- What does a dream smartphone look like in 2026? It is a question I have thought about many times, especially as new phones keep launching almost every other week. But the more devices I use, the more I realise that the industry has reached a point where phones are no longer changing dramatically. Most improvements are incremental, focused on refinement rather than something truly new.

Over the past year, after using everything from top-end flagships to mid-range and even entry-level phones, my idea of a dream smartphone has changed. It is no longer about the most powerful chip or the biggest numbers on a spec sheet. It is about how a phone feels in daily use, the camera I trust, the design I enjoy holding, and the small ...