MWC 2019 news and reviews: Huawei announces 5G, folding Mate X, and there's plenty more to come

MWC 2019 is here. Or at least it is if you're a journalist rushing between pre-event briefings. MWC (Mobile World Congress) is where the phone industry descends on Barcelona to talk shop, when not sat in traffic jams. That means mucho smartphone launches and exciting developments with high-speed 5G devices and 5G networks.

In MWC years gone by we've seen flagship handsets like the Samsung Galaxy S9 and LG G6 make their debut, and MWC 2019 will be our best chance yet to see what today's biggest phone makers have to offer for the next 12 months. 

Samsung released its big phones at its Unpacked event this year but there is still a huge buzz around MWC 2019. That's because this is the the year of folding phones and 5G, which both feel new and important, and also because the new breed of Chinese mobile brands are all innovating like crazy at the moment, finding ways to pack new and cutting-edge features into often comparatively affordable phones.

WHEN IS MWC 2019?

This year Mobile World Congress is happening from Monday 25 February to Thursday 28 February. Some of the major players usually schedule press events beforehand, so news is going to start appearing on Saturday 23 February and Sunday 24 February.

Everything happens in Barcelona, primarily at the Fira Gran Via event hall. The show isn't open to the public, by the way – you have to be in the industry or a member of the press to get a ticket, but we'll be there and we'll keep you right up to date with everything that's happening.

HUAWEI AT MWC 2018

Huawei's teaser image for MWC 2019

If the big stories of MWC and smartphones in general in 2019 are 5G and folding phones then Huawei seem to have it nailed, as it's just formally announced the Huawei Mate X, which is both foldy, and 5G-ified. Screen stats: there's a 6.6-inch front screen with 19.5:9 aspect ratio, a 6.38-inch rear screen with a 25:9 aspect ratio and when you fully unfold the X, you're presented with an 8-inch tablet, 'FullView' screen with 8:7.1 aspect ratio and 2,480 x 2,200 pixel resolution.

We'll have a hands-on review shortly but if appearances are anything to go by, you might want to reconsider any Samsung Fold shopping plans you had. 

Before they got on to the Mate X, there was also word of the Huawei Matebook X Pro, which looks set to give Apple's MacBook Pro a run for its money. It's a Windows laptop that weighs just 1.33kg and has a battery that lasts 12-14 hours.

Could this be an elaborate double bluff? (No).

There was a rather heavy 'hint' of this in Huawei's billboard at the MWC venue, so this did not come as a huge shock. The image on the invite further up also looks a lot like a folding device with the glowing screen on the outside, now we come to think of it. 

We know Huawei will not be launching its Huawei P30 and P30 Pro phones at MWC 2019, as those handsets have been confirmed by Huawei for a Paris launch on March 26.

As well as a folding, 5G Huawei handset at MWC 2019, we may also see a folding Huawei phonewithout 5G, and a 5G phone that doesn't fold. Who knows?

LG AT MWC 2019

LG has said it will unveil a 5G handset at Mobile World Congress 2019

When it comes to MWC 2019, the BIG news from LG is that it has unveiled its first ever 5G phone, the (deep breath, now) LG V50 ThinQ 5G.

While the new device packs lighting fast 5G connectivity, which would make it a direct rival to Samsung's 5G Galaxy S10 and Huawei' Mate X 5G (see above) in 2019, contrary to certain rumours in the run-up to MWC, there's no camera system that packs 16 lenses. It just has a frankly piffling three rear-mounted cameras and two front-facing ones. What is the world coming to?

It's not really a folding phone in the way that the Mate X and Fold are, but there is the option of attaching a second screen, to give you something a bit like a next-gen Nintendo DS.

The 5G LG phone can be hooked to an extra panel, turning it very successfully into a Nintendo Game + Watch for the 21st century

What hasn't been announced about the new 5G LG phone, though, is its internal hardware specs. However, the rumour on the mobile grape vine right now is that it will come loaded with Qualcomm's new flagship Snapdragon 855 processor, as well as a beefy 4,000 mAh battery.

Unlike some 5G devices that have already been announced, LG has also confirmed that the phone will be available outside of South Korea, too, with the European and North American markets a big focus.

The LG Q60, the LG K50 and the LG K40

Also unveiled were the LG G8 ThinQ as well as r other mid-range devices.

While the G8 ThinQ isn't as expensive or as flashy as the 5G handset, it will feature an innovative technology that utilises the phone’s OLED display as an audio amplifier. Crystal Sound OLED (CSO) repurposes the display as a diaphragm, vibrating the entire surface to produce what LG promises is "sound with impressive volume." We're looking forward to trying it with some heavy dubstep at the launch.

Three additional mid-range devices have also been confirmed for an MWC launch by LG: the LG Q60, the LG K50 and the LG K40. The Q60 and K50 feature a 6.26-inch screen while the K40 has a smaller 5.7-inch display. The LG Q60 sports three rear cameras, the K50 has dual rear cameras and the K40 has a single rear camera.

Both the LG Q60 and LG K50 are powered by a 3,500mAh battery while the K40 gets a smaller 3,000mAh unit.

All three handsets feature a dedicated Google Assistant button, fingerprint sensor and DTS:X 3D Surround Sound.

NOKIA AT MWC 2019

Nokia 9 Pureview has an arguably excessive 5-camera, 60-megapixel, 2x colour and 3x monochrome array stuck to its rear end

While LG's new 5G flagship might only have had a mere 2 front-facing cameras and 3 rear ones, Nokia (HMD) properly pushed the boat out with a five camera array on the back of its Nokia 9 Pureview. Everyone is now familiar with the idea that pure megapixels don't make a great camera, but this has 60 megapixels and five lenses, so you'd have to assume it can take decent photos.

The lens array looks slightly grotesque, like a spider's eyes, but it can successfully focus on subjects anywhere from 7cm to 40 metres away and lets in more light than standard phone cameras. 

• Feast your eyes on the full splendour of Nokia's 9 PureView mega cam. 

XIAOMI AT MWC 2019

(Image: © Xiaomi)

Also bounding onto the 5G bandwagon with a mighty leap is China's Xiaomi. Its Mi Mix 3 will also feature 5G, and cost just £520 when it debuts in May 2019. This affordable marvel democratises access to 5G by sitting on a platform built from Qualcomm's Snapdragon 855 SoC and its Snapdragon X50 modem. Even better, a cooling system built around a six-layer graphite heat pipe should mean this platform doesn't melt in your hands like chocolate.

Xiaomi also flaunted its Mi 9. This launches next week (28 February 2019), at the practically give-away price of €449 (about £390) for a 6GB RAM + 64GB storage version, and from €499 (about £434) for the 128GB incarnation.

SAMSUNG AT MWC 2019

The Samsung Galaxy S10 range was unveiled at an event just before MWC 2019

Samsung traditionally puts on a big show at Mobile World Congress, but MWC 2019 will be slightly different: the Samsung Galaxy S10, S10 Plus and S10E were launched just before the event.

Samsung's Galaxy Unpacked event took place on February 20, 2019 and at the show, the company officially launched the Samsung Galaxy S10e, the Samsung Galaxy S10 and the Samsung Galaxy S10 Plus. It also took the wraps off the Samsung Galaxy S10 5G.

We assume that all of those handsets will make a second appearance on Samsung's stand at MWC.

The Samsung Galaxy S10

FOLDABLE PHONES FROM SAMSUNG, HUAWEI AND LG?

The Samsung Galaxy Fold

The other big bit of news from Unpacked was that Samsung showed off the final version of its highly anticipated folding the the Samsung Galaxy Fold.

However, while it was shown on stage, it was not available for us, or any other journalists, to get our hands on. There are likely two explanations for that. The first is that the phone is not quite final and so Samsung didn't want people to try it out and complain of bugs. That said, it must be close to final as it goes on sale at the end of April. The second possible explanation is that the phone is fully working and Samsung wanted to hold something back for MWC. So perhaps MWC will be our first opportunity to go hands on with the Samsung Galaxy Fold. Or perhaps we'll just get to look at one inside a locked display cabinet. We'll find out for sure next week when we're at show.

If Samsung does take the Galaxy Fold to MWC it might not have everything all its own way in terms of foldable phone technology. Huawei has a foldable phone in the works that looks set make its debut at MWC and throw in 5G as well.

Indeed, Huawei has recently teased the arrival of a folding phone in its teaser for MWC 2019, so it now looks very likely that something along these lines is going to be shown off. It might not be available to buy, it might still be a prototype, but we should see a foldable phone from Huawei at MWC 2019. And given how good recent Huawei handsets have been, a folding Huawei phone will certainly be one that generates a lot of interest.

There are also rumours of folding phones from LG and Motorola, though LG recently said that it's too early for it to be making a folding phone, so don't expect to see the LG Bendi at the event. It's also possible that Xiaomi's folding phone prototype might make a public appearance.

• Check out the best Android phones on the planet

SONY AT MWC 2018

Another Sony Xperia phone is on the way at MWC 2019

The freshest news about Sony's incoming Xperia XZ4 flagship phone is how it is bringing the fight to the Samsung Galaxy S10 at MWC 2019 with a massive battery and class-leading camera system.

The powerful new phone is slated to come with a 4,400 mAh battery, which beats the reported 4,100 mAh battery unit coming in the S10 Plus and absolutely dwarfs the 3,300 mAh unit called to come in the standard S10.

Regarding that class-leading camera setup, a recent leak has suggested that the XZ4 will feature a triple camera setup where the main camera will capture at a very impressive 52-megapixels, the best of any phone.

Based on the rumours we've heard so far, the Sony Xperia XZ4 will come running the latest Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 processor, as well as boasting a 6.2-inch screen in a tall 21:9 aspect ratio designed by its Bravia engineering team. That skinny aspect ratio was pretty much confirmed by Sony in a tweet to confirm its MWC press conference, which read "Embrace a new perspective". The press conference takes place at 08.45 CET on Monday 25 February.

Sony Xperia

✔@sonyxperia

Embrace a new perspective with #Xperia at #SonyMWC

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Sony phones have lagged a little behind the competition in terms of design in recent years, but the Xperia XZ4 is being tipped to be a fantastic-looking phone as well as a very powerful one. Considering the company's expertise in screen and camera technology, this should be well worth waiting for.

Considering Sony has been working with a six-month cycle for its flagship phone launches, and that Sony usually has an event at Mobile World Congress, it's highly probable that the Sony Xperia XZ4 will be at least shown off at MWC 2019 – even if it doesn't go on sale to the masses straight away.

As well as a new full size Xperia, there may also be an accompanying Compact version, if Sony's launch history is anything to go by.

• If you need a gaming phone then we've got you covered

NOKIA AT MWC 2018

This elaborate camera mechanism could be shown off at MWC 2019

(Image: © GizChina)

Nokia had a strong showing at MWC 2018, so it may well be back for more this year – keep your eyes peeled for the Nokia 9 making its bow, especially because it looks set to pack a truly astonishing amount of cameras.

This is a phone that's been a long time coming, so if it does appear at MWC 2019, there's likely to be a lot of interest around it.

XIAOMI AT MWC 2019

Xiaomi's Senior Vice President Xiang Wang tweeted that the Xiaomi Mi 9 would be launched on February 24, which we assume will be at MWC. The tweet was accompanied with an image showing the handset's iridescent blue/green back and its triple camera, which was later confirmed to be a 48MP set-up. The handset will be powered by a Snapdragon 855 processor and will feature an in-screen fingerprint reader and dedicated Google Assistant button. Here's everything we know about the Xiaomi Mi 9 so far.

It has also been said that Xiaomi will "possibly" be launching its Mi Mix 3 5G at MWC this year. 

HONOR AT MWC 2019

Although we don't exactly know what Honor will be announcing at MWC, the company has sent out media invites for a briefing on Tuesday 26 February. The invite  is titled "See the game changer" which hints at a phone that's optimised for gaming. In other words, a fast one with AI smarts, quite possibly powered by the same Kirin 980 processor that's in the Honor View 20. Or perhaps the View 20 is the phone that the invite refers to. We'll be at the event so we'll let you know. 

ONEPLUS, HTC, OPPO AND... ENERGIZER?

Will the OnePlus 7 look like this?

(Image: © Ben Geskin)

Of the other big names, we're not sure what (if anything) the likes of OnePlus and HTC are going to bring to MWC 2019. There's a chance we'll see some new hardware from these two manufacturers, but it's still a little early for the HTC U13 or the OnePlus 7.

Oppo should be in attendance as well, increasing its visibility in Europe and the US, though as for specific handsets we haven't heard much from the rumour mill so far.

We might just get a preview of Oppo's new camera technology, which offers up 10x optical zoom, apparently, though the company is also said to have a foldable phone in the works.

Although we don't exactly know what Honor will be announcing at MWC, the company has sent out media invites for a briefing on Tuesday 26 February. The invite is titled "See the game changer" which hints at a phone that's optimised for gaming. In other words, a fast one with AI smarts, quite possibly powered by the same Kirin 980 processor that's in the Honor View 20. Or perhaps the View 20 is the phone that the invite refers to. We'll be at the event so we'll let you know.

View image on Twitter

Energizer Mobile@energizermobile

#Energizer Mobile to reveal 26 new phones at the Mobile World Congress, including a foldable #smartphone and an 18,000 mAh-battery-smartphone Find out what they will be: https://bit.ly/2sKfAoe 

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Smaller names will be making a splash too: Energizer (the battery company) has said it's going to be unveiling no fewer than 26 handsets at MWC 2019, so expect phones with huge batteries and perhaps a pop-up selfie camera or two as well. It's also promising one of these phones will be foldable, though quite how advanced the tech is going to be, we're not sure.

WILL APPLE AND GOOGLE BE AT MWC 2019?

Both Apple and Google usually save their phone launches for their own events. Apple doesn't like mixing with its rivals so will be a MWC 2019 no-show, but Google will be there supporting its Android partners and promoting its mobile offerings, even though it is almost certain it won't have any new devices to unveil at the event. The Google Pixel 4, Pixel 3 Lite, new Google Home and Pixel Watch will all be coming later this year.

So it looks as though this year's show is going to be quite something. T3 will be there from Saturday 23 February bringing you news and early reviews of all the key phones.

Nokia 9 PureView has a five camera array capable of shooting 60MP photographs

HMD Global, the Finnish company that owns and sells smartphones under the Nokia brand, has taken the wraps off its latest range of handsets at the Mobile World Congress trade show in Barcelona.

The star of the show is the all-new Nokia 9 PureView. From the front, the new smartphone looks almost indistinguishable from the recent slew of Android-powered rivals. It has a 6-inch OLED display protected by Gorilla Glass 5 to avoid scratches and scuffs, a 20MP front-facing selfie camera, and runs Android 9.0 Pie. There's also an in-display fingerprint scanner, like the Samsung Galaxy S10, Huawei Mate 20 Pro and OnePlus 6T.

However, flip over the Nokia 9 PureView and it's immediately clear this is a very different proposal. Nokia has fitted its new flagship with a five-camera array, which is arranged in a circular pattern on the back of the handset.

Honestly, the design of the new camera looks a lot like a spider's eye. Nokia says the cameras have been arranged in that particular pattern in part because it leaves enough space for the 3,320mAh battery cell, and because it looks aesthetically pleasing – something that some arachnophobes might query.

Nokia 9 PureView includes two RGB f/1.8 12-megapixels sensors and three monochrome f/1.8 12-megapixel sensors. There's also a dual-tone LED flash and a Time Of Flight (ToF) sensor for video capture, too.

All five cameras will fire each time you press the shutter, Nokia says. For those who struggle with maths, that results in a single 60-megapixel photograph. Nokia 9 PureView is also capable of panoramas, which can quickly tot up to more than 240-megapixels.

Obviously, it's not all about the number of megapixels, but those who want to blow-up their images onto canvases and posters should take a look at the Nokia 9 PureView.

While most smartphones typically only use RGB camera sensors in their rear-mounted set-ups, HMD Global says it chose to add more monochrome sensors because of the sheer amount of detail these can capture. According to the company, the monochrome sensors are able to capture 2.5 times more light than the RGB counterparts. 

Each of the five lens on the back of the handset has a different exposure level to capture even moreinformation each time you hit the shutter button.

So, what is Nokia doing with all of this information? One of the most interesting features is the ability to adjust the focus of a photograph after it has been taken. While the Galaxy S10 and iPhone XS allow owners to adjust the amount of bokeh-style blur behind the subject of the photograph, Nokia allows you to completely change what object is the focal subject of the image. Using the preinstalled Google Photos app, you can make the background out of focus to highlight the foreground or vice versa.

According to HMD Global, the Nokia 9 PureView is able to focus on subjects anywhere from 7cm to 40 metres away from its rear-mounted cameras. While most rival smartphones have around 10 layers in the depth-map generated by their multi-camera systems, Nokia 9 PureView has a jaw-dropping 1,200 layers.

That's a lot. Crucially, it means you don't have to decide exactly what the final image will look like when you're composing your shot. You can always overhaul the entire photograph at a later date. Of course, you can save multiple different options, since the changes are non-destructive, which can result in some stylish results.

The Nokia 9 PureView is powered by the Qualcomm SnapDragon 855, coupled with 6GB of RAM and a new imaging co-processor developed Light. This new chipset helps to take some of the strain off the SnapDragon 855 to avoid battery life suffering. As a result, HMD Global says its new Nokia 9 PureView should still last a day and half before it needs to be recharged.

The huge amount of processing grunt inside the new flagship Nokia coupled with the Light co-processor means the five-camera is still capable of shooting 60-megapixel images in a burst mode. Nokia concedes that it might take a while little before the full-resolution images are processed and ready to edit. However, a smaller 2MB thumbnail will be available instantaneously in Google Photos.

Nokia 9 PureView saves images in JPEG, as well as RAW. According to the company, RAW images typically take up between 30MB – 50MB of memory. There's 128GB of built-in storage, which should be enough to handle your next holiday snaps. There's a dual-purpose secondary SIM card / MicroSD card slot, so as long as you're not too bothered by having multiple lines on your new Nokia, you can add up to 512GB additional storage for your photos.

The 4K video capture is handled by a single lens, which is likely to disappoint those who hoped the borderline-excessive array of cameras would be used to produce some interesting, original new video effects.

When it comes to viewing those megapixel-packed photographs, Nokia has spared no expense. Its latest handset boasts a 5.99-inch Quad HD+ pOLED display. It has a 18:9 aspect ratio and a 2K resolution, which should be more than enough to view those stunning cameras.

Elsewhere, the Nokia 9 PureView is rated IP67 for dust and water resistance, which means it should be able to take high-resolution depth-map photos in the water. There's also Qi wireless charging – but no headphone port. So, if you want to listen to music you'll be forced to use Bluetooth or USB-C headphones.

The Nokia 9 PureView has a $699 global RRP. There's no word on UK pricing on SIM-free or contract handsets, but we'll update this article as soon as we hear. Release date will be announced in due course, Nokia says.

Sony PS5 will be the ultimate way to enjoy PlayStation 4 games

Sony will bring backwards compatibility to its next-generation games console, according to a new patent filed by the company. The new console, which is widely-tipped to be called PlayStation 5, will seemingly upgrade the quality of older titles to bring them closer to the image quality seen on new games.

The new patent, first spotted by the eagle-eyed team at GearNuke, was filed by Sony Interactive Entertainment and lists Mark Cerny as one of the inventors. Cerny was the lead architect of the PlayStation 4 and is purportedly in charge of development of its successor too, which all-but confirms this technology is destined for the next Sony games console.

The document, which was filed in Japan, is entitled “Simulation of legacy bus operation for backward compatibility”. It was published earlier this week, but covers some of the same ground as an earlier patent filed by Sony is October 2018. 

It describes a method to emulate the internal communication of an older console – like the PlayStation 2, 3 or PS4, for example – in newer hardware. It also describes a method of adjusting the performance of older technology on new hardware in the same way that Blu-ray players will upscale the quality of DVDs.

Backwards compatibility has not always been a priority for Sony. Whereas Microsoft has always included backwards compatibility in each generation of its rival Xbox gaming system. The company adds support for its vast back catalogue of video games via software updates, which are rolled-out on a regular basis.

Meanwhile, Sony ditched support for older titles when it launched the PlayStation 4. Instead, console owners are encouraged to stream and download digital copies of their favourite PS3 titles via the PlayStation Now subscription service.

When asked why the PlayStation 4 doesn't let gamers play their ageing PS3 discs, Head of PlayStation Europe Jim Ryan said the feature is rarely used.

Speaking to TIME Magazine in June 2017, Ryan said: "When we've dabbled with backwards compatibility, I can say it is one of those features that is much requested, but not actually used much. That, and I was at a Gran Turismo event recently where they had PS1, PS2, PS3 and PS4 games, and the PS1 and the PS2 games, they looked ancient, like why would anybody play this?"

The Microsoft Xbox One is already able to play older Xbox 360 games at higher framerates and in 4K Ultra HD resolutions – something that wasn't possible when the titles originally launched. 

Based on the – admittedly, limited – information in the patent, it sounds like Sony has something verysimilar planned for its next-generation games console. And the idea of playing the original Red Dead Redemption with improved high-resolution textures on an expansive Ultra HD television has got us very excited.

LG has a dual-screen 5G phone, but it's not a Huawei Mate X rival. Here's why

MWC 2019 is certainly turning out to be the show of 5G phones and folding phones, and at MWC today, LG took the wraps off its first 5G smartphone, the V50 ThinQ. It's a tidy looking Android phone with a hefty battery and plenty of cooling for its power-hungry processor. There's plenty of new technology here but LG believes it has done enough with the V50 ThinQ to combat some of the perceived problems with the first wave of 5G-touting phones.

T3 was at a press briefing where Ken Hong, Head of Global Corporate Communications at LG, along with some of LG’s product managers, showed off the new handset and talked about some of LG’s philosophies behind its design.

Hong said that when designing the phone, there were three misperceptions of 5G handsets that LG wanted to prove wrong.

The first is that because 5G is power-hungry, then battery life must be hugely compromised. While agreeing that 5G requires extra power – in part because people are likely to use 5G handsets for more power-intensive tasks – Hong claimed that the 4000mAh battery in the V50 will be enough for 1.2 days of use.

The second misconception, Hong said, is that there would be a problem with heat dissipation – in other words, that your phone gets really, really hot. Xiaomi addressed this issue in its 5G Mi MIX 3 with a heat-capturing layer and six layers of graphite. LG says it has added a “vapour chamber” to the V50, whereas 4G phones generally only use copper wire, apparently. This, said Hong, means that heat dissipation is 40% faster.

The final misconception, Hong concluded, is that a larger battery and extra cooling means that a 5G smartphone needs a cumbersome, chunky design. LG said its primary goal was to make the design of the V50 thin, and in that sense it has undoubtedly succeeded – the V50 measures just 8.3 millimetres thick and weighs 183g, which is only a shade more than the V40, which weighs in at 169g.

LG V50 THINQ 5G SPECS

Inside the V50 there's a Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 with a Snapdragon X50 5G modem. The screen is a 6.4-inch QHD+ OLED display with 19.5:9 aspect ratio.

In terms of shooting pics and videos, there are three rear-mounted cameras and two front-facing cameras. There's no unsightly camera bump to be found, either, as everything sits flush under a glass back. And because LG envisages people using 5G for a lot of video streaming, there’s even a dedicated ‘Go Live on YouTube’ button. 

That button is a neat idea, though hopefully it can be customised to launch other live streaming services, like Twitter and Facebook, for those who aren't wholly invested in the Google-owned video platform.

As for the display, LG promises this is “the best OLED display the industry has”. Audio comes from stereo speakers – 1.3W on the bottom and 0.7W on top – and the phone has ‘Boombox speaker’ capabilities. This is something that LG has used in previous smartphones and uses the body of the phone to act like a speaker cabinet to improve the sound.

(Image: © LG)

At a show where everyone seems to be talking about dual-screen folding phones – the Huawei Mate Xbeing a real showstopper here in Barcelona – the V50 has its own dual-screen trick.

In what is certain to cause comparisons with the likes of the Samsung Galaxy Fold and the Huawei Mate X, LG is also launching an optional add-on of a second screen for the V50. Called the Dual Screen, the additional screen clips into a folio case that the V50 sits in and then the phone transmits its signal to the secondary display using a proprietary shortwave standard (called Keyssa). You then have two screens side by side, like the inside pages of a book, and you can fold the case back itself so that the screens are back to back, like a book cover, or like the pages of an inside-out book if you prefer that analogy.

So it’s another dual-screen phone, just like the Galaxy Fold? No, not quite. 

Hong is quick to point out that this is not what the V50 is designed to be. Instead, this is a smartphone that has an optional second screen that you can use to do some fun and useful things. 

The LG team then talked through a few of those uses, promising that more would be added later via software updates.

In closed mode, you could take a photo of someone and they would be able to see themselves in preview mode on the screen that’s facing them. In open mode, you could use it for video calls and see yourself on one screen and the person you’re talking to on the other... although frankly, this seems like a use for only the most vain Skype callers. For gaming, one screen can display the gameplay while the second screen shows the controls – avoiding the problem of the virtual joystick crowding the screen. You can also swap between different gamepad layouts. Or you could have a web browser on the top screen and a large keyboard on the bottom screen. Or watch a movie on one screen and search IMDB on the other. Anyway, you get the idea...

(Image: © LG)

We know that LG is perfectly capable of making bendy, rollable screens. Just look at its rollable OLED TV that stole all the headlines at CES. But now is not the right time for LG to be releasing a folding phone, it said. 

The company recently told a press conference in Seoul that it has "reviewed releasing the foldable smartphone when launching [its] 5G smartphone but decided not to produce it.” 

It added: "LG’s main issue in [the] smartphone business is to regain its market position" and that "it is too early for LG to launch a foldable smartphone".

So what we have instead is an interesting device that is almost certainly not going to have anything like a Galaxy Fold or Huawei Mate X price tag. That means it will enable people who are interested in a dual-screen phone to experience one without shelling out $2,000 (or perhaps even more for the 5G-enabled Fold when that goes on sale later this year). And if the market for folding phones really takes off, no doubt that’s when LG will come back with a true, one-piece folding phone.

LG V50 THINQ 5G PRICE AND RELEASE DATE

The V50 ThinQ release date is set for the first half of this year and LG says it is partnering with 10 major carriers in markets where 5G service will be launched this year, including the United States, South Korea, Australia and a number of European countries. 

In the UK, EE today announced that it has partnered exclusively with LG to bring the V50 ThinQ 5G to UK buyers "later this year." No prices – for the handsets or contracts – have yet been announced

Huawei Mate X is the Samsung Galaxy Fold rival you've been waiting for

The 5G Huawei Mate X foldable phone has been officially unveiled to rapturous applause at a jam-packed event at Mobile World Congress 2019.

The Huawei Mate X folding phone, which is dubbed the "world's fastest foldable 5G phone", comes mere days after Samsung unveiled its own foldable device, the Samsung Galaxy Fold, and appears in every way a strong and fierce rival to the South Korean-made device.

In terms of design the Huawei Mate X boasts three screens, a 6.6-inch front screen with 19.5:9 aspect ratio and 2,480 x 1148 pixel resolution, a 6.38-inch rear screen with a 25:9 aspect ratio and 2,480 x 892 pixel resolution, and – when fully unfolded – an 8-inch tablet "FullView" screen with 8:7.1 aspect ratio and 2,480 x 2,200 pixel resolution.

When fully unfolded in tablet mode the Huawei Mate X is only 5.4mm thick, which is thinner than the new iPad Pro, and 11mm thick when folded completely flat. These feats also grant the Mate X the title of the "world's thinnest foldable phone", too.

The Huawei Mate X's various usage modes are enabled by a sophisticated Falcon Wing Hinge, which supports the outward curve of the screen, and allows the device to be bent and fixed fluidly into a variety of angles.

An interesting design point of note is that, because the device has been designed for one-handed use, when the phone is unfolded the user can access the handset's ergonomic curvature grip, which is located on the right-hand backside of the device when in tablet mode. This has been designed to make holding the device, even when in tablet/open mode, comfortable for long periods.

In terms of internal hardware, the Huawei Mate X comes loaded with the Chinese maker's incredibly rapid Kirin 980 flagship CPU and, granting it its "world's fastest 5G phone" title, Balong 5000 multi-mode 5G chipset.

The Balong 5000 works in partnership with a quad 5G antenna design to enable downlink speeds of up to 4.6 gigabits per second, which is "Sub-6G" level and approximately 10 times as fast as 4G. In the real world that speed equates to a 1GB movie, for example, downloading in just three seconds.

Naturally, for a device that has not just one screen but actually three screens to power, and that is on top of its next-gen internal hardware, the Huawei Mate X comes installed with a large 4,500mAh battery, which is split over two cell banks. This battery is supportive of Huawei's new 55W SuperCharge technology, too, meaning that it can be charged to 85 per cent capacity (that's 3,825mAh) in only 30 minutes.

As for core hardware spec, the Huawei Mate X comes with 8GB of RAM and a 512GB storage drive.

Other features of note include 2-in-1 power and fingerprint reader on, a new Leica-built camera system, which thanks to the multi-screen design of the phone allows you to see portraits in real time, and a Huawei-designed, wrap-around Full Cover Case for the Mate X as well, the latter protecting the device's screens when they are not in use.

HUAWEI MATE X PRICE AND RELEASE DATE

In terms of colourway the Mate X comes in Interstellar Blue. The Huawei Mate X will cost €2299 (about £1,997) and will ship in summer 2019.

T3 recently got up close and personal with the Huawei Mate X at MWC 2019, so be sure to check back in to T3.com very soon for our early impressions review.