Mobile World Congress: New smartphones to be launched
After CES-2018, tech companies are busy gearing up for Mobile World Congress between 26 Feb-1 Mar'18. It's the largest tech show focused on smartphones and exciting mobile technology. Traditionally, smartphone giants Samsung, LG, Sony, and Huawei show off their latest flagships at MWC. However, MWC-2018 would be interesting as newcomers Xiaomi and Nokia would unveil their new smartphones, too. Here's what to expect.
MWC dominated by Samsung Galaxy S devices every year
Samsung has confirmed Galaxy S9 and S9+ would be unveiled at a "Galaxy Unpacked" event on 25 February, during MWC. Both the devices come with "Infinity Display" while Galaxy S9 would sport a 5.7-inch sAMOLED display and S9+, a 6.2-inch screen. The phones would be powered by Qualcomm's flagship Snapdragon 845 or Exynos 9810 (global-variant); rumors suggest there could be a 512GB storage variant.
What does Xiaomi have in store for MWC 2018?
Chinese device maker Xiaomi is expected to unveil a successor to its first ever bezel-less Mi MIX2 -the rumored "Mi MIX 2S" (some claim "Mi MIX 3")- at MWC. It would have an all-glass front with an "almost 100% screen", minimal bezels, Snapdragon 845 processor, 6GB RAM, and 128GB storage. Meanwhile, rumors suggest Xiaomi may also launch its high-end Mi 7 at MWC.
Nokia 9 to take on other premium devices
Reports suggest Nokia would have a "greater presence" at MWC; HMD Global is rumored to launch at least two Nokia devices: top-end Nokia 9 and second-gen Nokia 6 (recently unveiled for China). Nokia 9 is rumored to sport a full-screen display, Snapdragon 835, 4GB RAM, and dual front and rear cameras. Some reports say Nokia 7 Plus and Nokia 10 may also be unveiled.
LG's attempt to conquer market with G7
South Korean tech-giant LG has been an MWC-regular; it has traditionally unveiled its G series flagships at the conference. This year, it may unveil the LG G7 that's rumored to feature a 6-inch bezel-less "Full Vision" OLED display. The premium device would run Android 8.0 Oreo and come with Snapdragon 845 processor, 6GB RAM, 64/128GB storage, an iris scanner, and dual rear cameras.
Huawei's P20 smartphone to have 40MP triple camera
Huawei is expected to launch four P-series smartphones at MWC: P11, P11 Plus, P20 and P20 Plus. The high-end P20 devices would have a triple rear camera, offering 40MP sensor with 5X hybrid zoom. Also, Japan's Sony may launch its premium Xperia XZ Pro smartphone with a "full-screen" 18:9 display with 4K resolution. It would be Sony's first smartphone with a dual camera.
Motorola expected to launch Moto G6 and G6 Plus
Lenovo-owned Motorola is reportedly unveiling Moto G6 and G6 Plus next month. The budget-friendly Moto G6 is likely to sport a 5.7-inch Full-HD+ display, Snapdragon 450 SoC, dual rear camera, and a 3,000mAh battery. The mid-range Moto G6 Plus is rumored to have a 5.93-inch FHD+ screen, Snapdragon 630 SoC, 3GB/4GB/6GB of RAM, 64GB of storage, 5MP+12MP dual rear camera, and 16MP selfie camera.
Two BlackBerry phones to be launched
Meanwhile, BlackBerry is also expected to make a comeback at the upcoming MWC. BlackBerry stated it would launch two phones in 2018, but didn't give any dates. However, BlackBerry license-holder TLC is rumored to launch two devices, including KeyTwo or KeyOne 2, next month.
