The Best of MWC Barcelona 2019
With so much new mobile tech unveiled at this year's MWC, we take a look at some of the most exciting.
In the smartphone industry, MWC Barcelona (previously the Mobile World Congress) is the biggest event of the year. For 2019, it was held in its usual location at the Fira de Barcelona.
Almost every major smartphone company made an appearance, and the event was jam-packed full of brand-new phones and tech innovations. Let's take a look at some of the best bits below.
Foldable Huawei Mate X
Foldable smartphones were a huge deal at MWC 2019, with Huawei announcing the launch of a foldable device, hot on the heels of the rival Samsung Galaxy Fold which was announced shortly before MWC began.
The Huawei Mate X is, in many ways, very similar to Samsung's Fold - but there's one major difference. The 8-inch screen is positioned around the outside of the device, rather than sitting on the inside. There're no creases in sight either, due to Huawei's unique Falcon Hinge design.
When unfolded, you'll have a huge 8-inch screen to enjoy, which sports Huawei's FullView technology. It's 5G ready, built with a 4,500mAh battery and a super-efficient 7nm Kirin 980 AI chipset, and offers a camera co-engineered by Lecia. The triple-lens camera system measures 40MP+16MP+8MP and thanks to Huawei's innovative design, one camera is all you need - just reposition the device to take a selfie.
Xiaomi Mi Mix 3 5G
5G was everywhere at MWC 2019, with the majority of new handsets designed to support the upcoming network technology. One of the handsets making a stir, however, was from Chinese technology giants Xiaomi (pronounced SH-ow-me).
The Xiaomi Mi Mix 3 5G is an upgraded version of the existing Xiaomi Mi Mix 3, an already popular handset. It has a great price tag which is one of the main lures (especially for a 5G phone), a super speedy Snapdragon 855 processor and a larger 3,800mAh battery. It’s also notch-free, thanks to the innovative slide-up selfie camera feature which is a dual-lens 24MP+2MP, while the rear camera comes in at 12MP+12MP.
There's a breath-taking display on the Xiaomi Mi Mix 3 5G, with 93.4% screen-to-body ratio (which means it really does cover the entire front of the device). It's a great all-rounder, with plenty to offer.
Other exciting 5G handsets coming your way include the LG v50 ThinQ, Sony Xperia 1 and the ZTE Axon 10 Pro.
The new Nokia 9 PureView
There's a new Nokia flagship phone on its way, and it's known as the Nokia 9 PureView. Winning award after award at MWC 2019, its impressive five-lens camera system is the feature that's really intrigued experts.
Powered by ZEISS Optics, you'll find five 12MP camera sensors located on the back of the device, offering an f/1.8 aperture. Three are monochrome cameras, positioned in a triangular shape, while the remaining two are RGB cameras. You'll find an LED flash on the rear, and a TOF (time of flight) sensor that's aids focusing, particularly in low-light conditions.
The result? Incredibly detailed pictures with exceptional dynamic range, impressive depth of field and true-to-life colour. As you shoot, you'll have control over the white balance, ISO, exposure and shutter speed.
Experienced photographers will be delighted to hear RAW photo editing is possible on the Nokia 9 PureView, just make sure you download Adobe Photoshop Lightroom.
There's a lot more to the Nokia 9 Pureview, such as a 5.99-inch edge-to-edge display with a 2K resolution, state-of-the art Snapdragon 845 processor and 6GB RAM.
The Energizer 18,000 mAh battery phone
If you think a standard 4,000 mAh smartphone battery could do with being a little larger, you're in luck. French manufacturer Avenir Telecom debuted the Energizer Power Max P18K Pop, a phone with a gigantic 18,000 mAh battery.
Continuing its partnership with Energizer, the well-known battery producer from the States, this handset promises 50 days of power on standby, 90 hours of talk time and up to 100 hours of music playback.
That's not all. You can fast-charge the Energizer Power Max P18K Pop, and thanks to a power share function the handset even doubles up as a power bank, offering the option to charge up your other devices via USB-C.
Of course, there's a reason other brands haven't added such a large battery to a smartphone until now. A larger battery means a larger phone, and the Energizer Power Max P18K Pop is a rather thick device, measuring 18mm.
If you can't wait for all this futuristic tech to land on shelves, there are plenty of impressive flaghip phones available right now. Find a great deal on a smartphone you love at Mobiles.co.uk.