Every phone revealed at MWC 2016

Samsung Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge

Samsung unveiled its latest flagship smartphones the evening before MWC. The new phones restore a couple of popular features dropped from the previous generation, including expandable storage space, and a water resistant design.

Like last year, two models were released, the S7 and the curved display S7 Edge. While the Galaxy S7 retains the same 5.1-inch screen size as the S6, the S7 Edge's display has grown from 5.1-inches to 5.5-inches. Both phones sport QHD 2,560 x 1,440 Super AMOLED displays.

Both phones now accept microSD cards, granting expandable storage up to 200GB. The phones also sport fully dust and water resistant builds, something we haven't seen since the S5. The waterproofing is better too - it's now IP68, which means the phones can be safely submerged in 1.5m of water for up to 30 minutes. The waterproofing is internal, so there are no fiddly flaps to protect ports.

The most noticeable new feature this year is the always on display that shows notifications and the time without needing to wake the screen up. It remains to be seen whether this will have a big impact on battery life, but fortunately, both models also have larger capacity batteries this year anyway - 3,000mAh for the S7 and a whopping 3,600mAh for the S7 Edge.

On the rear of the phone, the big camera bump is gone, and the new rear camera is much flatter than last year's (although it's still not completely flush). Additionally, Samsung has improved the rear camera, giving it a wider aperture of f/1.7 (rather than f/1.9 lens on the S6). The new camera module also boasts larger pixels, which gives it better capabilities in low-light conditions.

The rear camera is also the first smartphone to feature "dual pixel autofocus". This means each pixel can be used to both record the image and determine focus rather than just one or the other. This enables the phone to lock focus to an object more quickly for stills, and deliver smoother focus tracking in video mode. This technology was first developed by Canon, and as previously only found on DSLRs. While the new camera looks much improved, one consequence of adding the new tech is that the megapixel count has shrunk from 16 to 12.

Inside, the phones will be powered by Samsung's latest Exynos 8890 processor (a variant with a Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 processor will also be available in certain regions).

The phones will be priced at S$998 for the Galaxy S7, and S$1,098 for the Galaxy S7 Edge. Customers who pre-order will receive a free Samsung Gear VR headset (worth $148).

Pre-orders for both phones will commence on 26th February at 10AM, with pre-order customers able to collect their handsets on Friday, 11th March. General sales will commence on Saturday, 12th March.

For an in-depth look at both phones, check out our hands-on here. 

You can also take a look at photos taken with the S7's camera here.

LG G5

The G5 is LG's most daring smartphone to date. The curved design and rear volume buttons of the G4 are gone but, in their place, LG has developed a unique modular Magic Slot that lets you replace the entire lower bezel of the phone with different units such as an add-on camera module with battery and a pro-class Hi-Fi DAC.

The G5 is also the first LG smartphone to boast a sleek full metal aluminum uni-body design (LG's V10 has a stainless steel frame). The 5.3-inch phone is fairly slim and light measuring just 149.4 x 73.9 x 7.7mm and weighing 159g. The display is a Quad HD IPS Quantum panel with a 2,560 x 1,440 pixels resolution (554 ppi). Like Samsung's S7, the display has an always-on feature that displays the time and date even when the phone enters Sleep mode.

The smartphone's entire bottom bezel can be unlatched and replaced with different modules. LG showcased two modules at the unveiling event: the first is the LG CAM Plus, which resembles a camera grip and makes it easier for the user to handle the phone while shooting, and it also houses an extra 1,200 mAh battery. The sides of the module also have extra controls for the camera: there's a circular zoom jog for precise zooming, a 2-step shutter key, and a separate button for video recording. With this module's extra battery capacity, it brings the phone's total battery charge up from 2,800 to 4,000mAh - ideal for intensive shooting. 

The second module is the LG Hi-Fi Plus, developed in partnership with Bang & Olufsen. It offers 32-bit Hi-Fi DAC upsampling and lets the phone support 32-bit 384KHz high-definition audio playback. The module also doubles as a standalone Hi-Fi DAC, which can be connected to PCs or other smartphones as well.

On the rear, the G5 sports dual cameras - one with a standard 78-degree lens at 16-megapixels, and the other a wide angle 135-degree lens at 8-megapixels. The 135-degree wide angle lens has a viewing angle that's supposedly 15-degrees wider than the natural human field of vision, and LG claims that it is also approximately 1.7 times wider than those of existing smartphone cameras. The front camera is a 8-megapixel sensor.

Inside, the G5 is powered by Qualcomm's new Snapdragon 820 processor. Local pricing and availability has not been announced yet.

For an in-depth look at the G5, check out our hands-on here. 

And here's a closer look at some of the other modules that will be available for the G5.

LG X Cam and X Screen

The G5 wasn't the only phone LG unveiled at MWC. The Korean company also introduced two new mid-range smartphones that each specialize in a specific area. First up, the LG X Cam, which takes one of the best features from the G5, the dual rear cameras, and puts it on a 5.2-inch plastic smartphone with a Full HD display. The phone is fairly compact, measuring 142.6 x 71.8 x 7.1 mm and weighs just 118g. Inside, the X Cam is powered by a 1.1GHz octa-core processor with 2GB of RAM, and comes with 16GB internal storage, with a microSD card slot for expandable storage.

While the X Cam has a similar rear camera setup to the G5, the actual camera modules aren't quite as good: you get 13- and 5-megapixel cameras instead of the 16/8 setup on the G5. Like the G5, the dual camera setup can be used to add some depth to your shots and both cameras have different fields of view too, so you can easily get a wider shot if required.

The X Screen is another mid-range phone, but instead of dual cameras, this one has dual screens - a smaller one above the main display - similar to LG's V10 smartphone. Above the X Screen's 4.93-inch HD display, there's an always-on 1.88-inch display that shows the time, as well as any missed notifications.

The X Screen is also slightly less powerful than the X Cam, making do with a 1.2GHz quad-core processor and 2GB RAM. Like the X Cam, you also get 16GB internal storage, and a microSD card slot. On the rear, you'll find a single 13-megapixel camera. The front-facing camera is 8-megapixels.

Pricing and available on both the X Cam and X Screen has not been announced yet.

Sony Xperia X Series

Sony unveiled a trio of new phones at MWC 2016: the Xperia X Performance, the Xperia X and the Xperia XA. Before we dive into their different specs, let's take a look at the common features. All three phones ship with Android 6.0 Marshmallow, sport 5-inch displays and have microSD memory card slots. 

The Xperia X Performance is the most powerful among the three, and is fairly similar to Sony's Z series flagship smartphones. It has a 5-inch Full HD display and a Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 processor with 3GB RAM.

On the rear, the X Performance has a 23-megapixel rear camera with predictive hybrid autofocus. Other specs include IP68 water/dust resistance, stereo speakers, a fingerprint sensor (integrated with the power button), a 2,700mAh battery, a 13-megapixel front-facing camera, 32GB internal storage space and a 7.6mm thin chassis that weighs 164.4g.

Next up, the Xperia X comes in two configurations - a single and dual-SIM variant. The single-SIM model has 32GB internal storage space while the dual-SIM variant has double the storage capacity at 64GB. Aside from the different processor (Qualcomm Snapdragon 650) and slightly smaller battery (2,620mAh), the Xperia X is largely similar to the X Performance. It is however slightly thicker at 7.9mm, but also a bit lighter at 153g. Like the X Performance, it has a fingerprint sensor integrated into the power button.

Finally, the Xperia XA runs on a MediaTek MT6755 processor with 2GB RAM and sports a 5-inch HD display. Other specs include a 13-megapixel rear camera, an 8-megapixel front-facing camera, 16GB internal storage space, and a 2,300mAh battery. It measures 143.6 x 66.8 x 7.9mm and weighs 137.4g.

All three Xperia phones will be available from summer 2016 in four finishes - white, graphite black, lime gold and rose gold. Pricing has not been revealed at this time.

Current rumors suggest that Sony is done with the Xperia Z range, and the X series will replace it moving forward.

For an in-depth look at the X series, check out our hands-on here.

Xiaomi Mi 5

Xiaomi Vice President Hugo Barra introduced the Mi 5 at Xiaomi's first ever European launch event. The Mi 5 is a 5.15-inch smartphone with a Full HD display and a metal frame with a 3D ceramic or glass design (more on that below). It's also the first Xiaomi phone with a physical home button/fingerprint scanner on the front. The phone is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 processor and has a 3,000 mAh battery.

The display is particularly noteworthy as it boasts 16 low-power LEDs behind the screen, resulting in a massive 600 nits maximum brightness. Like the Mi 4, the Mi 5 will also include Xiaomi's Sunlight brightness hardware, which boosts contrast under bright light to make the display easier to see.

On the back of the phone there's a 16-megapixel camera with a Sony IMX298 sensor that shoots 4K video. It's also the first smartphone with 4-axis optical image stabilization, which means it will compensate for pitch and yaw (like other smartphones with 2-axis OIS do) as well as side to side and up and down movement. On the front, there’s a 4-megapixel shooter for selfies, but the sensor has a pretty large photosites to capture more light than most others.

The phone boasts a similar to design to last year's Mi Note with a metal frame and a 3D curved rear. Three versions will be available, the Mi 5 Pro and two versions of the standard model. The Pro model will come with a ceramic material rear, which Barra claims is much tougher than glass (8 on the Mohs scale of hardness, compared to 5.5 for glass). Both of the standard models come with a glass rear. All three models apparently weigh the same, coming in at just 129g, which makes the new phone 14g lighter than the iPhone 6s. Three colors will be available: Black, White, and Gold.

The Mi 5 will be the first phone available to buy with Qualcomm's new Snapdragon 820 processor. According to Barra, the new processor is "100 percent faster than the Snapdragon 810 and the GPU is 40 percent faster but consumes 50 percent less battery life."

The Mi 5 runs Xiaomi's MIUI 7 interface on top of Android 6.0 Marshmallow. It's also the first phone to ship with Xiaomi's Mi Video Calling app, a new cross platform video chat app that includes live video effects and multitasking modes.

The phone will be launching in China on 1st March and will be priced as follows:-

• 2,699RMB (~S$580) for the high-end Pro model with ceramic rear, 128GB storage and 4GB RAM
• 2,299RMB (~S$494) for the mid-range option with a glass rear, 64GB storage, and 4GB RAM
• 1,999RMB (~S$429) for the entry-level version with 32GB storage, 3GB RAM and a slightly slower processor

Local availability and pricing is unknown for now.

For an in-depth look at the Mi 5, check out our hands-on here.

Xiaomi Mi 4S

The Mi 5 wasn't the only smartphone Xiaomi launched at MWC, it also unveiled the Mi 4S - although, this one didn't have the benefit of an hour-long presentation by Hugo Barra.

Positioned as "an update to the best seller Mi 4", the Mi 4S comes with a rear glass panel and a full-metal frame. The 5-inch phone has a Full HD display, and is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 808 processor with 3GB RAM (an upgrade from the 615 we saw on the Mi 4i). Internal storage space has also been upgraded to 64GB, and unlike the Mi 4i, you get a microSD card slot for expandable storage too.

On the rear of the phone, you'll find a 13-megapixel camera with phase detection auto-focus and dual-tone LED flash. There's also a fingerprint scanner back here. The Mi 4S also uses a USB Type-C port, and Xiaomi has somehow managed to make the already large battery even bigger - it's 3,260mAh now!

The Mi 4S will retail for 1,699RMB (~S$367) and will be available in four colors (black, white, gold and pink). Like the Mi 5, local availability and pricing is currently unknown.

HTC Desire 530, 630 and 835

HTC didn't unveil its next flagship at MWC - presumably the HTC One M10 - and is likely saving it for a separate launch event. Instead, the Taiwanese company chose to release a trio of entry-level Desire smartphones whose most exciting 'feature' seems to be the paint speckling on their backs. HTC has even given the feature a special name: "Micro Splash"!

To put it simply, Micro Splash randomly throws paint from a brush onto the back of each phone, giving each handset a truly unique look. To complement its exterior, HTC has also included Sense interface themes with the paint speckling for each of the Desire phones. 

The Desire 530 is the most entry-level offering of the three, with a 5-inch HD display and a Qualcomm Snapdragon 210 quad-core 1.1GHz processor with 1.5GB RAM. It has an 8-megapixel rear camera and a 2,200mAh battery.

Next up, the Desire 630 also has a 5-inch HD display, but a more powerful Qualcomm Snapdragon 400 quad-core 1.6GHz processor with 2GB RAM. On the rear, you get a 13-megapixel rear camera. Like the 530, you get the same 2,200mAh battery.

Finally, the HTC Desire 835 has a 5.5-inch HD display and a Qualcomm Snapdragon 400 quad-core 1.6GHz processor with 2GB RAM. On the rear, you get a 13-megapixel rear camera with 1080p video recording support. As the 835 is slightly bigger, you get a larger 2,700mAh battery.

All three phones have the same 5-megapixel front-facing selfie camera. They all run on Android 6.0 Marshmallow and have 4G LTE connectivity.



The Desire smartphones will be available for purchase from HTC.com and other retailers from March. Pricing is currently unavailable.

HP Elite x3

HP has officially gotten back into the mobile game. The Elite x3 is a Windows 10 phone that has been designed to replace your smartphone, laptop, and even desktop. Given that few players are releasing Windows phones today, HP’s move is an especially bold one, especially when you consider the sheer ambition of the device.

The Elite x3 isn’t just any old Windows phone. HP has deliberately packed it with top-end, performance-oriented hardware in an effort to sell it as a viable desktop replacement. For starters, it features Qualcomm’s latest and greatest chip – the quad-core Snapdragon 820 processor that comes with goodies like the X12 LTE modem.

On top of that, it has 4GB of RAM, 64GB of internal storage, and support for up to 2TB of expandable storage via a microSD card slot. The latter feature is illustrative of HP’s intentions with the phone. Clearly, it’s making every effort to include the same level of features and support that you would expect from a laptop.

At 6-inches across, the screen is a little on the large side, and it’s even bigger than the 5.7-inch Microsoft Lumia 950 XL. The AMOLED display has a 2,560 x 1,440 pixels resolution (490ppi).

The battery is a large 4,150mAh pack, with support for wireless charging. As things stand, this is probably one of the most powerful Windows phones out there.

There's also an iris scanner on the front and fingerprint sensor on the back to allow users to take advantage of Windows Hello, but the demo version that HP had on display was missing the fingerprint sensor.The icing on the cake has to be the front-facing audio speakers that have been tuned by Bang & Olufsen, not unlike what’s been done on HP laptops like the Envy 13.

More importantly, the Elite x3 was designed with Continuum in mind, the Windows 10 feature that allows users to plug their Windows smartphone into a larger display and use it as a full-fledged Windows PC.

As Windows phones cannot run the desktop versions of apps, HP is including software for running apps from the cloud. Unfortunately, this is not something that the average user will be able to take advantage of as HP said that the feature will require an IT department to set up. With that said, it’s clear who HP’s target audience is – business professionals instead of the casual consumer.

HP didn’t release any pricing details, but we can expect a release sometime in the summer. It can be paired with two separate accessories, the Desk Dock that comes with additional USB and display connectors, and the Mobile Extender, a combination of display, keyboard, and battery that turns into a PC when hooked up to the Elite x3.

Lenovo VIBE K5 Plus

Lenovo unveiled an entry-level Android smartphone at MWC 2016, but don't be fooled by its affordable price - it's not shabby looking, and it comes with decent hardware.

The Lenovo VIBE K5 Plus is built as a lifestyle device for music and entertainment. It has a 5-inch Full HD display with a 1,920 x 1,080 pixels resolution (440 ppi), with a generous battery capacity of 2,750mAh. It's no flagship, but those are promising specifications for an entry-level smartphone.

Design-wise, the VIBE K5 Plus has an aluminum-build, which is pretty rare at this price point. Under the hood is a 1.5GHz octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 616 processor - that's the same processor found within the Xiaomi Redmi 3. It runs on 2GB RAM, and has a modest 16GB internal storage with the option to expand it with a MicroSD card, although the card slot only supports cards up to 32GB. The Lenovo VIBE K5 Plus has a 13-megapixel rear camera with LED flash, and a fixed-focus 5-megapixel front camera. This is also a dual-SIM phone, and it accepts two Micro SIM cards.

As a lifestyle phone, it also touts Dolby Atmos audio technology and dual rear speakers for its audio capabilities, and the camera is supported by built-in social apps like SHAREit, SNAPit, and Guvera Music. The phone also comes pre-loaded with a comprehensive Google apps suite (Maps, Hangouts, YouTube, Gmail etc.) but unfortunately still runs on Android 5.1 OS (Lollipop) rather than the newer Android 6.0 OS (Marshmallow).

Connectivity-wise, the entry-level smartphone supports 4G LTE, 3G, and 2G. It also supports Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n and Wi-Fi hotspot. For your wireless devices, it connects using the power efficient Bluetooth 4.1 Low Energy profile.

The Lenovo VIBE K5 Plus will be retailing at US$149 (~S$209), in March 2016, although there's no word on local availability yet. It will be available in Platinum Silver, Champagne Gold, and Graphite Gray.

Alcatel Idol 4 and 4S

Alcatel may not be the first name you think of when you're in the market for a new smartphone but the Chinese company has come a long way. Alcatel unveiled two new phones at MWC, both aimed at the premium mid-range market, with full metal and glass builds. The Idol 4 is a 5.2-inch device with a Full HD LCD display, while the Idol 4S is a larger 5.5-inch phablet with a QHD 2,560 x 1,440 pixels resolution AMOLED display. Both phones share a similar design, and are fairly thin, measuring just 6.9mm.

On the rear of the Idol 4S, there's a 16-megapixel camera with an f/2.0 aperture. The Idol 4 has a 13-megapixel camera. Both phones have an 8-megapixel front camera. Alcatel claims the handsets offer ultrafast auto-focus between 0.1 and 0.3 seconds.

One interesting feature shared by both phones is the 'Boom Key', which looks like the power button but isn't - in fact, it looks a lot like the old, circular power button Sony used on its Xperia Z range. The actual power button on the 4 and 4S is found on the left edge. The Boom Key can be found on the right side of the device and is essentially a customizable function button. You can turn it into a quick launch button for your favorite app, or you can pick more specific functionality like enhancing bass when you're listening to audio. 

The Idol 4S is powered by an octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 652 processor with 3GB RAM, which puts it a class below flagship devices like the 820-equipped LG G5 and Xiaomi Mi 5. The Idol 4 has an octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 617 processor and 2GB RAM. Storage-wise, the 4S has 32GB internal storage, while the 4 has 16GB storage. Both phones have microSD card slots for expanded storage.

One last feature worth mentioning for the Idol 4S is its packaging. Rather than any old cardboard box, the 4S comes in a plastic box that actually doubles up as a VR headset that is Google Cardboard certified. The Idol 4S can be slipped into the packaging to create a headset similar to Samsung's Gear VR (although it looks like you'll have to hold the headset up to your face or attach your own straps to keep it in place). Alcatel is even offering exclusive VR content in its own Onetouch VR Store.

Microsoft Lumia 650

Technically released right before MWC, the Lumia 650 is Microsoft's latest entry-level Windows 10 smartphone. 

The phone sports a 5-inch HD AMOLED display with Corning Gorilla Glass 3, and is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 212 quad-core 1.3GHz processor with 1GB RAM. Inside, you get 16GB internal storage with microSD support up to 200GB, and a removable 2,000mAh battery. On the rear, there's an 8-megapixel rear autofocus camera with f/2.2 aperture and LED flash, and on the front you'll find a 5-megapixel wide-angle camera. Despite being touted as a business phone, unfortunately it doesn't support Continuum, a tentpole Windows 10 Mobile feature where you can hook up the phone to a monitor, keyboard, and mouse to use it like a desktop.

Unlike Microsoft's previously all-plastic designs, the Lumia 650 has a surprisingly nice aluminum frame with interchangeable back covers. The phone measures 6.9mm thin and weighs just 122g. Other specs include support for LTE Cat 4, Bluetooth 4.1, A-GPS, A-GLONASS and Office apps. The phone is available now in select European markets, and comes with a price tag of US$199 (~S$278) excluding local taxes and subsidies.

For more MWC 2016 coverage, check out these articles:

Our articles may contain affiliate links. If you buy through these links, we may earn a small commission.