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.

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. 

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.

Since images and videos of the LG Miracleleaked 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.

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. 

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. 

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. 

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.  

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.

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.

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.