15 special edition smartphones you wish you could buy

Smartphones are better than ever but aren’t always as exciting as they used to be. One thing that helps fight the onset of boredom is the special-edition phone. Over the years, manufacturers have collaborated with other brands to create limited-edition phones that can look wildly different from the original phone, with custom finishes, software, and accessories. Sadly, many of these devices are only sold in specific regions, locking them away from large parts of the fan base. There is more to come, with HMD announcing it is working on a Barbie-branded flip phone. So, as we look forward to seeing how that device turns out, let’s recap some of the best special edition phones to exist so far.

Transformers

Redmagic 7, 7 Pro, 8 Pro Plus, 8S Pro Plus.

The Transformers make up approximately 75% of my overall personality, so these phones are obviously at the top of my themed list. Redmagic made four Transformers edition phones. The Redmagic 7 was based on the Bayverse (Michael Bay universe) Megatron, the 7 Pro was based on the Bayverse Optimus Prime, and the 8 Pro Plus and 8S Pro Plus referenced the newer 80s-inspired designs for Optimus Prime and Bumblebee, respectively, as seen in the Bumblebee movie.

These phones went above and beyond to make a Transformers fan feel special. Many themed phones come with the same generic accessories as the regular device, but not here. Redmagic included Transformers-branded cases, superfast chargers, and an air cooler for gaming performance. Some even offered badges and pins. Even the software was skinned with a Cybertronian theme, and there were plenty of character-focused wallpapers.

Star Wars

Sharp Star Wars Phone, Samsung Galaxy Note 10+

Merchandising is one of the things that made Star Wars so culturally important. The only reason we got more than one film was because George Lucas didn’t have to share the profits from Star Wars toys with the studio, enabling him to use that money to pay the cast and crew, firmly establish ILM (Industrial Lights and Magic), and make more films. It makes sense, then, that Star Wars has had some limited-edition smartphones, and they are fantastic.

The first is the Sharp Star Wars phone that came in a light side and dark side edition. It coincided with the release of Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, my favorite entry into the franchise. These two smartphones featured a stunning glass back that would shimmer between two colors as the light hit them. The dark side would shift between red and black, while the light side phone would switch between white and pale blue. The software was also skinned with Star Wars icons and wallpapers. The accessories were a lot of fun, too. Each came with a figurine collection featuring the Rebel Alliance U-Wing Support Craft, Darth Vader, a Death Trooper, a Coastal Defender Stormtrooper, and K2SO.

Next, there’s Samsung’s Galaxy Note 10+ Star Wars Edition. This phone had the misfortune of being tied to The Rise Of Skywalker, but we won’t hold that against it. This Note 10+ was black with a metallic red ring around the cameras and a vibrant red S Pen. Its back panel had the First Order logo etched into the middle, with the Star Wars logo beneath that. The box also included a leather case with Kylo Ren’s embossed side profile, a collectible metal card featuring Ren, and a pair of Samsung’s original Galaxy Buds repainted with the same black and red theme.

Superheros

Galaxy S6 Edge, S7 Edge, OnePlus 6

Samsung appears again here with the Iron Man Galaxy S6 Edge and Galaxy S7 Edge Injustice Edition. The S6 came in red and gold, with an Iron Man helmet etched into the rear glass and a theme over Samsung’s software skin. In the box, the standard accessories were the same as usual, but there was also a wireless charger that looked like Tony Stark’s Arc Reactor, my favorite part of this phone. The Injustice Edition was similar, with an all-black design that featured a gold bat symbol on the back and a Batman software theme. The phone also had a Batman case and a black Galaxy Gear VR headset.

Next is the OnePlus 6 Infinity War Edition. This phone was stunning, and I appreciate its subtlety. The rear glass was etched with a carbon fiber print, and the OnePlus logo, Avengers logo, and alert slider were gold, like Thanos’ Infinity Gauntlet. The box included a gold-painted metal medallion, an Infinity War card, and an Iron Man case.

Cars

OnePlus 7, Honor Magic V2 RSR

There have been many car-branded phones dating back to the early 2000s, but most of them were, to be frank, gaudy. The two I am highlighting are beautifully designed and deserve attention. The first is the OnePlus 7T McLaren, easily my favorite. The black glass exterior had a Damascus steel print and was accented by McLaren’s signature orange around the cameras and back panel. OnePlus even used this orange for the charging cable over its usual bright red.

Secondly, there’s the Honor Magic V2 RSR Porsche Design. That name might be a mouthful, but we’ll forgive that. The phone was inspired by the Porsche 911, with the body made of the same fiberglass Porsche uses in its cars and a crease down the back panel inspired by the current generation 911. Porsche’s original Agate Grey paint rounds out the design.

Videogames

OnePlus Ace 2

OnePlus has made 5 Genshin phones over the years. The OnePlus 9RT, Ace Pro, Ace 2, Ace 2 Pro, and 12R have all had Genshin editions that are each styled after a different character. They’re all amazing, but we’ll focus on the Ace 2 here.

The OnePlus X Genshin Impact 2 Xiangling Themed Ace 2 (yes, that’s the official name) is one of the best special editions you’ll find. Genshin Impact has become one of the most successful mobile games, and its fan base is as loyal as it is large. This limited edition Ace 2 did a lot to make those fans happy, thanks to the ridiculous amount of accessories included. The phone itself is pretty standard, except for the red leather back. What set this phone apart was the gift box, which came with pins, stickers, a pop-up book, and even a Genshin-themed SIM removal tool. OnePlus is more willing to go above and beyond than others, which I appreciate.

Misc

Samsung Galaxy S3, S21, Z Flip 3, Docomo NEC

Samsung has been an Olympic sponsor since 2000 and has made special edition phones for each Olympic, Paralympic, and Winter Olympic games since. We’re going to focus on three of them, starting with the Galaxy S3 that was made for the 2012 London games. The phone has that year’s logo, a lion in Union Jack colors, printed on the back. Then we have the Galaxy S21. The glass was a deep blue, while the frame, camera bump, and logos were gold. In 2022, Samsung did the same thing for the Winter Olympics. Participants were given a Galaxy Z Flip 3 with a gold frame and logos with a pale cream/gold back. That wasn’t the best part of the bundle, though. Everyone also received a pair of Galaxy Buds 2, but they came in a case modeled on the Z Flip 3, complete with Winter Olympic wallpaper on the cover screen. The fact this is an official accessory brings me more joy than it should.

Finally, we have the Docomo NEC One Piece Phone. This is another special edition that went above and beyond. Inside the box, users received the phone, a custom box, a model of a boat with a figurine of each character on it that doubled as a charging dock, and more. This might be an old phone coming out in 2012, but that doesn’t make it any less memorable. The boot animation, wallpapers, icons, and even widgets were all One Piece-themed.

There’s more to come

As we said at the outset, there are more special edition phones to look forward to. Most recently, the announcement of the Barbie phone made waves, even outside the usual tech fan sphere. My wife and her friends heard about this phone before I did and are excited to see it materialize. I hope OnePlus and the other manufacturers keep this up, too, and maybe one day, we can see themed devices available in more regions and more often. And if you like these limited edition phones, you’ll probably enjoy a list of the weirdest mainstream phones to have existed.