And so the show’s over. Mobile World Congress (MWC) 2013 has served up some interesting new developments, not least the arrival of Firefox OS as a nascent force in the smartphone space.
But as well as all that sweet software, there was also a heap of cool new phones to get excited about.
So forget the impending arrival of Samsung’s Galaxy S4 and check out our pick of the best blowers from the show floor.
1 Nokia 105
Going back to basics is a phrase that’s often used when it comes to struggling mobile makers, none more so than Nokia. And it seems Espoo has really taken it to heart with its new, pared-down 105 device.
This is Nokia doing what it was great at ten years ago – serving up simple handsets with stonking battery life.
In the 105’s case, we’re talking an entire month before you’ll need to find power.
There’s no camera, but classic time-killer Snake is on board. And the clincher? It’s just €15.
2 ZTE Grand Memo
ZTE has been making waves in China, but its new Grand Memo has all the makings of being its breakout device outside Asia.
It packs in Qualcomm’s latest, fastest 800 processor, a 13 megapixel camera and high definition video playback.
The main thing here though is the 5.7-inch screen, aimed directly at Samsung’s similarly-sized Galaxy Note 2. One to keep an eye on.
3 Huawei Ascend P2
World-record claims should always been taken with a pinch of salt when it comes to mobile manufacturers.
And Huawei’s Ascend P2 would be a winner even if the Chinese giant wasn’t calling it the ‘world’s fastest smartphone’.
That’s down to the inclusion of the newest LTE Cat 4 tech which it says helps it to lightning fast 150 Mbps download speeds.
That aside, we’re looking at another Android phablet with a 4.7-inch display and a quad core processor. One to add to the increasingly impressive list of Google-backed superphones.
4 Geeksphone Keon
No, that’s not a name we just made up. In fact, this is the very first smartphone using Mozilla’s much-hyped Firefox OS.
It’s due to cost around £100 and is aimed only at developers, but it could have big implications for the smartphone industry.
Firefox OS was the big story in Barcelona and if devs can get it working to a decent standard, it has the potential to cause a big stir in emerging markets.
So let’s not get too fussy about the Keon’s 1GHz processor, three-megapixel camera and dinky 3.5-inch screen, okay?
5 Samsung Tizen phone
The Galaxy S4 was perhaps the biggest story of MWC week and it doesn’t even launch until March 14th.
But Samsung was also busy showing off a new phone at the expo which uses the Intel-backed Tizen OS.
This handset is all about offering a more Samsung-centric experience than the Android-stylings of the Galaxy range and a version of it is set to land in July.
A lot of work needs doing for it to be a winner. Still, it’s good to see it’s not all just about Android in the sweaty halls of Barcelona these days.
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