Why it matters to you
If you’re a Sony fan or just looking for a new phone, Sony’s new options could be serious contenders — especially ones that may feature Qualcomm’s new Snapdragon 835 processor.
Mobile World Congress could be a pretty big event for Sony. According to a new report from Japan, the company is set to launch a hefty five new phones during MWC 2017, with that handful of models spanning all price brackets and power brackets.
The report, from Sumaho Info, doesn’t mention specific names for the phones, but it does highlight some specs. And some of those specs are very interesting — one of the phones features the new Qualcomm Snapdragon 835, directly contradicting reports that we wouldn’t see any Snapdragon 835 phones at the show. Still, it’s possible that the new phone will be announced but not shipped out to customers for a few months.
More: Apple vs Qualcomm: Everything you need to know
On top of the new Snapdragon 835, the flagship device will also feature a 3,840 x 2,160 display, either 4GB or 6GB of RAM, and a Sony IMX 400 camera sensor. That screen resolution and processor will make the phone perfect for virtual reality, and while there’s no official confirmation that it will be “Daydream ready,” or able to work with Google’s Daydream VR standard, we’re betting that it will be.
Another phone will feature the Snapdragon 835 or 653, along with a 2,560 x 1,440 display, 4GB of RAM, and the same camera sensor — making it a likely candidate for those wanting a near-flagship phone at a decent price.
Next up is a phone code-named Keyaki, which has a full HD 1,920 x 1,080 display, coupled with a MediaTek Helio P20 processor, 4GB of RAM, and 64GB of internal storage. The rear-facing camera will be 23MP while the front-facing camera will sit at 16MP. Another device, code-named Hinoki, will have the same MediaTek processor, but the display resolution will be downgraded to 1,280 x 720. It will feature 3GB of RAM and 32GB of storage. The phone will have a 16MP rear-facing camera and an 8MP front-facing camera.
It’s expected that the phones will be launched at MWC, but the report also notes that they could be launched throughout the year instead. Only time will tell.