Which 4G LTE enabled smartphones are available in the UK?

The UK is bracing itself for the roll out of next generation mobile services when EE launches its 4G network in October. But as the signal goes live, what handsets will be available? And what are the features that separate them from one another?

King of the castle – Apple iPhone 5

There’s little doubt about it, Apple still has the lead when it comes to the most desired smartphones – and the iPhone 5 has proved this once again. This time, the larger 4-inch screen is a big draw, especially for those who want to watch films, play games or even read on the go, but beyond that there are many other things to tempt people who have yet to buy their first iPhone. The all-new A6 chip means a faster experience all-round and the new iOS6 system offers improved maps and greater Facebook integration.

The big contender – Samsung Galaxy SIII

We’ve all seen Apple and Samsung slugging it out in the media about copyright and who has been looking over who’s shoulder, but the greater competition has made both companies step up their game to try and come out on top. While the iPhone 5 is Apple’s big response, the South Koreans have hit back with the Samsung Galaxy SIII. As well as a larger 4.8-inch screen, the SIII boasts great features like S-Voice (which challenges Siri) and Smart Stay, plus it has the very popular Android Ice Cream Sandwich operating system.

The little contender – HTC One XL

HTC has been quietly getting on with it for years now and has built a legacy of pretty impressive phones that – while less headline-grabbing than those above – have always managed to do the business. The company has made moves to take advantage of the 4G mobile roll out with a device that has a 4.7-inch, 720 x 1280 pixels display, as well as 32 GB of on-board storage, and 1 GB RAM. In addition, the HTC One XL has a rapid Qualcomm MSM8960 Snapdragon processor, so you can expect it to be quick off the mark too.

The entry-level model – Huawei Ascend P1

For those who either don’t care – or can’t afford – any of the above, there is still a very tempting option available for 4G in the Huawei Ascend P1 LTE. Sure, it may not look as impressive as the iPhone 5, boast the features of the Samsung SIII, but behind its 4.3-inch qHD Super AMOLED touchscreen there is the Android 4.0 operating system, as well as a dual-core 1.5GHz processor and 1GB of RAM to play with.

Overall 4G is an extremely exciting technology and a highly anticipated development for consumers across the UK. Offering speeds far higher than 3G signals, 4G is the future of mobile web browsing and accessing and consuming content on the move.

About Jakk: Jakk Ogden is a professional self-employed blogger and the founder / owner of Technology Blogged. 22, with a love for good writing, you'll find me playing 'Drag Racing' on my HTC One X and rocking a pair of Grado headphones. If you love technology, be sure to subscribe to my feed for unique editorials. Find me on Google+. View author profile.