MWC 2019: 5G and the Chinese will dominate the world’s biggest mobile trade show

At MWC 2019, many high-profile smartphone vendors are gearing up to launch 5G-ready phones. Brands are targeting the second-half of 2019, when the first-wave of 5G smartphones will hit retail shelves. With Qualcomm announcing its its new Snapdragon x55 modem ahead of the show, 5G-enabled smartphones will dominate the annual Mobile World Congress.

“We are definitely expecting announcements around 5G smartphones,” Ben Stanton, analyst at Canalys told indianexpress.com in an email. “It is likely that these devices will be unveiled, but launch dates will be vague, and in reality they may change from market-to-market.”

Then there’s foldable phones. With Samsung already announced its Galaxy Fold this week, and it’s quite possible other major brands will come up with their own foldable smartphones at MWC, including Huawei. But despite all the hype, foldable will not be a key theme for every vendor at MWC, says Stanton. “Only the largest vendors with the biggest R&D budgets will be ready to unveil details of their foldable phone strategy,” he explains.

“Samsung will be there with Galaxy Fold, but this is likely to be on display inside a glass box, as Samsung keeps its secrets under wraps.”

Given that foldable phones are likely to be targeted at early adopters owing to high prices, Stanton says the immediate smartphone trend will be of a “flurry of devices with triple-camera setups, as well as devices which use a “hole punch display” instead of a notch display.”

In terms of trends, there will also be a greater emphasis on mid-range and low-end phones this year at MWC. Stanton believes players like Nokia, Alcatel and ZTE will try to convince consumers that their devices are best, but also warns they could get lost amongst the noise of MWC.

This year Chinese smartphone brands are expected to make major announcements during Mobile World Congress, Stanton said. Their hold on the biggest mobile announcement and trade show in the world has increased over a past few years, as the Chinese vendors continue to look to Europe for the international expansion.

“Operators in Europe are trying to work out if these brands are serious about the market, so both will be looking to use MWC as a showcase of their spending power and dedication to Europe,” he says. Stanton expects both Oppo and Xiaomi will attempt to make a big splash.

While Oppo will showcase a new smartphone that includes a triple-camera system that can achieve 10x zoom without losing any details, Xiaomi will launch its flagship Mi 9 smartphone.

Disclaimer: The reporter is in Barcelona at the invite of Oppo India