The 2013 edition of the Mobile World Congress formally kicked off at Barcelona on the 25th of February. Every year electronic device manufacturers gather at Barcelona to showcase their upcoming products for the year. This is a three day event and ropes in mobile enthusiasts from around the world. Like every year, the event was expected to showcase Samsung’s upcoming flagship phone; the Galaxy S4. However, a prior announcement from the Korean based electronic giant shifted the announcement to a later date.
Leading the pack of the biggest attractions this year were the Windows Phone based Nokia Lumia smartphones. Nokia announced several mid to low range Lumia devices, including the Lumia 720 which is expected to reach Asian markets this quarter. Another low end phone which is expected to arrive in the US through T-mobile is the Lumia 520. Nokia has also announced that both these phones will be available with China Mobile, which also carried the Lumia 920T last year.
The Lumia 520 is powered by a 1 GHz dual core processor, 512 MB RAM, 4 inch WVGA display and of course, Windows Phone 8. The device is the least expensive Lumia handset to date from Nokia, and is expected to be priced at around $183 (lesser if purchased under contract). T-mobile refrained from revealing the exact timeframe for the Lumia 520’s release in the US.
Hewlett Packard also used the MWC as a platform to surprise audiences with its budget 7 inch tablet, called the Slate 7. The tablet will be powered by Android (straying from the usual path of Windows or HP’s own WebOS). A model of the same with a 3MP camera, dual core ARM processor and micro USB port is expected to cost around $169. Sony also announced a new tablet, marketing it as the thinnest tablet in the world. At 6.9 millimetres, the Xperia Z is waterproof up to three feet of depth and 30 minutes of underwater time, which Sony highlights is perfect for the bathtub.
Powered by Qualcomm’s 1.6 GHz asynchronous processor and 2 GB of RAM, the Xperia Z is embedded with an 8MP camera, Surround Sound and also has a universal remote capable of controlling other devices. The tablet will cost $499 for the 16GB model and $599 for the 32 GB one. Sony also announced plans of a Mozilla Firefox OS based smartphone in collaboration with Spanish Telecom giant Telefonica.
February 28, 2013 at 6:33 pm
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