Written by There’s rumors aplenty in advance of Mobile World Congress next month: the Galaxy S5, a possible Xpeira Z2, the LG G3 and a new model from Huawei: the Ascend Sx.
The rumor mill one again overheated over the weekend, so we thought we’d give you a bit of a roundup of what’s been flying around. As always, don’t take any of this as fact, but we know you guys love rumors and whisperings, so here’s what’s been floating around in anticipation of Mobile World Congress (MWC) in Barcelona next month.
Galaxy S5
Slowly a pattern has emerged in all of the leaks we’ve seen of the technical data on the Galaxy S5 thus far. It seems increasingly clear that the next Samsung flagship will indeed have a 2K qHD display (2,560 x 1,440 pixels) – we think this one is pretty much certain. At one point there were tall tales of a monster 4,000 mAh battery but now a more likely size of 2,900 mAh is being heard more and more. Alongside this latest battery figure is a new one for the camera as well: this one stating the S5 will pack a 20 MP shooter (everything else we’ve heard points to a 16 MP camera with ISOCELL). As if that wasn’t enough, the same source – reportedly from within Samsung – has also ”confirmed” the iris scanner but laid to waste the possibility of a metal case.
Our verdict: The source is, as usual, dubious. Add to this the fact that the same website posted another article three hours later claiming the iris scanner has been shelved… Let’s suffice to say the S5 will have a camera and a battery and a case made of one material or another. Or both. That’s about all we can confirm right now.
Samsung Galaxy S3…S4…S5? Maybe. But what’ll it be made of? © Samsung.
Xperia Z2
Some call it a successor. Others, a new edition or rehash (which is why the name could be wrong). In any case, there are now images which suggest more of the latter. The technical data of the Xperia Z2 are so far purely speculative, with no reliable sources. Only the increased display size can be heard more frequently than the other one-offs. But that is not too bold a theory, especially for a smartphone that is known for having an absurdly large frame. Will the Z2, or whatever it’s going to be called, be presented to the world at MWC?
Our verdict: On this one we’re going for a new edition of the Z1. If one compares the current Z1 and this new device you can only find minimal differences in design. That doesn’t seem to justify enough a departure for an entirely new device.
Sony Xperia Z2
LG G3
The successor to the LG G2 is scheduled for May, according to a Korean media report. If this is true, this LG would be closer in launch date (and thus, direct competition) to Samsung and LG’s other competition than last time. As with the competition, the G3 is intended to come with 2K qHD display. However, the diagonal will probably grow to 5.5 inches. How far this will affect the overall size of the G3, is unclear, but the G2 managed to pack 5.2-inches in a relatively small chassis.
Our verdict: The date sounds realistic, because LG wants and needs to enter into direct competition with Samsung. This would require a similar market entry for new devices. If anyone can do an even bigger display in a housing that doesn’t reach phablet scale, it would be LG, as we have already learned from the slimmed down chassis of the G2.
The LG G3 is unlikely to be made of water. This much we’re sure of. / © LG
Huawei Ascend Sx
Perhaps the most exciting rumors flying around right now are those about a new series at Huawei. With the Sx, the first edition of the S series, the Chinese manufacturer apparently wants to perfectly align design with performance to match. Being considered for the MWC, the Sx will reportedly house a 64-bit chip, an octa-core processor, three gigabytes of RAM, a camera with 16 megapixels, a battery with 3,050 mAh and, of course, a display with soon-to-be-standard 2,560 x 1,440 pixel resolution.
Our verdict: That Huawei can build powerful smart phones, we already know. The work on the octa-core 64-bit processor is officially confirmed and the Ascend P6 appeared far enough back to warrant a new model, especially a high-end model. None of the data seems unrealistic, and Weibo is a frequently-cited Chinese source. As such, we have no reason to disbelieve this as entirely plausible.
The Ascend series was widely regarded as a design success, if a little Apple-ish.
Do you believe any or all of these rumors? What’s the best rumor you’ve heard about a smartphone?
Via: Phone Arena Source: Asiae, Weibo, XDA Developers
