Mobile World Congress takes place in Barcelona this week. Samsung and LG have already announced their plans to launch new flagship phones (LG and Samsung Prepare World for New Flagships), but there’s more news to come.
Two mid-range phones will be launched alongside LG‘s G5, known as the ‘Specialist X’ series: thee LG X Cam and LG X Screen. They ‘specialise’ in the camera and display, respectively, and both run Android 6.0.
Like the V10 (LG Goes Dual-Screen, Dual-Camera for Content Creation), the X Screen features a secondary ‘always-on’ display: a 1.76″ (520 x 80) ticker-style, which is located above the main (4.9″, 1280 x 720) display. This smaller screen can show information like notifications and battery life. The phone also has a 1.2GHz octa-core processor, 2GB of RAM, 16GB of storage, a 13MP camera and 2,300mAh battery.
Conversely, the LG X Cam has a larger display and higher-resolution than the X Screen, at 5.2″ and 1920 x 1080. It features 13MP and 5MP cameras, but LG did not go in to detail on how the camera experience was different from any other model. Android runs on a 1.14GHz octa-core processor, with 2GB of RAM and 16GB of storage.
LG also mentioned the Stylus 2, the successor to the G4 Stylus, which will be launched at MWC. It has a 5.7″ (1280 x 720) screen and, of course, a stylus, which LG says works ‘just like using a real pen’. This stylus has features like Calligraphy Pen, which mimics a fountain pen, and Pen Keeper, which displays a message if the phone is being moved but the stylus bay is empty.
A 1.2GHz quad-core processor runs Android 6.0, with 1.5GB of RAM. The 3,000mAh battery is removable. 13MP and 8MP cameras are built in.
A new Windows phone, the Lumia 650, will be launched by Microsoft. It is designed as an affordable alternative to the Lumia 950/950 XL flagships, with a 5″ 1280 x 720 display. The Snapdragon 808/810 processor has been switched for a Snapdragon 212, as well.
Running Windows 10, the phone boasts Microsoft’s Continuum feature, enabling it to be used as a PC when connected to a larger screen. The unit has 1GB of RAM, 16GB of storage (expandable to 200GB) and a 2,000mAh battery. It will go on sale this month, costing between £150 and £160 ($215 – $230).
There have been rumours that the Lumia 650 will be the last Lumia-branded device. Microsoft is thought to be developing a new ‘Surface’ phone (Microsoft Working On Surface Smartphone) – but, of course, we will have to wait and see if this comes to pass.
Cover glass maker TPK has worked with Fingerprint Cards, a Swedish specialist in biometric technology, to create cover glass prototypes integrating the FPC1268 fingerprint sensor. Such a component would enable smartphone makers to embed fingerprint sensors under the glass, instead of on a separate part of the chassis. The solution will be shown at MWC.
