Mobile World Congress, Barcelona’s massive mobile devices show is a few weeks away and the rumour mills are hard at work. Here’s what to expect from the event.
Sony at MWC 2017
Sony is reportedly launching follow-ups to the devices we saw last year – the Xperia X and Xperia XA. Whether the number 2 will be tagged on the end or new names created remains to be seen. However, you can expect features such as waterproofing and excellent cameras.
A few news outlets have reported that Sony will announce five devices at the show. According to report, two of them are set to feature 5.5-inch screens and Snapdragon 835 processors, with one set to have a 4K screen and 6GB of RAM.
We hope the company will also announce a successor to the flagship Xperia XZ and we are also hoping for the Xperia Z6. In addition, we would really like to see Sony reveal the Xperia Z5 or Z6 Tablet and the Sony Smartwatch 4.
Samsung at MWC 2017
While the company usually reveals a new flagship in Barcelona every year, this time around, Samsung will not be announcing the Galaxy S8 at MWC. It’s unclear when it will arrive but most are tipping April.
So what will Samsung launch at MWC 2017? Well you can bet that it will have a range of products on show with possible devices including the Galaxy Tab S3 and Galaxy TabPro S2 – both tablets but new wearables are always a possibility despite the recent Gear S3.
In terms of phones, Samsung has already introduced the new Galaxy A range for 2017 a few weeks ago in the region, but some rumours suggest that the company might the wraps off the Galaxy Note 8 at MWC, though we think it’s a long shot.
LG at MWC 2017
LG might show off its new G6 flagship smartphone, which was leaked recently. If the leaked information is correct, it looks like LG will be ditching the modular design of the LG G5 and opting for a sleek design with tiny bezels.
Interestingly the phone will also have, we think, a 5.7-inch display with an unusual 18:9 (2:1) aspect ratio. The company is also rumoured to launch new Android Wear smartwatches in partnership with Google – so we’re keen to see them in Barcelona.
HTC at MWC 2017
HTC recently announced its new U series of smartphones with the launch of the U Ultra and U Play. The company also confirmed that these were not the company’s new flagships. So, we think the company might take the wraps off the new HTC 11 then, if that’s what it is even called.
Huawei at MWC 2017
Many eyes, including ours, will be on Huawei and its 2017 flagship phone. It has a press conference lined up for 26 February and we expect it to be launching the Huawei P10 which will go head to head with possibly the LG G6 and Samsung Galaxy S8.
The firm could also announce other products and we wouldn’t be too surprised to see a new tablet or two and hopefully a Huawei Watch 2 with Android Wear 2.0. According to a leak though, the new watch is expected to launch in February and will come packed with an optional LTE connectivity feature.
Xiaomi, Motorola, Nokia, and Microsoft
At MWC this year, you can expect plenty more phones. Both Motorola (Lenovo) and Nokia have sent out invites so that’s a decent bet. The former is tipped to launch the Moto G5 and Nokia might release a P1 phone with a Snapdragon 835 and a tablet.
As for Microsoft, we might finally get to meet the long-rumoured Microsoft Surface Phone. Xiaomi meanwhile is expected to launch Mi 6.
Channel Post will be at Mobile World Congress 2017. So stay tuned as we bring the latest updates, live from the floor.
