The Mobile World Congress 2017 is in full flow at Barcelona, Spain and we have already seen an entire bevy of extravaganza being unleashed at the much-awaited mobile event. There have been huge announcements of new smartphones, tablets and wearables, with major vendors like Samsung, HP, LG, Lenovo and Blackberry showcasing their flagship products. Which is the latest and hottest stuff on display at MWC 2017? Let’s have a look!
LG G6
South Korean electronics giant LG showcased its flagship phone, the LG G6 at MWC 2017. Doing away with the modular design of its predecessor and the removable battery, the 5.7 inch G6 has a minimal bezel around the display, high-end metal and glass body with waterproofing features. Display is QHD+ (2,880 x 1,440) IPS, with a Qualcomm Snapdragon 821 processor and 4GB of RAM. LG’s new device will also come with the voice-interactive Google Assistant. Pricing or availability was not disclosed by the company.
Huawei P10 And P10 Plus
Huawei unveiled its flagship smartphone, the P10, as well as its bigger version P10 Plus. The 5.1-inch P10 and 5.5-inch P10 Plus are equipped with dual rear cameras (developed in collaboration with camera maker Leica) having 12 megapixels and 20 megapixels each and powered by Huawei’s Kirin 960 processor. The P10 has a 1080p display with 4GB of RAM and 3,200 mAh battery, while the P10 Plus features a WQHD display, 6GB of RAM, and 3,750 mAh battery. Pricing or availability was not disclosed by the company.
Huawei Watch 2
The Huawei Watch 2 is the successor to the Huawei Watch (launched in 2015) and comes with Android Wear 2.0 and 1.2 inch display (390×390 resolution). It has a Qualcomm Snapdragon Wear 2100 processor and a 420mAh battery and will be available in ‘classic’ and ‘sport’ styles. Pricing or availability details have not been released.
Sony Xperia XZ Premium
Sony displayed its latest flagship smartphone, the 5.5-inch Xperia XZ Premium at MWC 2017. The Xperia XZ features a razor-sharp 4K display, the highly-anticipated new Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 processor, a 19 MP camera, 3230 mAh battery and 4 GB RAM.
Samsung Galaxy Tab S3
Samsung showcased its next-generation Galaxy Tab S series during MWC 2017, the Galaxy Tab S3. The latest Android tablet from the South Korean company is available only in a 9.7 inch size, retains the 2,048×1,536 resolution of the S2 and has an updated S Pen. The Tab S3 has a 13 MP rear camera, 4GB of RAM, quad-stereo speakers and is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 processor and Android 7.0 Nougat.
Samsung Galaxy Book
Also product on display by Samsung at MWC 2017 is the newly announced Galaxy Book, which is a Windows 10 tablet that is likely a successor to the Galaxy TabPro S. The Galaxy Book is available in 10.6-inch and 12-inch models and has an improved keyboard (‘larger and more tactile,’ according to Samsung). The 10.6-inch version has a seventh-gen Intel Core m3 and a TFT FHD display, while the 12-inch model features the seventh-gen Intel Core i5 processor and Super AMOLED FHD display
HP Pro x2 612 G2
Hewlett-Packard displayed an upgraded, second-generation version of the HP Pro x2, the 612 G2. The new 2-in-1 detachable tablet boasts a 12-inch 2K display and connects to an included keyboard cover. It is equipped with a seventh-gen Intel Core i7 processor, battery life of up to 11 hours, USB-C connectivity and a built-in smart card reader. The starting price of the HP Pro x2 612 G2 is $979.
BlackBerry KeyOne
Though BlackBerry itself is no longer manufacturing any smartphones, the BlackBerry brand still floats with China-based TCL, which unveiled its first Blackberry smartphone at MWC 2017. The Blackberry KeyOne features the classic physical keyboard that comes with a BlackBerry and has a display of 4.5 inches. The KeyOne is equipped with Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 625 processor, 3505 mAh battery, 12 MP rear camera and 3GB of RAM. The new device is priced at $549 and will be available for sale from April 2017.
Nokia 3310
The iconic beast is back. HMD Global, which owns the Nokia brand, relaunched Nokia’s low-end 3310, which attained cult popularity for its seemingly indestructible build. The new 3310 is a basic mobile phone with physical buttons, 2.4 inch screen, 22 hours of talktime, a 240×320 resolution and a 2 MP camera. Considering its meagre cost at $52, we expect the phone to become a runaway hit when it is available for sale in Q2 2017.
Nokia 5
Another product from HMD Global’s Nokia line, the Nokia 5 is a mid-range phone having a 5.2-inch display (720p resolution), an octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 430 processor, 2GB of RAM and a 13 MP camera. It is expected to be released in spring and will cost $200.
Moto G5 and G5 Plus
Lenovo showcased the 5-inch Moto G5 and 5.2-inch Moto G5 Plus during the mobile event. The Moto G5 comes with a Qualcomm Snapdragon 430 processor, 13 MP camera and 2800 mAh battery, while the Moto G5 Plus has a Snapdragon 625 processor, 12 MP camera and a large 3000 mAh battery. Both smartphones come with an FHD (1,920 x 1,080) display. The Moto G5 is expected to cost $229 and will be available for sale in April.
Lenovo Yoga 720
Lenovo’s Yoga 720 is the successor to its Yoga 710 and comes in 13-inch and 15-inch models having seventh-gen Intel Core i processors and an UHD IPS display. The 13-inch version is merely 0.56 inch thick and is equipped with two USB-C ports, while the 15-inch version comes with NVIDIA GTX 1050 graphics and a single USB-C port. Both versions have the signature 360-degree Yoga hinge and touch screen display and will be available from April 2017. The 13-inch model will cost $859.99 while the 15-inch model is priced at $1,099.99.
Lenovo Tab 4 Series
Lenovo unveiled four tablets in the new Tab 4 series at MWC 2017, intended for kids and families. The Tab 4 8 and Tab 4 8 Plus come in 8-inch IPS displays, while the Tab 4 10 and Tab 4 10 Plus have a 10-inch IPS displays. The “Plus” models feature displays with higher resolutions (1,920 x 1,200), faster processors (Qualcomm Snapdragon 625) and improved cameras (8 MP rear) than the basic models. The Lenovo Tab 4 series models will be available from May 2017, with pricing at $109 for the Tab 4 8; $199 for the Tab 4 8 Plus; $149 for the Tab 4 10; and $249 for the Tab 4 10 Plus.
ZTE Gigabit Phone
A major announcement at MWC 2017 was for a device whose reality is entrenched in the future. A prototype of the ZTE Gigabit Phone aims to show the quickest download speeds on a mobile device- up to 1 Gbps. ‘In the future, with download speeds up to 1Gbps as a standard and ZTE’s technology strength in 5G systems and networks, the mobile experience on smart devices will be enhanced to an unimaginable level,’ said ZTE.
SAP Cloud Platform SDK for iOS
In 2016, SAP and Apple announced they were collaborating to develop a new software development kit that will make development of enterprise iOS apps easier. SAP showcased the SDK Cloud Platform SDK at MWC 2017, which the company says will leverage the SAP Cloud Platform and will have Swift (Apple’s programming language). According to SAP, the features available for enterprise apps developed using the SDK will have a single sign-on and feature offline data synchronization.