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We're live from MWC 2019 in Barcelona!
The show floor at Barcelona's Fira Gran Via may not officially open until Monday, but there's plenty happening at Mobile World Congress this weekend. We're on the ground in Spain to bring you all of the news as it happens, including live coverage of a Microsoft event tomorrow (February 24th) at 12PM ET/6PM CET. In addition what's expected to be the reveal of HoloLens 2, we're counting on huge announcements from the likes of Google, LG, Sony, Huawei, Nokia and more. Keep it locked here for all of the details, and follow along at our event hub, via the link below. In the meantime, check out what you can expect this week in our preview of MWC 2019.
What to expect at MWC 2019
There's always plenty of news from MWC, and it's either entirely expected or word gets out early. This year is shaping up to be slightly different, though, as companies are preparing their version of the future of smartphones. From foldable designs to 5G and more, this year's Mobile World Congress won't only be jam-packed with news, but it should also be exciting once again.
Nokia returns to the US with help from Verizon and Cricket Wireless
Nokia phones' license holder, HMD Global, chose to put its US ambitions in the back burner to focus on markets where the brand has been enjoying a resurgence these past few years. Now, the company has decided that it's time to release phones in the US with carrier partners again. HMD has teamed up with Verizon and Cricket Wireless to launch two carrier-exclusive Nokia Android smartphones in the country. Neither phone will be available to post-paid subscribers -- Big Red will offer the device under its prepaid offerings -- but the partnerships could still put Nokia phones in more people's hands.
Nokia's five-camera phone will include an in-screen fingerprint reader
Thanks to some leaks, Nokia's five-camera smartphone is no longer a mystery -- and it might just be one of the more intriguing handsets of 2019. Well-known leaker Evan Blass and MySmartPrice have posted stills and videos of the Android One phone, now called the Nokia 9 PureView (yes, the PureView revival is real), and it's evident that the spider-like rear cameras aren't the only trick up the device's sleeve. It'll have an under-the-display fingerprint reader, for one thing. It'll still use the 2018-era Snapdragon 845 for a processor instead of the 855, but you can expect 6GB of RAM, 128GB of internal storage, wireless charging and a 6-inch "2K" display with both HDR10 and a tall aspect ratio.
Nokia shakes up its leadership to focus on 5G
As you might have noticed, Nokia's experiments outside its core networking business haven't gone so well -- its VR camera efforts floundered, and it sold its digital health unit after failing to capitalize on Withings' early successes. And now, the company is shaking things up to refocus on what it does best. Nokia is merging its mobile and wired network groups into a single Access Networks team that will help it "fully exploit" the potential of 5G. That group will have its own (as yet unnamed) president, but in the meantime it's changing its executive team.
Withings revives and updates its Pulse fitness tracker
Just two months after Withings extricated itself from Nokia's grasp and it is already launching its second new wearable. Delving into its distant past, the company has decided to refresh its original fitness tracker, the Pulse, for a new generation. The Pulse HR is a Fitbit Charge-esque band that offers long battery life, smartphone notifications and, naturally, the ability to track your exercise.
Nokia's mirror-finish 7.1 phone is coming to the US for $349
Ever since HMD Global became the home to Nokia-branded phones in 2016, only a few of those handsets have made their way to the US. But that hasn't slowed down the company's ambitions. Today, HMD Global is set to announce one more Nokia handset for the American audience. It's the Nokia 7.1, a mid-range phone with high-end sheen, and it'll be available for only $349.
Google changed a battery setting on Android phones by mistake
Some Android users probably noticed some strange things happening with their phones over the last couple of days. Apps might have stopped updating in the background, location services maybe weren't in use when your screen was locked, and your notifications were perhaps delayed. That's because Google accidentally enabled the battery saver feature remotely on some phones running Android Pie, with the setting kicking in even on devices that were almost fully charged.
After Math: Ch-Ch-Ch-Changes
This has been quite the "disruptive" week with TechCrunch's marquee event going on at the San Francisco Moscone Center, and not just for startups. InfoWars was disinvited from yet another social media platform, Walmart is drastically expanding its self-driving Tesla truck order, and the world's largest wind farm just opened for business.
How fitness- and health-tracking apps failed me during my pregnancy
I'm not a super fit person. I am considered a healthy weight, and I exercise simply because I enjoy eating and drinking whatever I want. For my type A personality, fitness and health tracking has been an incredible motivator. Being able to close all the rings on my Apple Watch is enough to get me on the treadmill desk or spin bike instead of just sitting with my laptop in front of the television. But since becoming pregnant with my first kid, all that's changed. I was determined to have a healthy pregnancy; while I'm not too particular about what I eat, I wanted to exercise regularly and gain a reasonable amount of weight. I figured my fitness-tracking apps would be a real help in monitoring my goals and progress. I was laughably wrong. Seven months in, I've stopped all fitness and weight tracking because these apps don't take my pregnancy into account.
Leaked five-camera Nokia phone has a few lenses too many
In a world overtaken by dual-camera monstrosities, one company wanted more. Much more. All the more. If this leaked image of a new Nokia phone from HMD is to believed, the company will attempt to push the envelope in smartphone imaging with a penta-lens camera array that looks equal parts Matrix, Ghost In The Shell, Evangelion and the rest. To HMD's credit, it certainly looks like no other smartphone -- at least from the back.
A proper explanation of Google’s Android One program
I must admit I didn't know much about Android One before coming to IFA 2018. I had assumed it was some form of software or set of specifications for midrange phones, although a lot of people around me were also confusing it with Android Go. Android One is neither of those things. If you're here expecting an Android Go explainer, sorry. Best go live your life now. This is not the (An)droid you're looking for.
A new Nokia PureView phone could be on the horizon
High-megapixel smartphone cameras are back in vogue, and now we might once again see the brand that started it all. Nokia smartphone maker HMD has reacquired the PureView brand from Microsoft, according to the European IP office EUIPO, and first spotted by Nokiamob. HMD builds all Nokia-branded smartphones under license, including the Nokia 1, 6 and 7 Plus, along with the flagship Nokia 8 Sirocco and retro 8110 Reloaded.
The Nokia 8110 4G is smarter than your average dumb phone
HMD Global did something special at last year's Mobile World Congress, stealing the show with... a feature phone. By making ingenious use of the Nokia name, having snapped that up the previous year, it 'relaunched' the Nokia 3310. The internet swelled with a nostalgia-driven fervor as HMD put on a masterclass in brand awareness. As expected, the company returned to the mobile show this year with another retro handset in tow, and for some reason waited six months to put it on sale. But the Nokia 8110 4G, aka the "banana phone," is now here, and it's not just another marketing exercise. Thanks to a jump in software, it's not your typical feature phone. But it's not quite a smartphone, either. Instead, it's something in between.
Nokia will make €3 for every 5G smartphone sold
Licensing-related patent wars are pretty run-of-the-mill occurrences for tech companies -- there's always a report of some spat or another in the news. But now Nokia, and a bunch of other giants, are taking steps to avoid future battles by publicly disclosing the licensing fees involved in its 5G technology.
Google may bring Windows 10 support to multiple Chromebooks
You might not have to splurge on a Pixelbook if you're pining after a Chromebook with Windows 10 support. XDA-Developers has learned through source code that Campfire, the feature that would let Chrome OS dual-boot Windows 10, would be available in multiple "variants" -- that is, on more than one Chrome OS device. This wouldn't mean that any and all Google-powered PCs would have the option. Hardware makers would have to verify that Windows worked properly, and it'd be out of the question for the many Chrome machines that only have a small amount of flash storage. Recent code comments suggest you'd need at least 40GB of space, and many Chromebooks have 32GB or less.
T-Mobile is buying $3.5 billion worth of 5G gear from Nokia
T-Mobile is gearing up for 5G in a big way: the carrier just announced a $3.5 billion deal with Nokia for 5G equipment. At this point, it's the biggest arrangement that we've seen around next-generation wireless equipment. T-Mobile says it'll be using Nokia's gear to build out its 5G network along 600 MHz and 28 GHz millimeter wave spectrum. That covers both broad availability, as well as spectrum needed for dense urban areas.
The best Bluetooth headset
By Marianne Schultz and Daniel Varghese This post was done in partnership with Wirecutter. When readers choose to buy Wirecutter's independently chosen editorial picks, Wirecutter and Engadget may earn affiliate commission. Read the full bluetooth headset guide here. After 80-plus hours of researching headsets and testing more than 18 models over the past few years, including testing three new models over 20 hours for the latest update, we've determined that the Plantronics Voyager 5200 is the best mono Bluetooth headset for making and taking calls, whether you're in a quiet office or a noisy coffee shop. The Voyager 5200 offers the most comfortable and secure fit and the best dedicated call-management controls of the headsets we tested. It also has better mic quality than stock earbuds or most Bluetooth earbuds, plus battery life that can last most of a workday. In our tests, the Plantronics Voyager 5200 provided the most consistently clear incoming and outgoing audio in a variety of settings. Its earhook design sometimes requires two hands to put on, but it's easily adjustable and comfortable enough to wear all day; its earpiece also provides a secure seal for optimal sound quality, and its battery gives you about 5 hours, 40 minutes of talk time. It's the complete package, unlike any other model we tested. The Voyager 5200 also has all of the software features that have made Plantronics headsets some of our favorites throughout the years, such as the capability to accept and reject calls with your voice. We recommend the Plantronics Voyager 3200 only if the Voyager 5200 is not available, or if the idea of possibly having to use two hands to put the 5200 on is a dealbreaker for you. The Voyager 3200 has a more conventional in-ear design that doesn't fit as securely as our top pick. Its audio—both incoming and outgoing—isn't as consistently good as that of our top pick, but the sound is clear enough in quieter environments. And although this model has longer battery life, it's only by 20 minutes or so. The Jabra Talk 2 isn't nearly as comfortable as our top picks, and its incoming audio quality isn't as good, but it's acceptable on both counts if you're on a budget. It also gives you much better mic quality for calls than you'd get from stereo Bluetooth earbuds that cost roughly $100. In our battery test, it offered almost 7 hours of talk time, lasting over an hour longer than our top pick.
The rise, fall and return of the smartphone megapixel race
Sony recently unveiled a smartphone camera sensor with the highest resolution yet, a jaw-dropping 48 megapixels. That's more than the resolution of its $3,000, 42.4-megapixel A7R III mirrorless camera, which has a sensor eight times larger. It sounds great, but you might have forgotten that Nokia's 808 PureView smartphone, with a 41-megapixel camera, was released way, way back in 2012. Why didn't modern smartphone cameras follow Nokia's lead? As Apple has demonstrated over the years, from the iPhone 4s and forward, you get more benefits with other features, like dual cameras and sensors with bigger, more light-sensitive pixels. Those deliver better low-light shooting, more bokeh, faster speeds, zoom capabilities and improved video. However, Sony now believes you can have all that and high resolutions, too. Its Quad Bayer tech, reportedly used in Huawei's P20 Pro camera, might help big-number megapixels make a comeback -- and this time, they'll be far more useful.
Nokia 5.1 Plus leak suggests HMD can't resist the notch (updated)
Even an iconic brand like Nokia (or rather, HMD Global) can't resist the pressure to make phones with notched displays, it seems. Tiger Mobiles and Onleaks claim to have images of the Nokia 5.1 Plus, a mid-size handset that would pack a roughly 5.7-inch display with (you guessed it) a notch at the top. It'd also pack the dual cameras that are seemingly obligatory for most 2018 phones. The device wouldn't be too trendy, however -- there would still be a 3.5mm headphone jack at the top in addition to USB-C down below.
