MWC 2017 Preview: Samsung, LG, Nokia, BlackBerry, 5G And IoT
From smartphones to next-generation connectivity: Silicon runs down the tech to expect at Mobile World Congress 2017
Mobile World Congress (MWC) 2017 will be in full swing in a matter of days, bringing smartphones, tablets and gadgets galore for business and please use.
Sifting through various hints and gazing into our crystal ball, we can predict with at least mild certainty which devices will make their debut at this year’s show.
Smartphones and tablets from the big brands will usher in the regular clutch of processor, battery-life and camera upgrades, but some are slated to have features that stick out mote than just a simple yearly nip and tuck. Let’s take a closer look.
Samsung
The Galaxy Tab S2 was arguably 2015’s highlight for Android tablets, but now its due a successor, which Samsung will undoubtedly showcase in its Sunday conference. Not only will the Galaxy S3 feature upgraded innards, but it will come sporting Android Nougat to take advantage of Google’s upgrades to its mobile operating system.
The standout feature is the potential for an optional keyboard, which like the one found on Apple’s iPad Pro models, can turn the tablet into a pseudo laptop, making it suitable for work on the go rather than just entertainment and the odd Skype call.
A Samsung Galaxy TabPro S2 is also expected; sticking to the formula of its predecessor, the Windows 10 12inch tablet looks to be a real workhorse device for people who find themselves often working on the go or remotely.
Samsung’s next flagship smartphone the Galaxy S8 is sadly not expected to make a show, but the South Korean company could tease what’s to be expected. Talking of teasing, there’s a small change it could showcase a form of foldable smartphone technology various rumours have suggested Samsung is working on.
Silicon will be at the launch to find out.
LG
LG will uses its showcase to reveal the LG G6 smartphone, its follow up to the G5, which ushered in a form of modular smartphone not really seen outside of Google’s canned Project Ara.
The G6 is rumoured to be scrapping the modular features of its predecessor, which were costly additions to the base phone. Instead a teaser trailer for the G6’s user interface suggests the phone could sport an razor-thin bezel around its 5.7 inch display, hinting that LG is focusing more on design for its flagship phone rather than a host of features.
It would be a pity if LG completely abandoned the modular design seen in the G5 as it offered some innovation in a world where little separates many of the smartphone in the market. But it LG can produce a well-made mobile with a dollop of industrial design, it may steal some of the thunder from the likes of Samsung and Apple.
