MWC 2013 Barcelona: Highlights, Predictions, Rumors

Read Barcelona MWC 2013 Highlights, Preview, Predictions, Rumors Schedule, new smartphones, tablets releases and everything about Mobile World Congress on February 25, 2013.

Barcelona MWC 2013 is one of the most awaited technology exposition of the year for mobile and tablet fans.

MWC 2013 rumor mill is also buzzing high, with predictions of a plethora of the new smartphones, phablets and tablets releases. Expected MWC 2013 highlights includes devices like Samsung Galaxy Note 8.0, BlackBerry 10, Nokia WP8 PureView Phones, Sony Xperia Z tablet, HTC M7, Google Nexus 10, LG Optimus G2, Huawei Ascend P1, Asus MeMo Pad 10, Acer Liquid E1, ZTE devices and many more.

Consumer Electronic Show in January 2013, has not witnessed much in term of new smartphone and tablet products. Although there have been an array of new technology products from smart watches to smart washing machines. But most of the biggest names in mobile industry had not so good presence at the LA show, for they have preferred Mobile World Congress, next month in Barcelona, to reveal their latest products.

CES 2013 used to be the first technology show of the year. But this year it was overall a disappointment for smartphone and tablets lovers. Sony came up with its dirt and water resistance Sony Xperia Z. Huawei and ZTE introduced few handsets. Samsung announced its low-end Samsung Ativ Odyssey for Verizon and K900 from Lenovo. This was barely an exciting show from mobile industry prospect, even if we compare it to last year event.

2013 MWC Barcelona New Venue, Schedule and Participation

MWC is the largest mobile trade show in the world. Year over year, this MWC event create a center of attention for a massive amount of participants from the mobile industry with an exclusive press coverage. MWC 2012, last year was attended by around 67000 audience and at least 1500 exhibitors, from different industries.

This year, on CES 2013, we didn’t see much from major players in the industry, because they deferred their launching of their products in favor of MWC 2013 in Barcelona, Spain. One reason was 2013 MWC Barcelona's new venue, which will host the latest edition of GSMA Mobile World Congress, this February 2013. Check out the MWC 2013 Barcelona Fira Gran Via Info graphic:

MWC2013 venue is double the size of the old one, with and extra 24000 square meters of space, improved access and services. N the past, the limited space and facilities had constrained manufacturers to divide them between CES and MWC, which does not seems the case this year.

MWC 2013 Predictions and Rumors

Another aspect which makes this year MWC special event is the press releases from Samsung, LG, Asus and ZTE, who claimed that they are coming out with huge announcements at MWC2013. Let examine all available information, speculations, rumors into MWC 2013 prediction to give you some preview of the show:

1. Samsung Galaxy S4 Launch after MWC 2013

   After confirming the announcement of the Samsung Galaxy 8.0 tablet, J.K. Shin from Samsung confirmed that the Samsung Galaxy S4 launch will not be at February MWC 2013.
   Following the Apple's strategy for iPhone product series, Samsung has also been used to announce their Galaxy S series products at its own dedicated event.
   
   A Korean publication believes that Samsung, the South Korean technology giant will release Samsung GS4 on March 22, 2013. But Samsung so far, officially only confirmed that the Samsung GS4 will have a 4.99 inches full HD screen and an eight core processor. They refuse to comment of Samsung GS4 Release Date but expects believes it will not launch until May 2013 at the earliest. See our detailed forecast about Samsung Galaxy S4 Release Date, Specs and Price.
   
   
   
   
   

2. Samsung Galaxy Note 8 at MWC 2013

   Despite having taken a more unified approach to flagship devices, Samsung is not done saturating the market yet. Samsung was already being rumored for Galaxy Note III release but surprisingly its coming up with Samsung Galaxy Note 8 adding another device to the list. According to a rumor report out of SamMobile, Samsung is set to announce a 5.8-inch dual-SIM smartphone dubbed the Galaxy Fonblet. Yes, the Galaxy Fonblet. Hopefully the name will change.
   
   Whatever Samsung Phonblet or Phablet is named it won't turn out to be Samsung Galaxy Note 3 the successor of Galaxy Note II. See our detailed forecast about Samsung Galaxy Note 3 Release Date, Specs and Price.
   
   
   
   

3. Sony Xperia Z tablet launch at MWC 2013

   Sony is updating its Xperia Tablet line with Sony Xperia Z tablet launch at MWC 2013. Sony Xperia Tablet Z specs includes 10.1 inches 1920 x 1200 full-HD display, 8MP rear camera and 2MP front dual cameras, 1.5 GHz quad-core Snapdragon S4 Pro processor, 2GB RAM, 32GB internal memory. New Xperia Tablet Z also features 4G LTE, NFC with a 6000mAh battery.
   
   Sony Xperia Z tablet at 6.9 millimeters thickness will be an with ultra slim tablet, which when compared to other tablets, makes it potentially be the thinnest of all tablets. Sony Xperia Z tablet is expected to be a companion to the Xperia Z smartphone that was first seen at the 2013 Consumer Electronics Show.
   
   

4. Nokia WP8 PureView Phones at MWC 2013

   Instead Nokia Lumia 922 or Nokia Catwalk series, the Verge reported that at MWC 2013, Nokia will launch a new smartphone series codenamed EOS with 41MP PureView camera phone but powered by Windows Phone 8 Apollo instead Symbian. The report also revealed that the handset will be built using aluminum instead of polycarbonate that is used on the recent Lumia handsets. The device is rumored come with a 4.3 inch capacitive touchscreen (curved glass) display with HD resolution, 1.5GHz dual core Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 processor and Adreno 320 graphics processor.
   
   
   
   
   

5. Blackberry Z10 with BB10 OS at MWC 2013

   MWC 2013 could be is very critical show for RIM, who is set to launch its new BB10 OS and smartphones at a dedicated event before MWC 2013. Therefore, Mobile World Congress 2013 will be another chance for the Blackberry makers to project and popularize its new OS and a couple of phones. BlackBerry 10 preview gives a very strng impressed that the Waterloo company is coming up with something brilliant on the name mobile OS that seems worth the wait. BB10 seems a cross of Android and iOS having the best of both blended into a new innovative way.
   
   BlackBerry Z10 has 4.2 inches HD display with 1280x768 pixels resolution. BB Z10 features 8MP rear camera with 5x digital zoom, Auto focus and LED flash in addition to 2MP front camera. It is powered by a Dual-Core Snapdragon processor backed by 2GB RAM and 16GB internal memory with 32GB microSD card extension slot running on 1800mAh battery. Other specs includes NFC connectivity and 4G LTE. According to the sources, the Blackberry Z10 will price around $758 in US and £480 in UK.
   
   
   
   
   However, despite of the Blackberry fans expectations, there is no BB10 Playbook 2 coming any soon.
   
   

6. LG Optimus G2 at MWC 2013

   Back at MWC 2012, LG wowed attendees with the Optimus 4X HD, a powerful 4.7-inch phone that helped signal the start of the race to stick quad-core processors in mobiles. It also showed off the Optimus 3D Max and the oddball Optimus Vu, but the less said about those the better, as with 2011's reveal of the original Optimus 3D.
   
   For MWC 2013, LG has hinted to show LG Optimus G2, an update to Optimus G, as LG at the recent CES 2013 event, announce its plans to show off a 'tier one' smartphone at MWC 2012. However, given that the original Optimus G was a quad-core monster that LG soon rebranded as the Nexus 4, any sequel arriving so soon is unlikely to be much of a leap above the first phone, as even in 2013 we'd still be impressed by a quad-core phone with a 4.7-inch display.
   
   
   
   
   

7. Asus MeMo Pad 10 at MWC 2013

   Asus Transformer series of successful renewal of the previous year's quad-core models, at MWC. Asus has given a great success with the Google Nexus 7, this time we expect to offer more affordable option.
   
   It is only said that Asus would unveil its big-screen MeMo Pad 10 tablet and U.K. variant of PadFone 2 at MWC 2013 in Barcelona, Spain. The Larger Asus Memo Pad 10 tablet is said to be running Android 4.1 Jelly Bean with a HD IPS panel display at 1280x800 pixels. Memo Pad 10 is powered by 1.2GHz Nvidia Tegra 3 quad-core processor. Some sources said that Asus is working on integrating the new Tegra 4 chipset onboard.
   
   
   
   With 1GB of RAM, 16GB of internal memory and a microSD slot for expanded storage will give tough competition to another high-end tablet like Apple iPad, Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1 and Google Nexus 10. Some rumors say Asus is working on a tablet of $ 99.
   
   

8. Acer Liquid Glow at MWC 2013

   Acer is always an avid participant of Mobile World Congress. In 2012 MWC, Acer announced its Liquid Glow models, which were a an improvement buit on the Acer Liquid E and Acer Liquid MT tablets introduced in MWC 2011. Acer has already launched its Acer CloudMobile and Acer Liquid Gallant, but we expect to see it make more of a deal about its tablet ranges at MWC this year, probably it will be an upgrade to Acer Liquid Glow at MWC 2013.
   
   

9. HTC M7 at MWC 2013

   HTC is expected to bring its HTC M7 at MWC 2013 along other mobile. HTC M7 has a 5 inches 1080p display, is powered by a quad-core processor chip. HTC M7 features a 13MP camera.
   
   

10. Huawei Ascend P2 at MWC 2013

    We might see Huawei Ascend P2 at MWC 2013 if the leaks are to be believed. Huawei Ascend P2 has a 5 inches display screen too, supported by a quad core processor.

MWC 2013 has always serve as a launching pad show for mobile phones related comoany to releases their new phones and products. LG, Huawei or ZTE are some of the companies that have promised revealing surprises on February 27, 2013 MWC. Keep a watch on our blog to get more about the MWC 2013 event and its exciting components that use to shape and reshape the state of the mobile world.