The Eight Major Mobile Brands Launched at 2017 WMC
The convergence of global mobile manufacturers on Barcelona has become an annual ritual. It has grown to a global platform where mobile phone makers unleash their new devices and give hints on further products to expect from them during the year.
The 2017 edition of the World Mobile Congress was not different. During the seven-day technology festival, eight major phones where launched. Below are the devices and their unique features.
Samsung Galaxy Tab S3
Samsung launched a commercial 5G network and showcased two new tablets: Android-based Galaxy Tab S3 with a 9.7-inch display, and Windows 10-based Galaxy Book 2-in-1s, two versions (10.-6 and 12-inch displays) and a keyboard. Samsung said its newest devices will start selling on March 29 as the brand strives to recover from last year’s massive Galaxy Note 7 smartphone recall.
BlackBerry KeyOne:
For blackberry, the last one year has been tough. BlackBerry has stopped making its own phones and has handed the license to TCL. With TCL, the world saw the return of BlackBerry with its KeyOne device and a trademarked physical keyboard. The KeyOne has the ability to swipe left and right over the top of the buttons to flip home screens. A button on the phone’s right edge opens Google Voice Search, the camera and other frequently used apps. Targeting businesses and government agencies, BlackBerry’s KeyOne goes on sale in April for $549.
LG G6:
The LG G6 was the first big phone to be announced at MWC 2017. Modular is out and in its place is a phone that’s pretty much all screen. LG has managed to squeeze a 5.7-inch screen – QHD+ FullVision display with an 18:9 aspect ratio – on to a handset that feels like it’s been built for a 5.3-inch screen. The new design does mean that the battery is sealed within the chassis now. What you get is a bigger battery, though, at 3300mAh. There’s 32GB on-board storage and two 13MP cameras – ones on the front and back.
This is a first in a smartphone and a great move by both LG and Dolby – bringing what’s arguably the best HDR tech on the market to phones. All of this is powered by a Snapdragon 821 chip.
Moto G5 & Moto G5 Plus:
The Moto G5 and Moto G5 Plus were both launched in the budget phone space, but with premium tech that belies their price point. The G5 has a metal body, 1.4GHz Snapdragon 430 processor and 3GB of RAM. There’s a 2,800mAh battery inside, plus a 5-inch Full HD display and 13-megapixel front camera. Its larger sibling has a 5.2-inch Full HD display instead, with a faster 2.0GHz octa-core processor and bigger 3,000mAh battery. Prices start at just £169 for the Moto G5.
Nokia 5,6&3310:
Nokia‘s booth at the MWC was jammed as attendees jostled to see new devices announced by Finnish company HMD using the Nokia brand under a license deal. The Nokia 3310; a revamp of a highly successful Nokia model from 17 years ago, provides 22 hours of talk time and 31 days of standby time. At $52, the iconic device predates the iPhone, and for hard-core fans, there’s good news: the Snake game will return.
The new 3310 comes with a full colour screen and slimmer build. It looks the part but don’t expect tech miracles – it’s not even 3G so is basically just for calls, texts and, of course, Snake.
Along with the 3310, HMD Global has three Android phones releasing under the Nokia name. The Nokia 5 and 6 are budget handsets, priced from just €139. They come in 5, 5.2 and 5.5-inch screen sizes respectively.
Sony Xperia XA1:
At the WMC, Sony launched two more edge-to-edge mid-rangers: the Xperia XA1 and Xperia XA1 Ultra. Ignoring the odd naming convention, the XA1 is the successor to the XA, while the XA1 Ultra is a larger version of the new model.
The Sony Xperia XA1 and XA1 Ultra offer almost identical designs, aside from their physical size and a silver ring around the front-facing camera on the XA1 Ultra. The smaller model measures 145 x 67 x 7.9mm and weighs 145g, while the larger model measures 165 x 79 x 8.1mm and weighs 210g so there is quite a big difference in size and weight, with the XA1 definitely the more manageable in the hand.
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