With a new year upon us, we can expect numerous new gadgets and repackages spinoffs from today's most popular brands. The Samsung Galaxy S3 and Apple's reigning smartphone champion, the iPhone 5, both went out making lots of noise last year. However, technology just keeps getting better and better; not to mention, dozens of other companies in the tech industry are creating innovative things that keep us glued to their brands. Take a look at several game changing devices expected to launch this year: Apple iPhone 5s/iPhone 6 Will there be another iPhone release? Most likely. Apple's only option to stay ahead of its class is to release newer versions of its bestselling item, the iPhone, to compete with Google's multi-platform monster, the Android. There are typically minimal changes and enhancements to each newly-released iPhone, but this means a lot to consumers who pride themselves in toting the latest gadgets. According to leaked information, Apple has been testing new hardware, referring to it as the "iPhone6.1,†powered by a device running iOS 7. It's expected to be released by Apple in the middle of this year. Apple's current iPhone 5 has the "iPhone5.1" and "iPhone 5.2" identifiers, which are based on the LTE model of the handset and the 4G band network it runs on. The next gen iPhone may even come in a few different colors, according to MacNewsWorld.com. Samsung S4 Continuing with their premium Galaxy line, Samsung is gearing up to renew the design of their flagship smartphone, along with some new features sometime this year. Rumors of the device having a 5-inch or larger screen to a possible flexible screen design (to be shown by Samsung at CES) are just a few of the impressive changes to be made to the Galaxy S3's successor. iPad Mini w/Retina Display It seems like yesterday that Apple released the miniature version of its highly-popular and successfully-designed iPad, the iPad Mini. Like the original iPad, you can expect a newer version of the fast-selling iPad Mini to hit shelves sometime soon, equipped with a vivid Retina display. With the release of affordably-priced tablets like Google's Nexus 7 and Amazon's Kindle Fire HD, Apple is trying to keep its top spot. All-Electric Vehicle by Tesla Motors Which car manufacturer will be the first to design a vehicle with features that are practical, cater to different family sizes and have great aesthetics? Not many car makers have been able to do so until now. In fact, there aren't more than about one to two all-electric powered vehicles on the road today. Tesla Motors says those days are coming to an end…very soon. The Silicon Valley-based company first offering was the Tesla roadster. A small fully electric two-seater that got Tesla's foot into the hands of consumers to prove they were more than capable of producing a vehicle that performs efficiently and looks awesome. Next up is the Model S. The Model S is Tesla's bread and butter. It is the only car of its kind to be fully electric, has an excellent design that appeals to Mercedes-Benz and BMW owners, contains various technology features and starts at $45,000. In addition, Tesla plans to develop a cross-country charging network where people can revive their car battery for free (in lieu of refueling). Ultra HD Televisions With the outdated technology found in those big "fat-back" TVs being phased out of homes, people are now beginning to embrace both LED and LED smart TVs. But just as we mentioned before, technology only improves. Samsung and LG are planning to release huge 55-inch Ultra HD televisions. Ultra means at least 8 million pixels, with a minimum resolution of 3840 x 2160, and an aspect ratio of at least 16 x 9. Right now, they're priced at about $20,000. DFRAGG is an online digital magazine that focuses on technology, culture and lifestyle. Founders Julian Boyce and Sajjad provide readers up with the latest happenings in the world of mobile devices, apps, social media tools, gadgets and the larger tech space.