The best 2015 smartphones list unveiled

If you're thinking of getting a new phone, then this is the best time to start looking.

The Mobile World Congress trade show is in full swing and big manufacturers like HTC and Samsung have been showing off their newest handsets.

There's no sign of a new Apple iPhone, but we've been at the heart of the show in Barcelona to bring you our pick of the best blowers.

So forget the virtual realty specs and the stylish smartwatches for the moment - here's our pick of the best smartphones from this year's show.

Samsung Galaxy S6

With a swanky new metal frame and a hugely improved screen, the Samsung Galaxy S6 is the biggest name at this year's show.

It's got a better camera, wireless charging and the ability to make wireless payments using a secure fingerprint scanner.

Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge

The Galaxy S6 Edge is the premium older brother of the Galaxy S6. It has all of the features of the Galaxy S6 and more.

The unique selling point is the gorgeous curved screen made possible thanks to a new glass moulding technique. Both phones should be available from April.

HTC One M9

The new flagship from HTC is every bit as gorgeous as the Samsung Galaxy S6 and features two-tone aluminium casing and improved HTC software running on top of the Google Android platform.

HTC has taken the rear-facing "Ultrapixel" camera from its previous flagship, the HTC One M8, and loaded it onto the front of the One M9. If you like taking selfies - this is the phone for you.

BlackBerry Leap

The BlackBerry Leap is a smart, 5-inch high definition smartphone that the company says will appeal to career-building young professionals and businesses that want security.

It uses the secure BlackBerry 10 operating system but has access to a huge number of Android apps through the Amazon Appstore.

LG Magna

The LG Magna was one of four new mid-range phones launched at the show by the South Korean manufacturer.

It's got 8GB of internal storage and a 5-inch high definition screen. There's no price information available yet, but this is likely to be significantly cheaper than the HTC or Samsung models.

Microsoft Lumia 640

Since acquiring Nokia last year, Microsoft has continued to produce the Finnish company's famous Lumia phones.

The Microsoft Lumia 640 is a 5-inch phone with the familiarly colourful back cover and an 8-megapixel camera. The phone comes running the Windows Phone 8.1 operating system but will be updated to Windows 10 later in the year.

Sony Xperia M4 Aqua

Sony hasn't revealed its flagship Sony Xperia Z4 yet but for anyone who's out in the elements a lot, the Sony Xperia M4 Aqua could be worth a look.

As implied by the name it's waterproof and dustproof and also boasts a 720p high definition screen and a wide-angle 5-megapixel camera.

Alcatel OneTouch Idol 3

The Alcatel OneTouch Idol 3 is billed as an "orientation-free" smartphone, meaning you can use it to talk no matter which way up you hold it. That's because there's a speaker and a microphone at each end of the phone.

It even comes in two sizes - either with a 4.7-inch or 5.5-inch screen if you've got larger hands.

Kazam Tornado 552L

Forgetting the sexist advert that Kazam put out last month, the British company has shown off its new super-slim smartphone at MWC.

The Tornado 552L is only 5.5mm thick but also crams in a 13-megapixel camera and a super bright, high definition screen.

Acer Liquid Jade Z

Better known for laptops than smartphones, but the Acer Liquid Jade Z is an affordable Android option.

It features a bright, 5-inch high definition screen and an impressive 64-bit processor. There's a 13-megapixel camera packed in as well as plenty of photography features to play around with.

You can read even more about the trade show by visiting our dedicated Mobile World.