The Mobile World Congress (which now goes by MWC), is the biggest mobile tradeshow of the year, and its 2019 event in Barcelona is right around the corner.
We can expect a lot of major developments from mobile giants such as Samsung, Huawei, and OnePlus at the show, which runs from February 25th through February 28th.
OnePlus
We’ll likely get to see some great offerings from the Chinese phone manufacturer this year. Even though we won’t see the OnePlus 7 until the middle of 2019, we know the manufacturer is working on a device that will support 5G. According to a report from CNET Spain, that phone might be unveiled at MWC 2019, although it’s too early to know the price or release date.
Apart from a 5G smartphone, OnePlus is expected to unveil its first smart TV at MWC19. The TV is simply named OnePlus TV. OnePlus CEO Pete Lau confirmed plans to enter the smart TV space last year. He also promised to deliver a smart TV that will feature “premium flagship design, image quality, and audio experience.”
LG
According to South Korean media, LG’s G8 will be unveiled at this week’s event. The company has confirmed that it will be launching a new phone on February 24th but hasn’t specified which phone it will be.
LG did confirm that its newest phone will have a 4000mAh battery, a Snapdragon 855 chipset, and 5G support, but it’s possible that the phone they are referring to is the LG V50 ThinQ, rather than the G8.
As far as the G8 is concerned, it is likely to have a 4K LCD display and a “sound-emitting display.” This means that the earpiece might be built into the screen, a feature that could be groundbreaking if implemented correctly.
Samsung
While many expected Samsung to release its flagship S10 device at MWC 2019, the company revealed the phone a week earlier on February 20th at an event in San Francisco along with its much-anticipated foldable phone.
According to the early announcement, customers will be getting three versions of the flagship S10 device. The three Galaxy S10 models will include a standard version, a Plus model, and a Lite version. All of these new phones will launch with One UI based on Android Pie.
Despite the early reveal event, we can still expect to see other mobile devices from the Korean tech giant at MWC, such as the Samsung Galaxy Fit.
Motorola
The Moto G7 has only just been announced. The phone has pretty great specs for the price. It features a 6.2-inch display with a Full HD+ resolution, with a pretty decent camera optics for the price point of just $300 in the US. This is all well and good but what we are all eagerly anticipating is the Moto Razr.
Over the Razr’s four-year run, the V3 model sold more than 130 million units, becoming the best-selling flip phone in history. So it should come as no surprise that Motorola is bringing back this popular throw-back model.
It will be interesting to see how the company updates the phone for the current generation of big displays and major megapixel expectations.
The one downside will be the price. The new flip phone is rumored to be an eye-watering $1500, according to the Wall Street Journal.
Despite the heavy price tag, we’re looking forward to this updated blast from the past.
Nokia
Nokia is one of the true underdogs of the Android world, but it has won back a lot of fans by switching its operating system from Windows to Android.
The Nokia 7 Plus, Nokia 1, and other devices will debut at this week’s event, but the real excitement is swirling around the Nokia 9 PureView.
Nokia has been teasing at the 9 PureView for a long time now. The phone is rumored to have five rear cameras and a 6-inch OLED screen rather than an LCD panel. This means customers will get better color saturation and much better brightness and viewing angles.
There is a lot to expect from Nokia this year, and just like last year’s Nokia 8 Sirocco, the Nokia 9 should be a fan favorite.
Microsoft
A surprise addition to the MWC 2019 lineup is Microsoft, which has been absent from the event for the last 3 years. The tech giant will be showcasing its updated version of the Hololens, Hololens 2. Both CEO Satya Nadella and HoloLens inventor Alex Kipman will be present at the event.
It was previously confirmed by Microsoft that the next HoloLens would feature an AI processor for machine learning and come with an ARM processor and LTE connectivity, which will make connectivity easier.
It has also been rumored that the new HoloLens headset could be cheaper, lighter, and have a larger field of view. This could all make for a much better product than the previous generation’s HoloLens, but these are only rumors. We will have to wait for the official unveiling at the event.
Huawei
We might get to see the Huawei P30 at MWC, but some reports are suggesting that the phone will launch in March instead. Regardless, we can expect some pretty beefy specs, given it will be the Chinese phone manufacturer’s top-of-the-line device.
It is likely that we will get to see the same Kirin 980 chipset used in the Huawei Mate 20 Pro in this device since Huawei typically uses the same chipset in the P line of smartphones as it does in its Mates.
IoT
The Internet of Things has always been a hot topic at MWC and this year will be no different. Many vendors are trying to adopt the technology so they can expand their line of products and offer great home solutions to customers. According to last year’s post-event survey, 11 percent of the attendees debuted tech related to IoT, roughly as many as app/mobile services.
Seat
Spanish car manufacturer SEAT is set to introduce a new concept car this week. The vehicle will be announced by SEAT president Luca de Meo during a press conference on Monday, February 25th.
The concept car will help bring 5G technology to the automobile industry. According to Seat, the launch will help demonstrate how technology enables communication between the car, the surrounding infrastructure, and other cars. This will be the first giant leap towards autonomous driving with the help of 5G infrastructure.
Sony
Sony has been falling behind the rest of the smartphone competition lately, but it plans to have a strong showing at the MWC this year.
This year Sony is looking to launch the Xperia XZ4 which will have a 21:9 ratio and a massive 4400 mAh battery. Sony is obviously keeping the media consumer in mind with such specs.
Stay tuned to TechEngage for more MWC19 coverage…
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