We followed a spate of smartphone launches at CES a few days ago, but Mobile World Congress next month promises a lot more, including a number of flagship phone launches from LG, Huawei, Sony, Lenovo and more.
Here's what we would like to see at Mobile World Congress which will kick off on 26 February in Barcelona.
LG G6
Specs:
Display: 5.7-inch QHD+
Processor: Octa-core Snapdragon 835
Memory: 4GB RAM,
Operating System: Android 7.0 Nougat
What we know so far:
LG recently announced its new 5.7-inch QHD+ resolution display which the company confirmed will be used in its upcoming flagship phone, the LG G6. The display will field a resolution of 1440 x 2880 pixels and a pixel density of 564ppi and will enable screen multi-tasking and immersive viewing experience thanks to an aspect ratio of 18:9. The display will also be 30% more power-efficient compared to LG's InTouch QHD display which was used in the G5 and V20.
LG G6: Leaks, features, pricing and release date
LG G6 will not be a modular phone unlike its predecessor. LG will be focussing on its aesthetics and usability to make it both user-friendly as well as convenient to use. The phone will feature a dual rear camera setup, a fingerprint scanner on the back, a USB Type-C port on the bottom, glossy and matte finish back panels, a 3.5mm headphone jack and front-facing speakers.
What we would like to see:
We would like to see the G6 compete well with the Galaxy S8 thanks to a unibody design, advanced waterproofing, curved screen for better viewing experience and protection against an overheating battery. Following the Note 7 fiasco, LG has announced that it is including new copper heat pipes in the G6 to ensure that the heat generated will dissipate quickly and will keep the phone cool under all circumstances.
We also expect LG to introduce a bezel-free design to ensure users get to enjoy a large display without having to purchase phones that won't fit their pockets. At the same time, we would like to see LG incorporate a wide-angle camera on the lines of the cameras which it introduced with the V10 and the V20.
Samsung Galaxy S8
Specifications:
Display: 5.7-inch Super AMOLED
Memory: 256GB of storage, 6GB of RAM,
Processor: Snapdragon 835/ Exynos equivalent, Type-C charging, Rear-mounted fingerprint sensor.
What we know so far:
From what we know so far, Samsung will introduce a bezel-free Galaxy S8 which will feature similar dimensions as the S7 but will come with a much larger curved display. The phone will include an improved selfie camera, Samsung's Dual Pixel rear cam technology, a new AI assistant named Bixby, a rear-mounted fingerprint scanner, Iris recognition, Type-C headphone jack and the latest 10nm FinFET-based Snapdragon 835 processor.
Samsung Galaxy S8: Leaks, features, pricing and release date
What we would like to see:
What most Samsung fans would want from Samsung is to ensure that the Galaxy S8 won't suffer from defective batteries like the Note 7. This one defect took all the fun out of the excellent device that the Galaxy Note 7 was, and even Samsung wouldn't want to repeat the fatal mistake. We expect the Galaxy S8 to arrive with advanced cooling features, power-saving and a battery that is not disproportionately large.
We also expect Samsung to improve on the excellent water and dustproofing abilities of the Galaxy S7 to ensure that the pricey Galaxy S8 would be damage-proof. The new bezel-free display should also be user-friendly and shouldn't affect smooth usage. Some rumours suggest that Samsung will be ditching the 3.5mm headphone jack as well so we hope Samsung has tested alternative technologies well to ensure smooth transition for existing Galaxy phone owners.
A number of reports have mentioned that Samsung may launch the Galaxy S8 in April but according to The Investor, even though actual sales of the Galaxy S8 may begin in early April, Samsung could showcase the phone as early as in February at Mobile World Congress to 'make up for the loss caused by the Note model, which has so far led Samsung’s smartphone business every first quarter.'
Lenovo Moto G5
Specifications:
Display: 5.5-inch,
Battery: 3,080 mAh,
Memory: 32GB storage, 4GB of RAM
Processor: Snapdragon 625
What we know so far:
As per recent leaks, G5 Plus may feature a 5.5-inch Full HD display, 32GB of internal storage, 4GB of RAM, a 3,080 mAh battery and a Snapdragon 625 processor. Compared to the G4 Plus, it may feature a slightly more powerful processor but the same display and battery specs.
Lenovo Moto G5: Launch, specs & features
What we would like to see: Moto G4 was among the most popular mid-rangers last year thanks to its low pricing as well as an excellent array of specs and features. This year, we expect Lenovo not only to keep the pricing intact, but also to introduce a better display, processing power, memory and battery life to enable users to get the beat value for their money. We really won't expect the best from a mid-ranger but would like to see it offering new features with the Moto G5 to let users multi-task with ease.
Huawei P10
Specifications:
Display: 5.5-inch Quad HD,
Processor: Kirin 960 octa-core,
Memory: 6GB RAM, 256GB storage,
Cameras: 12-MP and 8-MP rear cameras.
What we know so far:
From what we know so far, Huawei P10 will feature a large 5.5-inch Quad HD display compared to a 5.2-inch Full HD one in the P9. The jury is still out on whether the P9 will field a Kirin 960 processor or a Snapdragon 835 one but our money is on the former. Rumours indicate that Huawei will stick to the duar-rear Leica camera setup and like the iPhone 7, the P10 will offer maximum storage of 256GB along with 4GB of RAM.
What we would like to see:
Huawei P10, like its predecessor, may turn out to be among the cheapest flagship phones this year. Nevertheless, we expect Huawei to build on the popuularity of the P9 by introducing even better cameras in the P10 with optical image stabilisation, the 10nm based Snapdragon 835 processor which is the best out there at the moment, up to 6GB of RAM to complement the massive storage, curved display with less bezels to offer more surface area to users and an improved battery life to support long term usage.
Sony Xperia X2
Specifications:
Display: 5-5.2-inch screen; 1080p resolution
Processor: Snapdragon 835
Memory: 4GB of RAM
Operating System: Android 7.0
USB Type-C port, curved display.
What we know so far:
While not much is presently known about Sony's upcoming flagship, images of the phone recently appeared on the web, revealing a USB Type-C port, curved edges with no bezels on the sides and a very Xperia-like design with sharp edges.
What we would like to see:
This year, we expect Sony to launch a flagship phone very much like the Xperia XZ which launched later in the year but competed well with other premium phones which launched last year. To begin with, we expect the phone to feature a curved Quad HD display, the latest Snapdragon 835 processor, more storage compared to previous Xperia phones, better battery life and other features like fingerprint sensor, NFC capability, better waterproofing and improved cameras to match the price tag.
According to Slash Gear, Sony Mobile may launch as many as five smartphones at Mobile Wold Congress next month which may be made available in phases in the rest of the year. This may mean that Sony will continue with its series of smartphone launches like it did last year with six smartphone launches.
What we know about these five smartphones is that they are code-named Yoshino, BlancBright, Hinoki, Keyaki and Mineo. Of these, Yoshino could be the one taking on the likes of LG G6, Huawei P10 and Samsung Galaxy S8. It is expected to feature the latest Snapdragon 835 processor, 4GB or 6GB of RAM, a 5.5-inch Ultra HD (3,840 x 2,160p) display and a Sony IMX 400 camera.
The BlancBright sounds like yet another premium phone featuring the same chip, RAM and display as the Yoshino along with 23-MP and 16-MP cameras. However, Slash Gear believes that it may feature either a powerful Snapdragon 835 chip or a Snapdragon 625 one which powers many mid-range devices.
Keyaki and Hinoki could turn out to be Sony's mid-range offerings this year but with different specification sets. Keyaki will feature a 5.2-inch Full HD display, 64GB of storage, 4GB of RAM and 23-MP and 16-MP cams while Hunoki will arrive with a 5-inch HD display, 32GB of storage, 3GB of RAM and 16-MP and 8-MP cams. Mineo could be a budget range phone but its specifications aren't available as yet. Going by available leaks, it seems Keyaki could turn out to be the official Xperia X2 whose images and specs were revealed earlier.
It will be interesting to see if Sony will officially add these phones to its Xperia X range of smartphones which replaced the Z series last year, or will the company create a new series out of these to shore up sales following another disappointing year.