What to expect from Mobile World Congress 2017
At this time of year, the cream of the mobile device market heads to Barcelona for the annual Mobile World Congress. The world's biggest smartphones makers -- with the exception of Apple -- are expected to show off their latest models in the Spanish city from February 27 to March 2, 2017.
Samsung, the world's top-selling smartphone manufacturer, isn't expected to unveil its eagerly awaited Galaxy S8 at MWC. Instead, the brand will premiere its new flagship at a special event in March. The South Korean tech giant is expected to show off a new tablet and possibly a smartwatch at this year's MWC. The firm is also likely to showcase its expertise in the field of virtual reality. Watch this space.
Samsung's key rival, LG, revealed its X power2 smartphone ahead of the event and also seems set to present this Sunday the G6, a new flagship handset following last year's G5 modular smartphone, which was certainly innovative but failed to prove a hit with consumers.
Huawei, Sony, Lenovo, HTC and many other brands will be in attendance, hoping to stand out from the crowd of new devices presented at the Barcelona event. However, Nokia could be set to steal the limelight at this year's show.
In fact, Nokia is set to make a big comeback as a phone maker in 2017, with a first major announcement expected in Barcelona following several 'leaks.' The brand is thought to have a high-end smartphone in the pipeline, the first in a new range that could include around half a dozen models, landing from this year. Nokia was, for a long time, the world's leading mobile phone maker, with iconic models that were the stars of their time (3310, 8110, etc.). However, the firm was soon overtaken by the new wave of smartphones, first from Apple, then Samsung. Nokia is expected to mark its comeback by releasing a new version of its classic 3310, due to sell for around €60.
As for connected cars, MWC regular Ford is set to present its "vision for the city of tomorrow," while also showcasing its latest developments in the fields of mobility and connectivity.
Special guests due to appear onstage at MWC to discuss the future of the telecoms industry include Mats Granryd, director-general of the GSM Association (GSMA), which organizes Mobile World Congress, as well as John Stankey (AT&T), Eric Xu (Huawei), Eugene Kaspersky (Kaspersky), Reed Hastings (Netflix) and Rajeev Suri (Nokia). In 2016, Mark Zuckerberg (Facebook) made headlines at the event with a passionate speech on virtual reality.
Mobile Word Congress runs February 27 to March 2, 2017, in Barcelona, Spain. Website: mobileworldcongress.com
