BARCELONA, SPAIN - Thinking of upgrading to a new smartphone, but waiting to see what manufacturers will be releasing in 2017?
You'll want to keep your eyes peeled for the Mobile World Congress (MWC) 2017, which runs from Feb 27 to March 2.
Mobile phone makers and industry players are expected to announce their line-up for the year ahead at the annual event held in Barcelona, Spain.
And The Straits Times Digital will be on-site to provide updates on the latest and shiniest phones announced, complete with hands-on impressions and initial thoughts.
Going by teasers hinted at in media invites, as well as pre-event leaks, there are certainly a number of things to look out for over the week:
- Huawei is expected to reveal the successor to last year's P9 smartphone, the P10. It will likely keep the dual-Leica camera set-up found in the P9, with internal hardware upgrades and a shift of the fingerprint sensor from the back to front.
- LG basically confirmed that it will announce the latest iteration of its G-series smartphone, the G6, at MWC. The company toyed with modular phones, such as the LG G5, but the move met with an unceremonious end when the modular concept failed to catch on with consumers. The G6 will most likely go back to the premium feel of flagship smartphones, with a 5.7-inch quad-HD screen and a dual-camera set-up like last year's G5.
- Lenovo's smartphone offerings will mostly likely come from its Motorola subsidiary, such as the latest generation Moto G smartphones and a slew of new Moto mods for its modular smartphones.
- Besides smartphones, Lenovo may also update its tablet and laptop lines, such as with new versions of its Lenovo Tab and Yoga laptops.
- There might be offerings from Sony as well, even though the Japanese firm has been keeping mum. A new premium phone in its Xperia XZ line is due, as well as updates to its mid-range Xperia XA.
- And here's a blast from the past: The sturdy Nokia 3310 phone from 2000 is expected to be relaunched at MWC. A fan favourite, the old 3310 was well regarded for its durability. For the 2017 edition, expect souped-up features.
- Nokia just refuses to give up. Despite setbacks in recent years, the venerable Finnish company may be announcing as many as four new smartphones, such as the lower-end Nokia 3 and a high-end Nokia 5.
- HTC has been keeping quiet, and given that it announced its latest U Ultra and U Play phones just over a month ago, the phone maker may not announce anything at MWC 2017.
- It is unlikely that Samsung will reveal its highly-anticipated Galaxy S8 handset at the show, as it has hinted at its own press event sometime in March. However, the open secret is that the Korean company will announce its latest tablet, the Galaxy Tab 3, at this year's MWC.
- And as for Apple fans, they will, once again, have to wait for Apple's own iPhone event later this year for news of the iPhone 8.
