MWC 2013 – what to expect
As the mobile industry prepares to descend on Barcelona once more, we look at what might be on show
As the mobile industry prepares to descend on Barcelona like a flock of gadget-hungry gannets, we look at what could be grabbing the headlines.
HTC has yet to confirm the existence of the successor to the HTC One X (pictured), but details of a 4.7-inch Android mobile called the M7 were leaked back in December, and MWC would seem to be the likely place for an official reveal. According to the leaked specs, the M7 will rock a 1080p screen, giving it an eyeball-slicingly sharp pixel density of 468ppi – that’s more than the iPhone 5’s Retina Display. The screen will use the same optical lamination tech as the iPhone 5, which should mean a thinner body than previous HTC smartphones, and also expected is a Snapdragon 1.7GHz quad-core processor, 32GB of storage, a 13MP f/2.0 main camera and a 2MP front camera.
HTC M7
LG is set for a big MWC this year, and with the company suggesting its Nexus 4 was just one of many collaborations it would be making with Google, we’re expecting at least one new product from the partnership will be unveiled. A 4G LTE version of the Nexus 4 is a possibility, but there’s been lots of chatter about a Google Nexus 5 with a larger screen and beefier processor. But personally, we’d just be happy if they announced they were making enough Nexus 4s that people could actually buy one…
Google Nexus 4G and Google Nexus 5
It’s high time Samsung ripped the wrappers off a new Android tablet (the last was the Galaxy Note 10.1, released back in the summer), and while we expect the Galaxy Tab 2 7.0 and 10.1 models to get a rosy cosmetic revamp in time for Valentine’s Day, it’d really be nice to see a whole new model pitched and priced to compete with the Google Nexus 7 and 10 models, which at the moment are hands-down a better choice for prospective Android slate shoppers.
Strongly rumoured to be Sony’s next Android tablet, the Xperia Tablet Z is tipped to boast a 10.1-inch 1080p screen, 1.5GHz quad-core processor, 2GB of RAM, 32GB of built-in storage and 8.1MP and 2.2MP cameras. Plus NFC, 4G LTE and Bluetooth 4.0. Not a bad little lot, if it’s all accurate.
Samsung: a new Galaxy Tab?
According to Koreatimes, LG is preparing to dive back into the wonderful world of Windows Phone, with a source claiming that at least one WP8 smartphone is due to be unveiled at MWC, along with a “5.5-inch full HD flagship phone” (could be the Google Nexus 5 mentioned above?).
Sony Xperia Tablet Z
ZTE has already confirmed that it’s launching a phone for Mozilla’s new Firefox OS this year, and MWC could be the perfect place to reveal it to the world. Very little is known about the handset, although we’d bet big that it’ll be affordably priced and specced to match.
Mobile World Congress 2013 kicks off on 25th February, and we’ll be there to poke and prod the wonderful new phones, tablets and other assorted mobile tech wonders. What would you like to see unveiled? Let us know in the comments section below.
Main image courtesy of Flickr user Zevy.
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