Mobile World Congress 2014
A host of new devices were unveiled at the Mobile World Congress show in Barcelona. Here we select the cream of the crop.
SAMSUNG GALAXY S5
Why is it interesting?
As the successor to the Galaxy S4, the new high-end phone from Samsung is not a revolutionary step up, but it does enough to make it arguably the most desirable handset of 2014, so far. With a 16-megapixel rear-facing camera and a sharp 415ppi, 5.1in screen, the phone takes “inspiration” from its rivals, most notably an iPhonestyle fingerprint scanner that unlocks it and allows for touch-verified payments online and in high-street shops. The Galaxy S5 runs Android 4.4.2 (KitKat), is waterproof and dustproof, and has a talk time of 21 hours. Samsung has also been making a big noise about the phone’s health features, which include a heart-rate monitor and a fitness tracker.
When’s it out?
It’s due to go on sale in April.
How much will it cost?
At the time of writing, the price had yet to be announced but we expect the S5 to cost at least £500.
Do I really need one?
Yes, if you want to own the latest, most innovative Android phone available. But if you’ve just bought a Galaxy S4, it’s probably worth waiting until the S6 is inevitably released next year.
SAMSUNG GEAR SERIES
Why is it interesting?
Samsung also unveiled its Gear 2, Gear 2 Neo and Gear Fit wearable devices at Mobile World Congress (MWC), all of which you can strap to your wrist. Intriguingly, they don’t run Android, but use an open-source operating system based on HTML5 called Tizen OS (www .tizen.org). The Gear 2 smartwatch works in tandem with Samsung smartphones and allows for notifications to be displayed on its screen. It has a 2-megapixel camera, a heart-rate sensor, stress and sleep tools, and a pedometer. The Gear 2 Neo offers the same features except for the camera, while the Gear Fit is a sleeker, curved wearable device that’s primarily for fitness tracking.
When’s it out?
You should be seeing them on wrists from April.
How much will they cost?
We expect them to cost between £100 and £200.
Do I really need it?
Essentially, they’re accessories for Samsung phones rather than standalone devices. But the Pebble (getpebble.com) has proven there is a demand for smartwatches and they can be very useful, not to mention stylish.
HTC DESIRE 816
Why is it interesting?
With a 5.5in screen, the Desire 816 is edging into ‘phablet’ territory – a cross between a phone and tablet – and it’s as big on features as it is in size. It features a 13-megapixel rear camera (with an amazing 5-megapixel camera on the front), a whopping 8GB of storage, a speedy 1.2GHz Snapdragon processor and 1.5GB of memory. For a mid-range HTC device, it has certainly pulled out the stops with its high-end specifications.
When’s it out?
It’s already available in China, with a worldwide release planned for April.
How much will it cost?
Given its mid-range tag, we expect around £250.
Do I really need one?
The plastic case feels a little cheap but if you want a reasonably-priced phone with a larger than normal screen, which runs Android Kitt (albeit with a HTC Sense 6.0 skin), this is the handset to get.
NOKIA XL
Why is it interesting?
It’s good to have something different knocking around. Nokia has for a while pinned its fortunes on the Windows Phone OS, but with the Nokia XL, it has turned to Android (there were no flagship Windows Phones on show at this year’s MWC). Like the Nokia X, the XL uses the Nokia X Software Platform, which actually makes the handset look as if it is running Windows Phone. At the same time, it lacks a lot of the features you’d expect from either OS. It doesn’t have a lot of built-in storage (4GB) or offer much power, but it’s cheap and has an impressive 5in screen.
When’s it out?
You can buy the Nokia XL now.
How much will it cost?
A very affordable £90.
Do I really need one?
It’s a great spare handset and ideal for people who want some smartphone capabilities without the hefty price tag. It’s a decent, entry-level phone but don’t expect the moon on a stick.
YOTAPHONE 2
Why is it interesting?
The original YotaPhone had a dual display: a normal screen on the front and an E Ink, Kindle-style screen on the back for reading ebooks. The YotaPhone 2 increases the size of the front screen from 4.3in to 5in, but the biggest improvement is that the 4.7in E Ink display and has a battery life of up to 50 hours.
When’s it out?
It is due out toward the end of the year. However, the original Yotaphone was only available in Russia, Germany, Austria, France and Spain.
How much will it cost?
The price has yet to be confirmed.
Do I really need one?
If you like reading on your phone, the E Ink display reduces eye strain, and you needn’t fret about running out of power before the end of the chapter.
SONY XPERIA Z2
Why is it interesting?
The Xperia Z2 has lots to recommend it, from a waterproof case to a 5.2in screen. The stunning 1080p display uses Live Colour LED technology to produce colours that have “never been so real, more natural or so true to life”, and the speedy quadcore processor zips through tasks with ease. But for us, the incredible 20.7MP camera is what makes this handset really stand out. It has a 0.04in sensor, SteadyShot image stabilisation and can record in Ultra-HD.
When’s it out?
Like most other new phones, it should be out in April.
How much will it cost?
It will cost a wallet-busting £600 but then it’s intentionally high-end.
Do I really need one?
Yes, if you enjoy photography and recording video. The Samsung Galaxy S5 is a great cameraphone but this eclipses it for us.
UBUNTU MOBIILE
Why is it interesting?
Canonical has been trying to bring Ubuntu to mobile phones for a while, and at MWC it showed off the latest version on a Nexus 4. Two prototype devices were also on display, created by the Chinese company Meizu, and BQ of Spain. You’ll be able to plug the phones into a large screen, the idea being that they replace desktop computers.
When’s it out?
Sometime in 2014.
How much will it cost?
The price of the handsets has not been announced. Because Ubuntu is open source, it may be possible to run it on Android phones.
Do I really need it?
If you’re looking for an alternative to Android, Windows Phone and iOS, then Ubuntu Mobile could hold the answer. If not, the list of mobile operating systems is growing, including seeing Tizen, Firefox OS (bit.ly/firefox341), Sailfish (sailfishos.org) and many more.
TALKBAND B1
Why is it interesting?
Huawei showed off a ‘smartband’ that you can wear on your wrist. It lets you talk using a detachable Bluetooth headset, if you feel silly speaking to your arm, and pairs with your tablet or phone using an app. The Talkband also monitors your health and can keep going for two weeks on standby.
When’s it out?
It should be out this summer.
How much will it cost?
Indications are that it will be around £100.
Do I really need one?
The wearable market is about to become very crowded, so you might want to wait to see what else comes along.
SAMSUNG GALAXY S5
Why is it interesting?
As the successor to the Galaxy S4, the new high-end phone from Samsung is not a revolutionary step up, but it does enough to make it arguably the most desirable handset of 2014, so far. With a 16-megapixel rear-facing camera and a sharp 415ppi, 5.1in screen, the phone takes “inspiration” from its rivals, most notably an iPhonestyle fingerprint scanner that unlocks it and allows for touch-verified payments online and in high-street shops. The Galaxy S5 runs Android 4.4.2 (KitKat), is waterproof and dustproof, and has a talk time of 21 hours. Samsung has also been making a big noise about the phone’s health features, which include a heart-rate monitor and a fitness tracker.
When’s it out?
It’s due to go on sale in April.
How much will it cost?
At the time of writing, the price had yet to be announced but we expect the S5 to cost at least £500.
Do I really need one?
Yes, if you want to own the latest, most innovative Android phone available. But if you’ve just bought a Galaxy S4, it’s probably worth waiting until the S6 is inevitably released next year.
SAMSUNG GEAR SERIES
Why is it interesting?
Samsung also unveiled its Gear 2, Gear 2 Neo and Gear Fit wearable devices at Mobile World Congress (MWC), all of which you can strap to your wrist. Intriguingly, they don’t run Android, but use an open-source operating system based on HTML5 called Tizen OS (www .tizen.org). The Gear 2 smartwatch works in tandem with Samsung smartphones and allows for notifications to be displayed on its screen. It has a 2-megapixel camera, a heart-rate sensor, stress and sleep tools, and a pedometer. The Gear 2 Neo offers the same features except for the camera, while the Gear Fit is a sleeker, curved wearable device that’s primarily for fitness tracking.
When’s it out?
You should be seeing them on wrists from April.
How much will they cost?
We expect them to cost between £100 and £200.
Do I really need it?
Essentially, they’re accessories for Samsung phones rather than standalone devices. But the Pebble (getpebble.com) has proven there is a demand for smartwatches and they can be very useful, not to mention stylish.
HTC DESIRE 816
Why is it interesting?
With a 5.5in screen, the Desire 816 is edging into ‘phablet’ territory – a cross between a phone and tablet – and it’s as big on features as it is in size. It features a 13-megapixel rear camera (with an amazing 5-megapixel camera on the front), a whopping 8GB of storage, a speedy 1.2GHz Snapdragon processor and 1.5GB of memory. For a mid-range HTC device, it has certainly pulled out the stops with its high-end specifications.
When’s it out?
It’s already available in China, with a worldwide release planned for April.
How much will it cost?
Given its mid-range tag, we expect around £250.
Do I really need one?
The plastic case feels a little cheap but if you want a reasonably-priced phone with a larger than normal screen, which runs Android Kitt (albeit with a HTC Sense 6.0 skin), this is the handset to get.
NOKIA XL
Why is it interesting?
It’s good to have something different knocking around. Nokia has for a while pinned its fortunes on the Windows Phone OS, but with the Nokia XL, it has turned to Android (there were no flagship Windows Phones on show at this year’s MWC). Like the Nokia X, the XL uses the Nokia X Software Platform, which actually makes the handset look as if it is running Windows Phone. At the same time, it lacks a lot of the features you’d expect from either OS. It doesn’t have a lot of built-in storage (4GB) or offer much power, but it’s cheap and has an impressive 5in screen.
When’s it out?
You can buy the Nokia XL now.
How much will it cost?
A very affordable £90.
Do I really need one?
It’s a great spare handset and ideal for people who want some smartphone capabilities without the hefty price tag. It’s a decent, entry-level phone but don’t expect the moon on a stick.
YOTAPHONE 2
Why is it interesting?
The original YotaPhone had a dual display: a normal screen on the front and an E Ink, Kindle-style screen on the back for reading ebooks. The YotaPhone 2 increases the size of the front screen from 4.3in to 5in, but the biggest improvement is that the 4.7in E Ink display and has a battery life of up to 50 hours.
When’s it out?
It is due out toward the end of the year. However, the original Yotaphone was only available in Russia, Germany, Austria, France and Spain.
How much will it cost?
The price has yet to be confirmed.
Do I really need one?
If you like reading on your phone, the E Ink display reduces eye strain, and you needn’t fret about running out of power before the end of the chapter.
SONY XPERIA Z2
Why is it interesting?
The Xperia Z2 has lots to recommend it, from a waterproof case to a 5.2in screen. The stunning 1080p display uses Live Colour LED technology to produce colours that have “never been so real, more natural or so true to life”, and the speedy quadcore processor zips through tasks with ease. But for us, the incredible 20.7MP camera is what makes this handset really stand out. It has a 0.04in sensor, SteadyShot image stabilisation and can record in Ultra-HD.
When’s it out?
Like most other new phones, it should be out in April.
How much will it cost?
It will cost a wallet-busting £600 but then it’s intentionally high-end.
Do I really need one?
Yes, if you enjoy photography and recording video. The Samsung Galaxy S5 is a great cameraphone but this eclipses it for us.
UBUNTU MOBIILE
Why is it interesting?
Canonical has been trying to bring Ubuntu to mobile phones for a while, and at MWC it showed off the latest version on a Nexus 4. Two prototype devices were also on display, created by the Chinese company Meizu, and BQ of Spain. You’ll be able to plug the phones into a large screen, the idea being that they replace desktop computers.
When’s it out?
Sometime in 2014.
How much will it cost?
The price of the handsets has not been announced. Because Ubuntu is open source, it may be possible to run it on Android phones.
Do I really need it?
If you’re looking for an alternative to Android, Windows Phone and iOS, then Ubuntu Mobile could hold the answer. If not, the list of mobile operating systems is growing, including seeing Tizen, Firefox OS (bit.ly/firefox341), Sailfish (sailfishos.org) and many more.
TALKBAND B1
Why is it interesting?
Huawei showed off a ‘smartband’ that you can wear on your wrist. It lets you talk using a detachable Bluetooth headset, if you feel silly speaking to your arm, and pairs with your tablet or phone using an app. The Talkband also monitors your health and can keep going for two weeks on standby.
When’s it out?
It should be out this summer.
How much will it cost?
Indications are that it will be around £100.
Do I really need one?
The wearable market is about to become very crowded, so you might want to wait to see what else comes along.
1 comments:
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