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MWC 2012: phones and tablets to look forward to

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MWC 2012: phones and tablets to look forward to
Without a doubt, MWC 2012 is the event that the tech-savvy crowd is looking forward to right now. And that should come as no surprise as the most well-known smartphone and tablet manufacturers are expected to unveil their latest and greatest gadgets and gizmos.

Of course, it is hard to tell what Samsung, HTC, Nokia, LG, Sony, and the rest of the gang are going to show off at MWC 2012. However, we believe that we have done a good job at making a list of all the suspects. Now go grab a cup of coffee and read along for all the spicy details.



HTC

MWC 2012: phones and tablets to look forward to
At MWC 2012, many will have their eyes focused on HTC as the Taiwanese manufacturer is expected to announce not one, not two, but at least three new smartphones: The HTC One X, HTC One S, and HTC One V. If these names sound entirely new to you, that is because until recently, these devices were known in the blogosphere only by their code names: Edge, Ville, and Primo respectively. Among the three, the One X appears to be the flagship with its Tegra 3 quad-core processor and 4.7-inch 720p display. What is also cool about it is that it may ship before the end of March. Next in rank comes the One S sporting a 1.5GHz dual-core chip and a 4.3-inch qHD display. The One V is expected to be a mid-range offering with a 1GHz processor and a 3.7-inch display. Software-wise, Android 4.0 with Sense 4.0 is expected on all of these smartphones. 

But wait, there is a lot more! We recently learned that the HTC Velocity 4G will be the first LTE smartphone in Europe, so seeing the device in person at MWC 2012 is not out of the question. The long-rumored HTC Quattro tablet, powered by a quad-core Tegra 3 processor, might also make an appearance.

Additionally, rumor has it that a device by the name of HTC One XL exists and that it is destined for an MWC announcement. Also, the HTC Fireball and HTC Totem, which are rumored to be launched as the HTC Droid Incredible 3 on Verizon and the HTC Tahiti on AT&T respectively, may be unveiled at the expo too. However, that these last three smartphones will be seen at MWC 2012 is something that should be taken with a dose of disbelief.

Last but not least, HTC is expected to announce a streaming audio service at MWC. It was recently reported that Jimmy Iovine is helping HTC create a unique proposition that will be the default music service on its smartphones and tablets. 


Nokia

MWC 2012: phones and tablets to look forward to
Rumor has it that Nokia is to announce a whole bunch of new phones at MWC 2012, and the European version of the Nokia Lumia 900 is very likely to be one of them. It might end up being known as the Nokia Lumia 910 and it will be identical to its high-end U.S. counterpart hardware-wise, yet whether it will sport an LTE radio is something that we don't know yet. Another Windows Phone device – the Nokia Lumia 610, is also expected to attend, and as its model number indicates, it will be an affordable smartphone. And who knows, it may even be the first smartphone powered by the lightweight Windows Phone Tango. Some claim that the Nokia Lumia 610 will actually be the cheapest Windows Phone to date retailing for about $157 contract-free. There is a slight chance of seeing another budget-friendly smartphone at MWC 2012 – the Nokia Lumia 730, but the sources of that rumor do not appear very trustworthy. 

On the non-Windows Phone side of things, a trio of feature phones, namely the Nokia Asha 302, Asha 203, and Asha 202, are said to be coming to MWC 2012. Details regarding their specs are unknown at this time.

It is speculated that Nokia is also getting ready to unveil a successor to the popular Nokia N8 camera phone at MWC 2012. What it will be called, however, is not exactly clear. Some say that the device will be known as the Nokia 808 PureView, yet the 803 and 801 model numbers are not out of the question. Nevertheless, rumors agree on one thing – the N8 successor will stay loyal to the Symbian platform, the latest iteration of which is called Nokia Belle.


LG

MWC 2012: phones and tablets to look forward to
Since images and videos of the LG Miracle leaked more than a few times already, seeing the smartphone at MWC 2012 would be anything but surprising. The smartphone is expected to be a mid-range Windows Phone device with a 4-inch WVGA NOVA display, 1GHz processor, and a 5-megapixel camera. But this surely can't be all that LG will have to show off during the expo. There is a chance of seeing the LG Optimus 3D 2, which will stand out with its glasses-free 3D display. Rumor has it that the new model will be slimmer than its predecessor and will sport an IPS-LCD display with a higher resolution. An LG Optimus LTE variant similar to the LG Spectrum for Verizon, but tailored for the European market, could also be unveiled, and as its name suggests, it will support LTE connectivity.  

But the goodness does not end here. There is a chance of seeing the rumored LG X3 smartphone powered by a quad-core Tegra 3 processor and flaunting an impressive 4.7-inch display with 720p resolution. Last but not least, we have reasons to believe that LG is working on a device similar to the Samsung Galaxy Note. Known as the LG Optimus Vu, it is said to offer a 5-inch display with 1024 by 768 pixels of resolution. 

UPDATE: The LG Optimus Vu is now official and will be shown off at MWC 2012.

UPDATE 2: LG made its Optimus L series of smartphones official, along with the first three devices that belong to it: The LG Optimus L7, Optimus L5, and Optimus L3. We are looking forward to taking these for a spin at MWC 2012.

UPDATE 3: The LG Optimus 3D Max was announced officially and will be on display at MWC 2012.


Sony

MWC 2012: phones and tablets to look forward to
That Sony is expected to introduce at least one new Xperia smartphone at MWC 2012 is something that we are already aware of. Or at least that is what the MWC 2012 invitation from not long ago leads us to believe. One of the devices that might be unveiled officially is the Sony Xperia P, also known by its Nypon code name. Its rumored specs include a 4-inch qHD display with the impressive 1000 nits of brightness and a 1GHz dual-core chipset made by ST-Ericsson. A smartphone that is just as likely to be unveiled is the Sony Xperia U (aka Sony Kumquat) – a mid-range Android device sporting a 3.5-inch display with 480 by 854 pixels of resolution and a 1GHz dual-core processor. Not to be forgotten is a Sony smartphone codenamed Pepper, which is rumored to offer a 3.7-inch 480x854 display and a 1.2GHz dual-core processor. 

Here is another interesting thing. We recently found out that Sony has trademarked the Xperia Sola name in both Europe and the U.S. That said, Xperia Sola might turn out to be a name reserved for one of the smartphones that Sony will unveil at MWC 2012. 

Oh, and by the way, there is a wild rumor going around that a Sony tablet codenamed Crystal could materialize soon. Presumably, it will be an HSPA+ enabled slate for AT&T. However, we don't think that the chances of seeing the device at MWC are too high right now.

UPDATE: Images of a prototype Windows Phone device with a Sony Ericsson logo surfaced on the web. If the smartphone is meant to see the light of day, we may see it at MWC 2012. 


Samsung

MWC 2012: phones and tablets to look forward to
Something that we know for sure is that Samsung will not be announcing the Samsung Galaxy S III smartphone at MWC 2012. But what will the Korean company unveil then? The Samsung Galaxy mini 2 and Galaxy Ace 2 are already official, and we know that low-end Android smartphones are not the most exciting thing out there anyway. According to a recent speculation, the Korean manufacturer is to announce a device known as the Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1. It is supposed that it will be a 10.1-inch tablet enhanced with an S-Pen for input, and those who might be interested in the device include students and artists.

Of course, we are crossing our fingers in hope that Samsung has more tricks up its sleeve for MWC 2012. Some say that a 11.6-inch tablet with a 2.0GHz dual-core processor under the hood and with a high-resolution display might make a debut, but that is just a wild rumor at this time. 


Motorola

MWC 2012: phones and tablets to look forward to
In all honesty, we don't really have much reliable information as to what Motorola will present at MWC 2012. However, there is a device that might make an appearance, and if it does, it will surely grab some attention. We are talking about a Motorola Android 4.0 smartphone powered by an Intel processor. Images of the device were revealed just days ago, and if it has been meant to be, we might get to play with it at MWC. All that is said about the yet-unnamed smartphone is that it sports a new version of Motorola's custom user interface and that its camera can take up to 15 shots per second in burst mode. 


Asus

MWC 2012: phones and tablets to look forward to
What Asus will definitely be showing off at MWC 2012 is the Asus PadFone – a very interestingly looking combo between a smartphone and a tablet. The contraption features an Android smartphone that docks inside a screen shell and... voila! You have a tablet. According to the latest rumors, the PadFone will sport a quad-core Tegra 3 processor. 

A successor to the Asus Eee Pad Transformer is also believed to exist as pictures of the supposed device surfaced on the web a couple of weeks ago. However, we have no idea whether the Asus Eee Pad Transformer 2 is ready for debut, so chances of it coming to MWC 2012 are somewhat slim.  


Panasonic

MWC 2012: phones and tablets to look forward to
The slim and sexy Panasonic ELUGA was just made official, and MWC 2012 is where we will get to check it out first hand. It is the device that Panasonic will try to make a comeback on the smartphone market with, so we expect it to be a handset worthy of our attention. In terms of specs, it is powered by a dual-core TI OMAP 4420 processor clocked at 1GHz and features a 4.3-inch qHD OLED display. Also, it is resistant to dust and water damage.

However, the Panasonic ELUGA might not be the only smartphone that the company will have on display at MWC 2012. Rumor has it that a premium Android phone is to be unveiled alongside ELUGA – a smartphone with a display built by using Panasonic's own technology, and a camera worthy of carrying the LUMIX brand name. Of course, that is nothing but a rumor at this time, but we hope that it is on the right track.


Huawei

MWC 2012: phones and tablets to look forward to
The guys at Huawei are not messing around, if this recent rumor is to be believed. It is said that the Huawei Ascend D1 Q will be announced at MWC 2012, and what will tick under its hood will be a Tegra 3 processor by NVIDIA. Not bad if you are looking for a high-performance smartphone on a budget. The device will allegedly be a part of a new Diamond series, to which only the smartest, most advanced Huawei smartphones will belong to. Another device that the company might unveil at MWC 2012 is the rumored Huawei MediaPad 10 tablet, which will be a 10-inch slate most likely running Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich.

UPDATE: Photos of a 10-inch Huawei tablet leaked on the web, and it won't be surprising if it turns out to be the MediaPad 10. It is said that it runs Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich, has 3G connectivity, and the camera on its back is of 8 megapixels.


ZTE

MWC 2012: phones and tablets to look forward to
What ZTE will definitely be showing off at MWC 2012 is a trio of Android smartphones. The ZTE PF200 appears to be the leader of the gang with its 4.3-inch qHD display and dual-core Snapdragon processor clocked at 1.5GHz. And if that is not enough, it offers both HSPA+ and LTE connectivity. Next we see the ZTE N910, which is a more modest of an offering sporting a WVGA display and a 5-megapixel camera. In terms of connectivity, it runs on LTE/EVDO networks. Last but not least, we have the ZTE Mimosa X, which comes with a 4.3-inch qHD display and dual-core Tegra 2 processor with 21Mbps Icera baseband modem. It also offers a pair of cameras, the main one being of 5 megapixels, and 4 gigs of on-board storage.


Acer

MWC 2012: phones and tablets to look forward to
The Acer CloudMobile was discovered just a week ago as Acer itself revealed the smartphone prematurely. It is an Android smartphone sporting a 4.3-inch HD display sporting a respectable waistline of 9 millimeters. The smartphone is also said to be tightly integrated with Acer’s AcerCloud technology, which is said to make the handset even more cloud-centric than other devices. According to  rumors, the phone will become available sometime in Q3 this year. 


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1. windowsRocks posted on 17 Feb 2012, 10:26 3 16

Nokia should be placed last in the list.

Reply

2. karanstyle posted on 17 Feb 2012, 10:36 2

It doesnt make any sense...
What and why?

Reply

4. shafboy posted on 17 Feb 2012, 10:43 2

It's not ordered.

Reply

7. windowsRocks posted on 17 Feb 2012, 11:09 3 6

Really.......LOL

Reply

8. chapizzo posted on 17 Feb 2012, 11:12 5 4

Dumb ass!! Nokia does produce some very spectacular phones.

Reply

10. windowsRocks posted on 17 Feb 2012, 11:21 3 6

Still fails to capture the smartphone market. why?

Reply

12. Joshing4fun posted on 17 Feb 2012, 13:00 3 1

Why? Because they only made 2 new windows phones so far!

Reply

3. nmerry77 posted on 17 Feb 2012, 10:40 2

No info on any thing for Sprint.....not a real shocker. :-(

Reply

5. HGMIV posted on 17 Feb 2012, 11:01 2

If I said that I didn't care that Sprint had the latest & greatest, it would be an outright lie. However, I'm willing to sacrifice a little flash and pizzazz for my unlimited everything at $75 a month, as opposed to AT&T's 2GB for $90 (with the lowest talk plan and unlimited texting).

Reply

18. alpinejason posted on 18 Feb 2012, 11:34

actually at&t does have a plan for 50 bucks flat that includes unlimited everything as long as you do not have a smartphone anyone see the possibilities such as unlocked phones being to take advantage of that unlimited offer?

Reply

21. HGMIV posted on 20 Feb 2012, 14:12

Are you asking if you can use an unlocked smartphone on that plan? If so, the answer is no. :-\

Reply

22. thephoneguy92 posted on 20 Feb 2012, 15:14

I'm not sure of the plan you're referring to, but I think you would be able to. But with no data plan, you're prices could be astronomical. But, chances are I'm wrong here!

Reply

9. Phonecall01 posted on 17 Feb 2012, 11:17 2

Who says there's nothing for Sprint? A lot a these phones like the GSIII are generic and each carrier will put their spin on it. Sprint's GSIII is coming for sure. One of those HTCs may turn into the next EVO...maybe..

Reply

24. _VipeR_ posted on 21 Feb 2012, 12:10 1

I think you are on the right track! Reading the article, the first and only real news specifically relevant to Sprint is the possibility that Motorola will reveal a high end smartphone powered by an Intel Processor. Sprint themselves confirmed that back at CES, I believe. And considering that the OG Evo has reached it's EOL, the Evo 3D was a gimmick destined for mediocrity surviving only on its decent specs, and that the Evo Design is honestly a mid-range phone that hasn't generated nearly the amount of buzz as probably intended, I would expect that the One X will end up being the next Evo! Though Sprint horribly made the Apple deal thinking that it would help level itself with Verizon and AT&T, they definitely won't give up on the Evo Brand that launched them back into relevance. Not to mention, Sprint has been the first to release each of the Galaxy phones and will continue that trend, they will want to get the Evo out and on the scene quickly so as not to be completely forgotten once the SIII is announced and released.

However, the most important factor and the reason I suspect that they have not generated any real hype over MWC themselves as they have in the past is due to the LightSquared issue. For Sprint to stay relevant, they have to get their LTE network up and running. Even as powerful as the One X and SIII are, I don't think many Sprint customers, myself included, are going to be willing to be content with having the most powerful smartphone in the game and be limited to only a good 3g network. We did it once with the OG EVO and Epic under the false illusion that we would all eventually have 4g. Now with the conversion to LTE a must, that dream has been further put on hold. The FCC is not going to give LightSquared the green light for their network, nor are they going to force the GPS industry to change its guidelines to allow for LightSquared's network to become a reality. Sprint's "Network Vision" was almost entirely dependant upon LightSquared gaining approval and building out its network. My question now, I'm sure along with many others, is What is Plan B? Clearwire doesn't have the funding to convert their network or expand it quickly. Sprint just guaranteed Apple $25 billion dollars over the next 4 yrs. LightSquared is basically dead in the water. Where does the "Now Network" go from here? All the high-end phones in the world won't matter if you don't have a network capable of providing the speeds to take advantage of said devices.

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6. RamyRamz69 posted on 17 Feb 2012, 11:01 11

Can't wait for the new Xperias...

Reply

11. fanboy posted on 17 Feb 2012, 12:31 2

niceee..ios

Reply

13. BioTek posted on 17 Feb 2012, 14:03 1

-Acer CloudMobile
-ASUS Padfone
-Huawei D1
-LG X3
-HTC One X
-Other technology from Sony and Samsung

How exciting!

Reply

17. Cwebb posted on 18 Feb 2012, 00:57 5 1

(Ranked by importance)
Padfone
Huawei
One X
LG X3
CloudMobile
Sony
*thinking*

*thinking*

Okay, Crapsung

Reply

23. karanstyle posted on 21 Feb 2012, 07:36 1

Liked your word "Crap-Sung"!! Hi5!! :-)

Reply

25. Cwebb posted on 21 Feb 2012, 16:38 1

Can't say I coined the word, but I use the hell out of it

Reply

26. karanstyle posted on 23 Feb 2012, 02:57

:D :-P Lol!!

Reply

14. jamrockjones posted on 17 Feb 2012, 15:02 3

"At CES 2012, many will have their eyes focused on HTC as the Taiwanese manufacturer is expected to announce not one, not two, but at least three new smartphones." - I think that you meant MWC.

Reply

16. Nick_T posted on 17 Feb 2012, 19:22

Thanks! It is fixed now.

Reply

15. rockstarlive posted on 17 Feb 2012, 16:17 1

I am guessing at least 7-12 quad core devices. Dont forget about other companies, Asus, Lenovo, and maybe Casio

Also a couple of Intel devices. Sprint is still rumored to get the "First Intel device"

Reply

19. rockstarlive posted on 19 Feb 2012, 00:45

Latest rumor is Verizon might to take a look into Asus, thinking about having the PadFone on Verizon.

A possible 1080 display for Apple I pad 3

Then there is Droid.....Mega X, 5'1 inch screen 3,000 mah battery 13.2 MP and 5.0 front cam. So far just a rumor I found.

Reply

20. 7thspaceman posted on 20 Feb 2012, 11:47

all this is cool but will a New Verizon Windows 7.5 mango or More powerful Windows 8
smartphone or tablet be announced at the WMC or do us Verizon customers who want a legitimate high end windows phone 7 device have to jump ship and go to AT & T ot T-Mobile for some action

Reply

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