MWC 2017: 10 Big Rumors Heading Into Mobile World Congress

Smartphone And Tablet Rumors Galore

At the end of this month, Mobile World Congress kicks off for another big year in Barcelona. And the MWC 2017 rumors are already circulating about new smartphones and tablets that are expected to debut -- from the likes of Samsung, LG, Huawei, BlackBerry, Nokia and Sony. In the following slides, we've assembled the top 10 rumors for new products coming out of MWC 2017.

LG G6

Rumors suggest that LG will be unveiling its flagship phone for the year, the LG G6, during Mobile World Congress. The 5.7-inch smartphone is expected to feature a minimal bezel around the display, as well a high-end metal and glass body and waterproofing. At MWC, LG is also rumored to be announcing that the G6 will be the first smartphone outside Google's Pixel and Pixel XL to come with the voice-interactive Google Assistant. Reports suggest the LG G6 will go on sale in the U.S. on April 7.

Huawei P10 And P10 Plus

Mobile World Congress may see Huawei launch its own flagship smartphone, the P10, along with the larger-screened P10 Plus. The 5.2-inch P10 and 5.5-inch P10 Plus are expected to come with two 12-megapixel rear cameras (developed with camera maker Leica), Huawei's Kirin 960 processor, up to 6 GB of RAM and a USB-C port. Rumors also suggest the P10 will have a flat screen while the P10 Plus will feature a curved dual-edge display.

Samsung Galaxy Tab S3

With no Galaxy S8 announcement expected for MWC, the biggest Samsung rumors have revolved around the Galaxy Tab S3. Reports suggest the Android tablet will come only in a 9.7-inch size, rather than in the 9.7-inch and 8-inch sizes of the Tab S2. The tablet is expected to retain the display resolution (2,048 x 1,536) of the Tab S2, but may swap out Samsung-made processors for the Qualcomm Snapdragon 820. The Tab S3 could also get a 12-megapixel camera, 4 GB of RAM and Android 7.0 Nougat.

Samsung Galaxy S8

The much-anticipated smartphone may not be debuting at Mobile World Congress, but rumors do suggest the Galaxy S8 will be making an appearance -- possibly as a teaser at Samsung's MWC press conference on Feb. 26. During the event, Samsung is also expected to disclose the launch date for the phone. Reports suggest the Galaxy S8 will come in 5.8-inch and 6.2-inch sizes, feature Qualcomm's brand-new Snapdragon 835 processor, include iris scanning authentication and get a sophisticated new virtual assistant (possibly named Bixby).

BlackBerry Mercury

While BlackBerry is getting away from manufacturing smartphones itself, the BlackBerry brand will live on -- and MWC may mark the unveiling of the first BlackBerry smartphone made by China-based TCL. Reports suggest the BlackBerry Mercury will run Android but will attempt to channel the classic BlackBerry in some key ways -- most notably, by including a physical keyboard. That will mean a display that's on the small side -- rumored to be 4.5 inches. Other rumors point to the Mercury coming with Qualcomm's Snapdragon 625 processor, an 18-megapixel rear-facing camera and 4 GB of RAM.

Sony Flagship Phone

There's no name circulating yet, but rumors suggest Sony will use MWC to unveil a new flagship phone that may feature the new Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 processor. The smartphone may also come with an ultra-sharp 4K display (3,840 x 2,160) -- which is significantly higher-resolution than most premium phones on the market -- and as much as 6 GB of RAM.

More Sony Phones

Several additional Sony smartphones could make their debut at Mobile World Congress. Just below the flagship could be a phone with a 2,560 x 1,440 display, 4 GB of RAM and a Snapdragon 835 or 653 processor. Rumors also suggest that the "Keyaki" phone (that's a code name) will come with a 23-megapixel rear camera and an 1,920 x 1,080 display, while another phone (code name "Hinoki") will have a 16-megapixel rear camera and 1,280 x 720-display resolution.

Nokia 3310 Redux

HMD Global, which owns the Nokia brand, is expected to use MWC to revive the Nokia 3310, an early smash-hit mobile phone. Rumors suggest the new version of the Nokia 3310, like the original, will be a basic mobile phone with physical buttons and a small screen (no touch screen on this phone). Reports indicate the phone will cost just €59, or about $62.

Nokia Tablet

If the rumors are correct, Mobile World Congress could yield a new tablet from Nokia with a huge display -- 18.4 inches, in fact -- which hasn't seen its name publicized as of yet. Reports suggest the tablet will feature an octa-core Qualcomm processor (2.2GHz) -- possibly the Snapdragon 835 -- along with 4 GB of RAM and Adreno 540 graphics.

Nokia 3 And 5

If a new Nokia 3310 and large-screened Nokia tablet aren't enough for you, HMD Global may have even more plans for the Nokia brand at MWC -- two additional new smartphones. Rumors suggest the Nokia 5 will have a 5.2-inch display, a Qualcomm Snapdragon 430 processor and a 12-megapixel camera. And the Nokia 3, according to the rumor mill, will be the lowest-tier model with specs such as the Snapdragon 425 processor.