20 Rumored Products On The Verge Of Unveiling At Mobile World Congress
New Phones And Tablets
Vendors such as Samsung, LG and Sony are getting ready to lift the curtain on their newest cutting-edge smartphones and innovative tablets at this year's Mobile World Congress, which starts Feb. 22 in Barcelona, Spain.
While few products have been officially announced yet, vendors have been teasing their new mobile devices, leading to an array of rumors and speculations about products, such as the Samsung Galaxy S7 and LG G5 smartphone.
At last year's conference, we saw new mobile products such as the Huawei MediaPad X2 and HTC One M9. So what do we have to look forward to during this year's show? Following are the top 20 rumored products that will make an appearance at Mobile World Congress 2016.
Xiaomi Mi 5
Chinese mobile titan Xiaomi, known for its cheap smartphones with high-quality features, has confirmed it will launch its Mi 5 phone during Mobile World Congress.
While specs for the Mi 4 successor have yet to be announced, leaked benchmarks on GFXBench's website hint that the Android-powered handset will tout a quad-core Snapdragon 820 processor, clocked at 2.1GHz with 3GB of RAM, as well as a 5.7-inch screen with 1080p resolution. While the Mi 4 impressed in its performance and camera, the phone's sweet point was its affordable price — so all eyes will be on the Mi 5's price tag.
The Chinese company has also announced a media event at the conference, its first time hosting an event at MWC.
LG Universal Credit Card
LG is reportedly launching a universal credit card, dubbed "White Card," that could replace all debit and credit cards. The South Korea company last year announced it was readying its own payment service, but failed to provide any further details.
While many assumed this meant the smartphone company would go head to head with mobile payment systems such as Apple Pay and Samsung Pay, rumor has it that the company will instead release the LG Pay White Card, which will look similar to a credit card but feature a small low-power LCD display, a connector array on the left side of the card for charging purposes and two buttons on the right that allow users to lock the card and switch between accounts.
Sony Xperia Z6 Lineup
Sony is expected to release the Xperia Z6, though there are conflicting rumors about whether the release date will be during Mobile World Congress or later this quarter.
The Xperia Z6 would be the latest Android smartphone in Sony's flagship Xperia lineup. Its Xperia Z5 was a popular mini Android phone with powerful specs and a water-resistant body.
The Xperia Z6 could include Qualcomm's latest Snapdragon 820 processor, clocked at 2.2GHz with a 64-bit Kyro core. In addition, this smartphone could top the 23-megapixel camera of the Xperia Z5 with a 25-megapixel rear camera and 4K video features. Finally, the Xperia Z6 might have a 256 GB microSD slot, which would allow for more storage than the Xperia Z5’s 200GB microSD expansion.
Other Sony Xperia Z6 Variants
In addition to the Xperia X6, the Xperia lineup will reportedly also include five other variants of the flagship.
Most notably will be the Xperia Z6 Lite, which reportedly will cost around $85, sport a 5-inch touch-screen display, a Snapdragon 650 processor, and provide support for Qualcomm QC 3.0 fast charging technology.
But other Z6 variants will reportedly include a 4-inch Xperia Z6 mini, 4.6-inch Xperia Z6 Compact, 5.8-inch Xperia Z6 plus and a 6.4-inch Xperia Z6 Ultra.
Microsoft Lumia 750 and 850
While some say Microsoft has scrapped plans for the Lumia 750 and 850, others speculate that the Redmond, Wash.-based company will release the two new Windows phones during Mobile World Congress.
Images of a phone believed to be the Lumia 850 leaked earlier this month — the smartphone had a 5.4-inch display, a front-facing camera and an iris scanner, as well as a USB 2.0 port. Meanwhile, the Lumia 750 is expected to feature a 5-inch display with 720p resolution, as well as a Snapdragon 410 processor that clocks 1.2 GHz.
Samsung Galaxy S7
One of the biggest products to be unveiled at MWC this year will be Samsung's next flagship, the Galaxy S7. This smartphone will follow in the footsteps of Samsung's Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 Edge, launched at last year's conference.
While little has been revealed about the Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 Edge, two images have been leaked that purportedly show off the two devices.
While the two devices aren't shown to have too big of a change in design, they will reportedly have better cameras with more low-light support, better processors that may be Qualcomm as opposed to Samsung's in-house Exynos brand, and a microSD card slot. A teaser video for Samsung's newest products also revealed that they may support wireless charging and be waterproof.
LG G5
Another highlight at Mobile World Congress will be the LG G5, which LG will reportedly unveil.
The G4 received a lukewarm reception, so analysts expect the G5 to come with an entirely new design, including an all-metal unibody frame as opposed to the G4's faux leather and metal chassis.
The G5 will reportedly have a 5.3-inch QHD display, as well as a secondary display on top of the phone, similar to that of the LG V10. In addition to this display, the LG G5 is also expected to have a 16-megapixel rear-facing camera and an 8-megapixel front-facing camera. The G5 will also reportedly feature a replaceable battery and hardware expansion feature.
Huawei P9
Since Huawei did not launch the P9 at last month's Consumer Electronics Show, speculators point to Mobile World Congress as the next logical launch pad for the Chinese company's phone.
Details and leaks about the P9 have been scarce, but one report suggests that the new phone will have a quad-HD 5.2-inch display with a dual lens camera on the rear, 2,560 x 1,440 pixel resolution and an AMOLED panel. Rumors have also pointed to Huawei packing a Kirin 950 chipset into the P9, which is the same octo-core 64-bit power that the Mate 8 contains.
Huawei may also reveal a new dual-boot notebook that can run Android and Windows.
HTC One M10
Another phone on the docket for a possible launch during Mobile World Congress is HTC's One M10, though some say the phone will be revealed April 11. Last year, HTC announced and released its One M9 smartphone during Mobile World Congress.
The One M10 will reportedly break away from the traditional M-design and instead look more similar to the One A9, with a flat back and beveled sides. The phone will have a bigger 5.1-inch QHD AMOLED screen with 2,560 x 1,440 pixel resolution, a Snapdragon 820 chipset with 4GB of RAM, and an upgraded 12-megapixel camera with optical image stabilization. In addition, the new Android phone is rumored to have a fingerprint scanner in the front, similar to the HTC One A9, and 32GB of internal storage with a micro-SD slot.
Samsung Galaxy Note 6
Samsung's Galaxy Note 6 may be on the launch pad at Mobile World Congress this year in addition to the Galaxy S7.
The Galaxy Note 6 will reportedly have a 4K screen resolution and a 30-megapixel camera on the rear, as well as a 16-megapixel camera on the front. While little is known about its size, the smartphone may be bigger than the 5.7-inch screen of its predecessor.
The smartphone may also have a Snapdragon or Exynos chipset, with a 16-core processor clocked at 3.1 GHz. Another big improvement consumers are hoping for is a faster charging time for the Galaxy Note 6. If it's anything like its predecessors, the price of the smartphone will start at around $650.
HTC Desire T7
In addition to the M10 smartphone, HTC may also reveal an entry-level tablet, the Desire T7. HTC's Desire brand is currently used with smartphones, but the Taiwanese company is reportedly expanding that branding to tablets.
According to the rumor mill, the Desire T7 may have a 7-inch screen with dual-core 1.3GHz Spreadtrum SoC on the inside. The Android tablet will reportedly have about 1GB of RAM and 16GB of onboard storage, and will cost around $170.
The Desire T7 may also have 5-megapixel front-facing and rear-facing cameras, and connectivity options of both Bluetooth and Wi-Fi.
HP Falcon
Hewlett-Packard may announce the HP Falcon, which may also be called the Elite x3 — a premium phone with Windows 10 — at Mobile World Congress. If it's revealed, this smartphone may be the first non-Lumia branded Windows 10 phone.
The Falcon may have a 5.8-inch screen with 2,560 x 1,440 pixel resolution, at least 2GB RAM and 64 GB of storage. If rumors prove to be true, the HP Falcon will have impressive specs — on the camera front, the phone will reportedly have a 20-megapixel rear-facing camera and 12-megapixel front-facing camera, and on the inside it may have a Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 processor and Adreno 530 GPU.
BlackBerry Vienna
Rumors have been swirling for the past few months about BlackBerry's next phone after the Priv — the BlackBerry Vienna — and Mobile World Congress may be the best place for the Waterloo, Ontario-based company to launch this device.
The Vienna will reportedly look like the Silver Edition Passport with some features similar to the popular Priv, such as a four-row keyboard. Based on initial rumors of specs, the phone will be a lower-end device running on the Android OS (as opposed to BlackBerry's traditional BlackBerry 10 OS).
According to reports, BlackBerry's new phone could have a 4.4-inch display with a 1,920 x 1,440 pixel resolution, an Android operating system, and a sub-$400 price tag.
HTC Vive Pre VR Headset
While smartphones and tablets will soak up most of the hype at Mobile World Congress, another consumer technology that's rising in popularity will also have a spot at the show: augmented and virtual reality.
HTC and Valve (the creators of such games as Portal and Half-Life) will reportedly show off the Vive Pre, the latest version of their joint virtual reality system. The collaboration project was first announced during last year's Mobile World Congress.
This headset is rumored to have clearer images and more streamlined equipment. It will be cabled to a desktop PC and two wireless, handheld controllers with two laser-positioning boxes. While HTC has delayed the Vive's release twice, new reports say the headset will be released in April.
Sony Playstation VR
Consumers are itching to learn more about Sony's playstation virtual reality headset, which is expected to launch during the first quarter of 2016. Sony skipped over any announcements related to the headset at CES, leading many to speculate that the company would show off details at Mobile World Congress.
Little is known about the Playstation VR, other than that its release is slated for 2016. The headset will work with the PlayStation 4 and the PlayStation camera, will include 360-degree sphere for visual and audio components, and will support multi-player gaming capabilities.
Sony Xperia Z6 Tablet
In addition to a smartphone, Sony may also take the wraps off a new tablet, the Xperia Z6 tablet.
While little has been leaked about the impending new tablet, consumers hope for an array of new upgrades to the Xperia tablet lineup. This includes design upgrades so the new model with have a metal or glass finish (as opposed to its predecessor's polycarbonate back), a 64GB option for more storage, and an improved user interface with less bloatware.
Sony Smartwatch
A year has passed since Sony took the wraps off its SmartWatch 3, and fans can't wait to hear more about the company's newest wearable version.
That brings us to the SmartWatch 4, the next Android Wear smartwatch from Sony. This smartwatch, which reportedly may be discussed at Mobile World Congress, may feature both a sporty and office-friendly design, a more accurate GPS system, built-in speakers and support for Android Pay. Consumers are also looking for better charging methods and more sensors in this wearable.
Oppo F1 Plus
Oppo may release a new F1 Plus model at Mobile World Congress; the Chinese smartphone maker teased its new phone with the launch of the F1 in India.
In a teaser for Mobile World Congress released earlier this year, Oppo said consumers can expect a "groundbreaking power solution" and "unprecedented smartphone camera innovation." The Oppo F1 Plus is expected to be released in April, and will offer a bigger, 5.5-inch display with full HD resolution and 4GB of RAM. In addition, Oppo's newest model could pack an octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 616 SoC and 13-megapixel camera.
LG Stylus 2
LG announced that it will unveil a new Stylus 2 at Mobile World Congress. This product will be the enhanced 5.7-inch sequel to the G4 stylus. The Stylus 2 contains premium features on LG's flagship models but also includes a pen with a nano-coated tip (as opposed to previous rubber-tipped pens) for more accuracy. The phone will also contain better stylus features such as Pen Pop, which toggles a popup menu when the stylus is removed, and Pen Keeper, which shows a popup message when the phone moves away from the stylus to stop users from losing their styluses. The handset itself contains a 3,000 mAh removable battery and an SD card slot.
LG X Cam And X Screen
LG's X Cam and X Screen will debut at Mobile World Congress, the company revealed this week. While the presence of the two Android phones has have been confirmed, few further details — such as pricing and availability — are known about them. These two mid-range phones will offer features for customers who do not want pricey high-end phones, but still want a great camera and display. The 5.2-inch LG X Cam will sport dual rear-facing cameras, including a 1-megapixel and 5-megapixel camera, and an 8-megapixel front-facing camera. Meanwhile, the 4.9-inch X Screen will contain a second screen for an enhanced user interface.