Foldable phones, 5G and better smartphone cameras are expected to be the main talking points when the Mobile World Congress (MWC) technology trade show begins in Barcelona next week.
The annual event brings together some of the biggest names in the industry, including Sony, Huawei, LG and Nokia — each of which is expected to unveil new mobile devices.
In the wake of Samsung announcing their first foldable smartphone on Wednesday, several other firms are expected to introduce their own versions of the technology, with Huawei among those hinting they will do so at MWC.
5G, the new generation of mobile communications that is due to begin rolling out later this year, is also likely to feature heavily in many of the new phones announced at MWC.
The technology is predicted to offer data speeds several times that of current-generation 4G, as well as allow for more devices to connect to a network at any one time, carry more data and reduce latency.
Tech firms have spent years highlighting the potential of 5G — from powering autonomous car networks and smart cities to enabling remote surgery and the wider use of robotics.
5G everywhere
As a result, many manufacturers are expected to use appearances at MWC to promise 5G network readiness for their devices, with some likely to announce new 5G versions of phones for release later this year — much like Samsung did with the Galaxy S10 5G it revealed on Wednesday.
The engineering of smartphone cameras is another area likely to be in focus during the event, as phone makers continue to push the idea of the devices replacing traditional cameras.
Chinese firm Oppo is among those to have already confirmed it will be showing off new camera technology at the event and it is unlikely to be alone.
Increasing the number of sensors in camera systems and taking greater advantage of artificial intelligence to automatically change camera settings in order to take better photographs are expected to be among the topics focused on by manufacturers.
The event will also likely see a number of new tablets, laptops and wearable devices unveiled.
The four-day trade show, which is expected to attract over 100 000 visitors, opens on Monday.
