News and leaks ahead of the big MWC 2014 phone and tablet launches from Samsung, Sony, Nokia, LG, Huawei and more…
Although MWC 2014 doesn’t kick off until February 24, we already have a good idea of what to expect from the big boys such as Samsung and Sony, thanks to various online leaks. Here’s our full MWC 2014 preview, updated regularly with the latest news and rumours.
HTC – No MWC 2014 launch
HTC is saving the launch of its massive HTC One M8 (sequel to last year’s brilliant HTC One) until end of March, but CEO Cher Wang is still in town for a talk on Monday February 24. Wang is expected to chat about the company’s future, and hopefully we’ll hear some juicy tidbits about upcoming HTC devices. And of course, we’ve already seen plenty of leaks of that HTC One M8…
Huawei – MWC 2014 launch on Sunday February 23, 3pm local (2pm UK)
Huawei appears to have learned from its mistakes, packing 4G into its new Ascend P7 smartphone. We’re expecting a 5-inch phone packing a 1080p screen, 13-megapixel camera and a ridiculously sharp 8-megapixel front-facing lens, for super-detailed selfies.
You can also expect to see the ultra-affordable MediaPad X1 tablet, which boasts 4G connectivity for around $200, as well as a second tablet that was hinted at in a cheeky video featuring Siri.
LG – No official launch event
Although we’re still hoping to see the new LG G Pro 2 at MWC 2014, it has already launched in Korea instead of Barcelona. The 13-megapixel camera with Optical Image Stabilisation should be the highlight, and we’re sure it’ll come packed with tons of funky features as usual. Here’s hoping we can check it out at LG’s stand…
We should also be seeing some other LG kit, including the new wallet-friendly L3 series.
Nokia – MWC 2014 launch on Monday February 24, 8.30am local (7.30am UK)
Nokia has teased us by saying MWC 2014 will be a big one for the Finns, and if the rumours are true, we’ll be seeing several new handsets launched.
First contender is the Lumia 1820, a 5.2-inch mobile which packs some incredible specs, including a powerful SnapDragon 805 processor, 2k resolution display and 3,400mAh battery. Nokia should put everything into the camera too, with Lytro technology expected – that allows you to refocus a picture after you’ve already shot it, handy for those unexpected action snaps that come out blurry.
Next up is a solar-powered phablet, dubbed the Lumia 1525. The Lumia 1525 looks to be another super-charged handset, also rocking a SnapDragon 805 as well as a powerful camera and the solar panel for recharging the battery.
The last rumoured Lumia is the Lumia 1520V, a miniaturised version of the original Lumia 1520 phablet. The original mobile was fantastic thanks to its uber-crisp screen, but it was quite a handful, to put it mildly. The 1520V aims to bring sharp 1080p video playback to a more compact mobile handset.
There’s also been some buzz around Nokia’s Android phone, which initially seemed like a strange project considering Nokia is owned by Windows Phone producer Microsoft. However, internet rumours suggest it’ll be a cheap-and-cheerful handset for developing markets only.
Samsung – MWC 2014 launch on Monday February 24, 8pm local (7pm UK)
Although Samsung usually launches its flagship smartphones outside of MWC, we’re expecting to see the curtains pulled back on the shiny new Galaxy S5 at MWC.
A few of the specs have already leaked, and nothing too surprising so far – get ready for a 2K screen, 20-megapixel snapper that can shoot 4K video, and a mighty 2,900mAh battery. But will we see Retina unlocking as previously rumoured?
Sony – MWC 2014 launch on Monday February 24, 8.30am local (7.30am UK)
After putting out the excellent Xperia Z1 Compact last month, all eyes are on Sony ahead of its Xperia Z2 flagship phone launch. We already know a fair bit about this sequel to 2013’s Xperia Z1, thanks to a big screenshot leak. We’re expecting some nifty camera features such as slow-mo and 4k video, plus some Samsung-esque gesture control.
We could also see a budget blower from Sony, to take on the Motorola Moto G – a Twitter leak bigs this up as the Xperia G, rocking a very familiar Sony design despite its cut-down specs.
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