mwc2019
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HTC and Sprint's latest 5G product is a hub-tablet hybrid
HTC might not be making very many phones anymore, but that doesn't mean it can't trot out 5G mobile devices here at MWC 2019. Following up on its 5G hotspot from a continuing collaboration with Sprint, the company has unveiled the HTC 5G Hub. It's not just a connectivity hub that lets you link to 5G networks, but also has a 5-inch Android tablet built in. Though you can speak to Google Assistant on the Hub, it's not designed to be a smart display. Rather, its screen is meant more for accessing quick controls than actually watching videos on.
Sony Xperia 10 and 10 Plus hands-on: Tall screens, modest specs
Sony's smartphones have grown increasingly niche over the past two years -- but that's not a bad thing. The company honed its efforts on cameras and displays, pushing out intriguing handsets that are aimed squarely at the multimedia enthusiast. In 2019, the company's new group CEO Kenichiro Yoshida will have replaced Kaz Hirai for about a year, and big changes are coming. For one, the Xperia phones are getting new names -- say goodbye to the XZ, XA and XYZ (that last one's a joke). Instead, the Xperia 1 is your new Sony flagship and the Xperia 10 and 10 Plus are its latest midrange handsets. We got to see the Xperia 1 very briefly and went hands-on with the 10 and 10 Plus.
Android's Digital Wellbeing tools come to more phones
Google's Digital Wellbeing tools have helped balance the lives of only Android One and Pixel phone users so far, but that's about to change. The tech giant is making Digital Wellbeing available to devices beyond its official Android experience, starting with the Moto G7 lineup. More partners are in the pipeline, Google said, although it didn't drop any clues as to which phone makers are next in line.
Lenovo's Yoga headphones are built for music, chat and voice control
Microsoft debuted its take on active noise-canceling headphones last year with a Surface-branded model. At MWC 2019, Lenovo is introducing an audio device of its own with headphones that carry its Yoga label. The on-ear Yoga headphones employ hybrid active and electronic noise-canceling microphones to help block out the world around you. Onboard controls offer easy access to voice control, as well as basic functions like volume adjustments.
Lenovo Tab V7 hands-on: Big, loud and practical
Bigger isn't always better, but sometimes it's exactly what you're looking for. That seems to be the line of reasoning behind Lenovo's new Tab V7, a device that — despite its name — is definitely more a smartphone. The V7 isn't the most powerful machine in the world, nor does it have the most impressive cameras or the most eye-catching design. For people in developing markets who face long bus or rail commutes, though, a phone with a screen big enough to lost in while watching videos just might fit the bill perfectly.
Lenovo improves its midrange laptops with HDR screens and privacy upgrades
Lenovo may make a lot of connected-home products, but don't forget -- its core business is still PCs. At MWC 2019, the company unveiled a slew of new laptops across its Thinkpad X and T series, as well as the Ideapad family. There are also two new budget notebooks for enterprise and a new travel-friendly ThinkVision USB-C monitor.
Google brings dedicated Assistant buttons to more phones
Google Assistant buttons won't just be limited to a handful of LG phones this year. The internet giant has widened its partnerships to add dedicated buttons to a whole range of handsets in 2019, including returning partner LG (on phones like the G8 ThinQ, V50 ThinQ and K40) and Nokia (3.2 and 4.2). Phones from Xiaomi (Mi Mix 3 5G and Mi 9), Vivo (V15 Pro) and TCL are also in line for Assistant buttons later on. Google expects over 100 million phones to ship with a hardware shortcut to its AI helper, and that's not including Samsung phone owners who remap their Bixby buttons.
LG embraces weirdness with its new G8 ThinQ flagship
Once upon a time, a few years ago, LG came to Mobile World Congress to show off one of the most ambitious smartphones I had ever seen. That device was the modular G5, and it was an utter flop. Since then, the company has dutifully worked on its solid flagship phones, but it seemed to have lost its affection for potentially great — if polarizing — ideas.
LG’s first 5G phone is the V50 ThinQ
In case you've somehow avoided everyone talking about it, 2019 is the year you'll finally be able to buy a 5G smartphone. Samsung has its Galaxy S10 5G. Huawei has its gorgeous Mate X. And now, LG is jumping into the mix with a 5G device of its own: the V50 ThinQ.
Epic Games' Unreal Engine will support HoloLens
You can't call HoloLens 2 a gaming platform, but Microsoft is at least laying the groundwork. Epic Games has announced that it's adding HoloLens support to Unreal Engine 4, the technology that powers a wide range of games and 3D productivity apps. It's "up and running" now, Epic's Tim Sweeney said, and should be available to all developers in May. You're not about to play an augmented-reality version of Fortnite. It should allow for "photorealistic" 3D in AR apps, though, and it's really just the start of Epic's plans.
Mozilla's mixed reality Firefox browser is coming to HoloLens 2
If you want to surf the web with Microsoft's HoloLens 2, you'll be guaranteed to have a browser optimized for the immersive format -- Mozilla is partnering with Microsoft to make Firefox Reality available for the next-gen headset. While it's unclear exactly how much this will vary from the existing browser (above), the developer hopes to learn more about bringing augmented-reality material to the web. It'll build on work for existing mixed reality headsets like Magic Leap and run on Mozilla's next-generation Servo platform.
Microsoft's mixed reality HoloLens 2 headset is official
We knew it was coming, but now it's official. Microsoft has unveiled HoloLens 2, a next-generation "mixed reality" headset that the company hopes will change "the way work gets done." Microsoft says it will be more immersive and comfortable than the original, and provide "industry-leading value out of the box." HoloLens 2 has more than double the field of view of its predecessor (Microsoft didn't give an exact figure) while maintaining the same 47 pixels per degree of sight. The company says the change is equivalent to jumping from a 720p television to a 2K set for each eye. The headset will track your retinas to know exactly where you're looking, too, and support Windows Hello authentication out of the box.
Microsoft resurrects the Kinect, but for business
Wha? Even before a Hololens sequel could grace Microsoft's stage at MWC, the company has revived the Kinect, but in a buttoned-downed business sense. Nearly a decade since the Kinect first launched, the Azure Kinect combines a depth sensor, high-def camera and a spatial microphone array. It's got an "intelligent edge", in that it sees and hears in high levels of detail, but also interprets those inputs. The new camera module has a depth sensor with wide or narrow views, depending on the use case.
We're live from Microsoft's press event at MWC 2019!
Microsoft may have surprised us when it sent out invites for an MWC event in mid-January, but now it's time to find out what the company wants to discuss. Based on the invitation, we know that HoloLens creator and Microsoft technical fellow Alex Kipman will be part of the festivities, as will CEO Satya Nadella and CVP Julie White. Nothing is set in stone, but Kipman's participation seems to indicate some HoloLens news is on the agenda -- perhaps even the official reveal of the HoloLens 2 or some Windows Mixed Reality news. No matter what Microsoft has to show us, we're on the ground in Barcelona, ready to bring you all of the news as it's announced. Keep your browser locked here when the event kicks off at 12PM ET/6PM CET.
Alcatel's latest budget phones pack extra-tall displays
Alcatel is rather fond of bringing trendy smartphone features to low-cost devices, and that's true than ever for its 2019 lineup. Its new Alcatel 3 (above) and 3L phones both have extra-tall 19.5:9 displays with teardrop notches, giving you a more expansive view than you're used to in budget handsets. You can also expect dual rear cameras (13 megapixels and 5 megapixels) for portrait-style photos, and it's hopping on the AI bandwagon with intelligent photo scene detection as well as a basic face unlock feature for the 8-megapixel front cam.
BlackBerry KEY2 will be available in a souped-up red model
You're unlikely to see a full-on sequel to the BlackBerry KEY2 for a few months or more, but the BlackBerry Mobile team does have something to keep QWERTY phone fans enthused in the meantime. It's launching a KEY2 Red Edition that covers the front and sides (not to mention the bundled earbuds) with deep red -- think of it as a more refined take on the KEY2 LE. It's not just a cosmetic upgrade, thankfully, as the red-hued model also comes with double the storage at 128GB.
Watch Microsoft's HoloLens 2 event at 12PM ET!
After weeks of anticipation, and a pretty direct tease, Microsoft's MWC event is going down today at 12PM ET/6PM CET. We'll be there to bring you all of the news as it happens in liveblog form, but the company will also have a livestream if you'd like to follow along directly. When the time comes, head over to the event page to follow the live feed from Barcelona. We're expecting to see the official unveiling of HoloLens 2 and probably more, so be sure to join us later today for all of the festivities in Spain.
Nokia’s new budget phones promise clean Android for all
As usual, HMD Global has been very busy ahead of MWC. Not only did it build a pleasantly insane five-camera flagship, it also added a slew of mid-range and low-end smartphones. (Oh, and a feature phone follow-up to the Nokia 106 and 230, if that's your thing.)
Nokia 9 PureView hands-on: A taste of our photographic future
We got by for years with one main camera on our smartphones. Then dual cameras became a thing, and now, the industry is steadily moving toward three as the norm. Surely that must be enough, right?
The problem with Huawei’s foldable Mate X is availability not flexibility
Who's going to buy the Galaxy Fold? It's too expensive, the hinge is questionable, the front looks ugly. How about the Huawei Mate X, its own foldable entrant? Yep, it's even pricier (€2,299 equates to roughly $2,600), unproven as a valid smartphone form-factor and we have serious questions about foldable phone software. But the kicker is it's not going to the US any time soon -- if ever. And Huawei knows it.
