The market is ready for a revolutionary change in mobile phones and how we use them but to date, we still haven’t seen anything the equivalent of when Apple announced the first smartphone. We know we’re not the only ones because we can feel the want for something as impactful.
Last year’s Mobile World Congress (MWC) showed potential but mobile phones still remain vastly the same with no clear direction where we’re headed. Will this be the year we’ll see mobile phones enter a new era? We’re not there yet but we are expecting some good contenders at the MWC Barcelona 2020 and a trend is clearer. Foldables could be the innovation we need.
Samsung
The mobile tech giant has thrown the industry a curveball. First, they’re hosting a separate event on February 11 in San Francisco to unveil the latest in their Galaxy S lineup and their Galaxy Z flip phone. Second, rumors have it they’re renaming what’s supposed to be the Galaxy S11 to Galaxy S20. Third, they’re releasing three Galaxy S20 phones instead of just one.
Consumers, media and fellow competitors are now left to wonder what Samsung would be showcasing at the MWC 2020 this year, only two weeks after the official release of their flagships. They also recently launched their S10 Lite and Note 10 Lite. It was however eclipsed by stories of their upcoming premium models.
With still many important questions left unanswered for the new budget phones, we’re guessing the MWC would be their chosen venue to share more information on all their new devices. It’s a strange marketing tactic but it’s nothing they haven’t done before. If not, we’ll most likely see a new addition or more to the Galaxy A series.
Huawei
Chances are the much-controversial P30 and P30 Pro will be seeing their successors, the Huawei P40 and P40 Pro but not at the MWC. They’re confirmed to launch in March. Before we completely dismiss the company’s participation in MWC, you should know they’re launching an updated version of their foldable Mate X, the Mate Xs.
It’s said to be fitted with the Kirin 990 chipset, faster charging and improved screen resolution in a smaller size. Also expected to make an appearance are new laptops, similar to what Huawei did at MWC 2019.
Yes, the mobile giant’s current flagship phones still don’t have official access to Google, starting from last year’s ban, and it looks as though it will continue for future upcoming models. It was shortly restored through a back door last year but authorities caught on and now have blocked it. The good news is Huawei is working on how it can have legal access restored again.
Sony
It’s expected that Sony will release the successor to Xperia 1 at the MWC 2020 like it has done in the past. Stories dubbed it the Xperia 2 but with how the firm has been calling its models, the name is anyone’s guess.
Photos of a 21:9 display, 6.6-inch screen smartphone with quad cameras on the back have circulated but there’s no confirmation as to whether it’s the Xperia 2 or an Xperia 5 Plus, the next-in-line for their Xperia 5.
The same phone in the image is also said to have 12GB of RAM and a fingerprint sensor on the side. The world will know for sure at the MWC press conference they’re holding on Feb 24. Invitations have been sent and the waiting has begun.
Nokia
The brand caused a stir with their Nokia 9 PureView last year. Unfortunately, it seems we won’t be seeing its follow-up until the later half of the year. According to the grapevine, HMD Global plans to install it with the Snapdragon 865, the reason for the delay. We’ve also heard of plans to make it 5G capable and give it better photography features.
We still have a lot to look forward this February based on Nokia’s history of always making news at the MWC. Without fail, the company announced that it will release a 5G device with a Snapdragon 765G chipset. There’s no official word on what they’ll call it but we hear it’ll be the Nokia 8.2 5G. Plus, it’ll have an affordable price tag.
Oppo
In the past, Oppo has always used the MWC as a platform to flaunt its wares rather than to make any big announcement or release new products. However, there’s unconfirmed news that the company will be launching the Oppo Find X2 at the event. Unlike its predecessor, the phone won’t have a mechanical pop-up camera because of its under-screen camera.
The tech has been named, All-Pixel Omni-Directional PDAF. Using Sony’s 2×2 On-Chip Lens (OCL) Solution. It enables the lens to be hidden literally right under the screen so you get an uninterrupted glass display. Your images will come out beautifully without an awkward black spot at the top ruining its beauty. Their newest flagship phone will also be powered by the Snapdragon 865 chipset.
OnePlus
Their name is already making waves across the world, despite being a new player. Newer still to the MWC, joining only since last year, we’re not sure what to expect from this up-and-comer. There was no launch or press conference held in 2019. Instead, what we got was a quick look at their 5G-capable OnePlus 7 Pro 5G.
A new line of smartphones was scheduled to launch in the 2nd quarter of 2020. However, it appears the unveiling would be bumped sooner, possibly to take place at the MWC. These are expected to be the OnePlus 8 and the OnePlus 8 Pro. Unlike the previous models, the mechanical pop-up cameras have been foregone for these models and instead, the company went with regular on-screen lenses.
Also expected to make an appearance is their OnePlus Concept One, which was introduced at the CES 2020 with its disappearing back camera lenses. Using a fogging technique, which you can switch on and off, the back of the glass darkens, hiding the cameras and limiting the light captured for a different effect in pictures. It’s a great feature for photographers and enthusiasts.
The company is also scheduled to reveal a more affordable version of the OnePlus 8 but it isn’t likely to be at this year’s event. Its release date is scheduled sometime mid-year so pushing it up to Feb would be too soon. We can only hope for a sneak peek.
Microsoft
After they announced the Surface Neo and Surface Deo, the industry has been waiting for more news on these foldables. It seems like a sleeker version of earlier similar devices but knowing it won’t be available in the market until towards the end of the year, we’re wondering if Microsoft is a little late to the dual-screen game.
Also, Microsoft refuses to call this a phone, even if it functions like one but with more capabilities than the regular one-screen devices. We’re waiting to see how the market will react to this, whether they’d be confused or brush off the lack of a label and love it anyway. In its teaser video, it does show images and webpages flow seamlessly across both screens. That and the classier look could entice more buyers.
Even if we’re not where we want to be in the mobile phone industry yet, MWC still proves to be an interesting affair that keeps the industry on its toes. What do you think would happen this year? Is there any news we missed that you wanted to read about? Let us know in the comments section below. Keep following the site for more tech updates. For optimizing phone communications for your business’ marketing, contact us at Forest Interactive.
