TECH TREATS

MWC 2019 news and rumours – what to expect from Sony, LG, Samsung and more at Barcelona’s annual gizmo show

WE'RE finally closing in on MWC 2019 – the yearly gadget bonanza where the likes of LG, Samsung, Sony and more show off their latest tech.

We're expecting loads of announcements from a host of tech titans at this year's MWC 2019 show – and we've got all the details below.

What is MWC 2019? Mobile World Congress explained

MWC 2019 is a major tech show held every single year in Barcelona.

It stands for Mobile World Congress, and is organised by the GSMA – a special body that represents mobile phone networks around the world.

MWC is typically attended by the world's biggest tech companies, including Samsung, LG and Sony.

And it always produces endless gadget news – from major smartphone launches to futuristic 5G announcements.

Like in previous years, MWC 2019 takes place early in the year – timed for spring's smartphone launches.

This year, the main show runs from Monday, February 25 to Thursday, February 28.

However, much of the news will come before those dates.

Press conferences from the biggest brands will take place on Sunday, February 24 – so look out for big announcements over the weekend.

MWC 2019 news will be in no short supply, so here's what to expect from some of the biggest brands:

Samsung will launch its Galaxy S10 flagship smartphone just before MWC 2019. We're also expecting the long-awaited Samsung Galaxy X folding phone, which is half-smartphone, half-tablet
Sony is probably going to show off its new Xperia XZ4 smartphone, which will be a direct rival to the iPhone XR and iPhone XS
Huawei has a presence at MWC 2019, but we don't know what will be unveiled. Our best guess is a reveal for the Huawei P30, a powerful (and long-rumoured) iPhone rival
OnePlus is a major contender in the UK smartphone market these days, but the OnePlus 7 is unlikely to launch until the middle of the year. However, given OnePlus' growing presence, it wouldn't be out of the question for an MWC 2019 mobile debut
LG could announce either (or both) of two new phones – the LG G8 or LG V45 TinQ – but there's been very little in the way of rumours so far
HTC seems to have downgraded its smartphone efforts in recent years, but we are expecting new models in 2019. This could included a new version of the HTC U12 Life, with more RAM and storage
Nokia, whose branded phones are now made by a Finnish company called HMD, may have a presence at the show, including the rumoured Nokia 9 PureView flagship blower – which is tipped to have as many as six cameras
Apple has absolutely zero official presence at MWC 2019, so don't expect any big news from the company

There'll be plenty of news from more minor brands too, and we're expecting super-fast 5G mobile internet to be a big trend in 2019.