If you want to know what type of phone tech you'll soon be stashing in your pocket, look no further than MWC, the world's biggest mobile show.
While Samsung has already announced this year's flagship devices and Apple never bothers to attend, plenty of other industry players use the event to make major announcements. This year think 5G, foldable and futuristic. Here are five key announcements so far.
Microsoft HoloLens 2
One of the most interesting announcements was from Microsoft who used the event to unveil its new augmented reality headset.
The HoloLens 2 is the new version of the company's three-year-old mixed-reality headset. It has better eye tracking, a larger field of view and better handtracking and is a lot more comfortable to wear.
According to Microsoft's Alex Kipman, "[It's] like going from two 720p [resolution screens] to 2K resolution in each eye."
There are also voice controls, eye tracking and articulated hand tracking wiith pinched sliders and holographic objects that react to your touch or follow you around the room if you ask them to.
The HoloLens 2 is very much aimed at construction, heallthcare, manufacturing, virtual meetings etc rather than your living room. Good job too. It comes with a price tag of US$3500.
Huawei Mate X
The Chinese manufacturer has come after Samsung's foldable phone with Mate X, a foldable phone that's also 5G-ready. It has an eight-inch screen, three cameras and a special design that lets you grip the base for one-handed use.
The phone also has a fingerprint sensor contained in its power button, a large 4500mAh battery, a supercharge function and a camera system which continues its successful partnership with German camera firm Leica.
It will also cost an eyewatering €2300. No word yet whether the phone will come to New Zealand at any point.
Nokia 9 PureView
Okay so it doesn't fold, but that doesn't matter. It's still unique with five rear cameras. Finnish firm HMD collaborated with Zeiss to create the three monochromatic camera and two colour camera setup to create images with a greater dynamic rnage.
The phone will be coming soon to Spark, Skinny and Harvey Norman.
This is Spark's second year exclusively carrying Nokia phones and Spark's mobile lead, Renee Mateparae, said Kiwis have a soft spot for the brand. This device will very likely be popular.
"With its five cameras working perfectly together, each photo picks up exquisite detail from the tone of the sunset to the clear image of a a car zooming past. [It] misses nothing," she said.
Other cool announncements from Nokia included the Noka 210 with its old-school design that's simple to use.
Oppo 10x lossless zoom phone
Oppo presented two phones at the event. The first was a 5G smartphone which will be powered by a Snapdragon 855 chip. The other was actually more interesting - a 10x lossless zoom phone which doesn't yet have a name or a date for release.
Apparently it uses uses three cameras (wide, ultrawide and telephoto) to take photos with 10x lossless zoom. This allows photos to retail more detail and crispness when zooming in at extreme levels.
LG G8 ThinQ
The 4G-based G8 ThinQ is a high-end android phone which is set to compete against Samsung's S10 range and Huawei's soon to be released device.
The biggest highlight is the introduction of Hand ID where you can unlock the device using the veins in your hand. There's also a Crystal Sound OLED screen that doubles up as a speaker.
LG also announced the LG V50 ThinQ, a 5G phone with a detachable second screen. Apparently the idea is to make it compete with foldable phones but in a easier, cheaper way.
LG showed off different ways the accessory could be used. For example for gaming, multi-tasking or photography. For example, you could preview a photo after shooting without having to move away from the camera app.
No word on whether NZ will get this device in the future.
Newshub.
