MWC’s best phones head-to-head: It’s (mostly) about the display

While flagships may have been scarce at MWC this year, there were still more than a few notable smartphone announcements early in the week. We’ve put the biggest ones so far in a handy table so you can compare specs, features and more to decide which one might be your next daily driver. Who knows, we may be in for a few surprises now that the show officially started, but for now, here are the five handsets from Barcelona that you need to know.

Huawei P10
Nokia 6 Arte Black edition
BlackBerry KEYone
Pricing
Not available
Not available
Not available
€299 (around $318)
$549
Known dimensions
148.9 x 74.9 x 7.9 mm (5.86 x 2.91 x 0.31 inches)
156 x 77 x 7.9 mm (6.14 x 3.03 x 0.31 inches)
145.3 x 69.3 x 6.98 mm (5.72 x 2.73 x 0.27 inches)
154 x 75.8 x 7.85 mm (6.06 x 2.98 x 0.31 inches)
149 x 72.3 x 9.4 mm (5.87 x 2.85 x 0.37 inches)
Weight
163g (5.75 ounces)
195g (6.88 ounces)
145g (5.11 ounces)
Not available
Not available
Screen size
5.7 inches (144.78mm)
5.5 inches (139.7mm)
5.1 inches
5.5 inches (139.7mm)
4.5 inches (114.3 mm)
Screen resolution
2,880 x 1,440 (564 ppi)
2,880 x 1,440 (801 ppi)
1,920 x 1,080 (431 ppi)
1,920 x 1,200 (403 ppi)
1,620 x 1,080 (434 ppi)
Screen type
QHD+ FullVision IPS
4K HDR Triluminos
FHD 1080p
IPS LCD full HD
IPS LCD
Battery
3,300mAh
3,230mAh
3,200mAh
3,000mAh
3,505mAh
Internal storage
32GB
64GB
64GB
64GB
32GB
External storage
microSD
microSD
microSD
microSD
microSD
Rear camera
13MP, f/1.8 (wide: 13MP, f/2.4
19MP
Dual lens 20MP monochrome, 12MP RGB, f/2.2
16MP, f/2
12MP, f/2
Front-facing cam
5MP, f/2.2
13Mp, f/2
8MP, f/1.9
8MP, f/2
8MP
Video capture
4k at 30fps
4K at 30fps, slow motion at 960fps
4K at 30fps
1080p at 30fps
4K at 30fps
NFC
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Bluetooth
v4.2
v4.2
v4.2
v4.1
v4.2
SoC
Qualcomm Snapdragon 821
Qualcomm Snapdragon 835
Octo-core Kirin 960
Qualcomm Snapdragon 430
Qualcomm Snapdragon 625
GPU
Adreno 530
Adreno 540
Mali-G71 MP8
Adreno 505
Adreno 506
RAM
4GB
4GB
4GB
4GB
3GB
WiFi
Dual band, 802.11ac
Dual band, 802.11ac
Dual band, 802.11ac
Dual band, 802.11ac
Dual band, 802.11ac
Operating system
Android 7.0
Android 7.1
Android 7.0
Android 7.1
Android 7.1
Standout features
18:9 FullVision display, Google Assistant, IP68 certified, Quick Charge 3.0, wireless charging (US), Quad DAC (Asia), fingerprint sensor
Google Cast, Motion Eye slow motion capture, 4K HDR display, high-res audio, IP68 certified, Gorilla Glass 5
Gorilla Glass 5, Huawei SuperCharge, Leica Dual-Camera 2.0
Fingerprint sensor, near-stock Android, Google Assistant, smart amplifier with Dolby Atmos
QWERTY keyboard, DTEK security, enterprise ready, programmable app shortcuts, Quick Charge 3.0, BBM
Accessories
Not applicable
Not applicable
Not applicable
Not applicable
Not applicable

* Specs in italics are unconfirmed, but we’ll update this table as more details become available.

Click here to catch up on the latest news from MWC 2017.

A first look at Gear VR’s motion controller

Samsung and Oculus are making sure the Gear VR keeps up with Google’s DayDream VR platform. The two companies announced a new version of the mobile headset and it now comes with a controller. In fact, that’s the major difference, with the headset itself being marginally lighter and benefitting from a few cosmetic tweaks. I got to handle the controller for a brief spell here at MWC, and while there were no demos for me to experience, Gear VR’s take on the mobile controller feels more like the HTC’s Vive peripherals than anything else. And that’s certainly not a bad thing.

The basic controls on the Gear VR aren’t all that different from Daydream VR: a trigger button on the rear, a circular clickable touchpad, along with volume, back and home buttons. There’s a groove in the controller body that makes it feel comfortable to grip. As Oculus puts it in its press release, the controller “lets you select, grab, take aim, and fire.” Indeed, that’s likely to be the real benefit for this new headset compared to previous Gear VR hardware. The controller offers a far more comfortable (and, we suspect, responsive) way to play and interact with VR content. Now we just have to see what shape that content takes.

Seventy projects are apparently already in the works, and existing Gear VR headsets are also compatible with the controller.

Click here to catch up on the latest news from MWC 2017.

MediaTek’s revamped 10-core chip will be hitting phones in Q2

MediaTek’s first 10-core chips, the Helio X20 and X25, didn’t exactly storm the smartphone market last year, but the company isn’t ready to give up just yet. Following MediaTek’s initial announcement back in September, the new 10-core Helio X30 is now finally entering mass production, with the first devices expected to arrive some time in Q2 this year. For those who aren’t already familiar with this piece of silicon, the X30 is MediaTek’s first move into 10nm fabrication, allowing it to join the likes of Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 835 and Samsung’s Exynos 9 Series 8895.

Even though the Helio X30 will most likely be landing on premium mid-range devices, it’s certainly no slouch. Its Tri-Cluster architecture consists of two powerful Cortex-A73 cores clocked at 2.5GHz, four mid-range Cortex-A53 cores at 2.2GHz and four battery-friendly Cortex-A35 cores at 1.9GHz. There’s also an 800MHz PowerVR Series7XT Plus GPU, which claims to deliver 2.4 times more graphical power than the 780MHz Mali-T880 MP4 on the X20.

On the radio side, the X30 comes with a Cat 10 LTE world mode modem, meaning it’s capable of 450 Mbps downlink using tri-band carrier aggregation, and 150 Mbps uplink using dual-band carrier aggregation. It may sound less appealing than the Gigabit connectivity offered by the latest flagship chips from Qualcomm and Samsung, but then again, good luck finding a carrier that supports it.

MediaTek claims the X30 is 35 percent more powerful than its predecessor, but since it’s based on a 10nm process instead of the old 20nm, it’s said to offer power savings of over 50 percent. We’ll believe it when we see it. Perhaps what’s more important for the company is timing: With the X30 being the company’s very first chip to use this new fabrication process, MediaTek will need to give smartphone makers ample time to thoroughly test the first batch of chips.

Click here to catch up on the latest news from MWC 2017.

Source: MediaTek

10.5-Inch iPad Pro Said to Have 2,224×1,668 Display With Same Pixel Density as 9.7-Inch Model

Apple’s rumored 10.5-inch iPad Pro will have a higher resolution of 2,224×1,668 pixels, while maintaining the same pixel density as the current 9.7-inch iPad Pro, according to IHS Markit director of tablets and PCs Rhoda Alexander.

Specifically, she told Forbes that a 10.5-inch iPad Pro at 2,224×1,668 would have 264 PPI, equal to the current 9.7-inch iPad Pro at 2,048×1,536.

The article actually quoted Alexander as saying the 10.5-inch iPad Pro will have a 2,024×1,668 resolution, but she confirmed to MacRumors that this was a typo and that she indeed expects a resolution of 2,224×1,668.

If the 10.5-inch iPad Pro does in fact end up having the same pixel density as the current 9.7-inch iPad Pro, that would go against another mathematically possible scenario in which the tablet could have the same 2,732×2,048 resolution as the current 12.9-inch iPad Pro, with the same pixel density as the iPad mini 4.

In line with existing rumors, Alexander said the 10.5-inch iPad Pro will have slimmer bezels that allow it to have the same overall footprint as the 9.7-inch iPad Pro. She reportedly expects the 10.5-inch iPad Pro to “arrive in the March-April timeframe,” which lines up with Apple’s rumored March event.

Japanese blog Mac Otakara said Apple will release four new iPad Pro models at a March event. The report said the 10.5-inch model may not ship until May, while new 7.9-inch, 9.7-inch, and 12.9-inch models are said to ship in March. DigiTimes likewise said the 10.5-inch iPad Pro may not come until May-June.

Alexander also said Apple’s rumored low-cost 9.7-inch iPad Pro could start at $299, which would be $100 cheaper than the iPad Air 2. It could supplant the iPad mini 4, which Alexander said may not be updated. KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said the low-cost model could have an older A9X chip.

Related Roundup: iPad Pro
Tag: IHS
Buyer’s Guide: 12.9″ iPad Pro (Caution)
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SanDisk Launches 256GB Flash Drive and Wireless Stick for iPhone and iPad

SanDisk today announced that its iXpand Flash Drive is now available in a larger 256GB storage capacity for $279.99, expanding upon existing 16GB, 32GB, 64GB, and 128GB capacities available for between $49.99 and $129.99.

The iXpand Flash Drive connects to the Lightning port on an iPhone or iPad to provide the device with up to 256GB of additional storage space through the SanDisk iXpand Drive app. It has a USB-A port with USB 3.0 speeds for quickly transferring files to and from another iOS device, Mac, or PC.

MacRumors reviewed the second-generation iXpand Flash Drive last year and noted that it was a worthwhile purchase for those who need expanded storage, although the new 256GB size is on the expensive side.

SanDisk also introduced its Connect Wireless Stick in a larger 256GB storage capacity for $279.99. The wireless flash drive enables wireless storage and transfer of files from one iPhone or iPad to another iOS device, Mac, or PC over a password-protected Wi-Fi network. It has a USB 2.0 port.

Both external storage solutions are available now at Amazon, Best Buy, B&H Photo Video, and select other retailers in the United States and elsewhere.

Tags: SanDisk, iXpand Flash Drive, SanDisk Connect Wireless Stick
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Apple Seeds Fourth macOS Sierra 10.12.4 Beta to Developers

Apple today seeded the fourth beta of an upcoming macOS Sierra 10.12.4 update to developers, one week after seeding the third macOS Sierra 10.12.4 beta and over a month after releasing macOS Sierra 10.12.3.

The fourth macOS Sierra 10.12.4 beta is available for download through the Apple Developer Center or the software update mechanism in the Mac App Store for those who have previously installed a beta.

macOS Sierra 10.12.4 brings iOS’s Night Shift mode to the Mac for the first time. First introduced on iOS devices with iOS 9.3, Night Shift is designed to gradually shift the display of a device from blue to yellow, cutting down on exposure to blue light. Blue light is said to disrupt the circadian rhythm and is believed to interrupt sleeping patterns.

Night Shift can be activated through the Displays section of System Preferences, where a setting to have it come on at sunset and turn off at sunrise is available. Night Shift can also be toggled on manually through the Notification Center or via Siri.

Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos.
The 10.12.4 update focuses mainly on Night Shift, but also includes dictation support for Shanghainese, cricket scores for Siri, improved PDFKit APIs, and iCloud Analytics options.

Related Roundup: macOS Sierra
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Apple Seeds Fourth Beta of iOS 10.3 to Developers

Apple today seeded the fourth beta of an upcoming iOS 10.3 update to developers, one week after seeding the third beta of iOS 10.3 and more than two months after the release of iOS 10.2, the last major update to the iOS 10 operating system.

Registered developers can download the fourth iOS 10.3 beta from the Apple Developer Center or over-the-air with the proper configuration profile installed.

iOS 10.3 is a major update, introducing several new features and changes to the iOS 10 operating system. The biggest new consumer-facing feature is “Find My AirPods,” which is designed to help AirPods owners locate a lost earphone. Find My AirPods records the last known location of when an AirPod was connected to an iOS device via Bluetooth and can play a sound on a lost AirPod.

Apple’s latest update also introduces a new Apple File System (APFS), installed when an iOS device is updated to iOS 10.3. APFS is optimized for flash/SSD storage and includes features like strong encryption.

Apple plans to introduce some App Store changes in iOS 10.3, allowing developers to respond to customer reviews for the first time. iOS users are also able to label reviews in the App Store as “Helpful” or “Not Helpful,” which should help surface the most relevant review content.

Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos.
Apple also plans to limit the number of times developers can ask for a review, allow customers to leave app reviews without exiting an app, and provide a “master switch” that will let users turn off all app review request prompts.

Also new in iOS 10.3 is a redesigned app open/close animation, an Apple ID profile in Settings, a better breakdown of iCloud storage usage, warnings about outdated apps that won’t work with future versions of iOS, HomeKit support for programmable light switches, improvements to SiriKit (bill paying, bill status, and scheduling future rides), CarPlay interface improvements, iCloud analytics options, and more. For a full rundown of the changes introduced in the first beta, make sure to check out our dedicated “What’s New” post.

If we find any new features in the fourth iOS 10.3 beta, we’ll update this post.

Related Roundup: iOS 10
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How to pick the right microSD card for the Nintendo Switch

Nintendo is taking an old-school approach with the Nintendo Switch by using cartridge-based games. The benefit of cartridges is that you won’t need to install them directly on the system. When you pick up your console and a game — namely, Breath of the Wild — you can just pop the cartridge in and play without having to install any data. If you choose to download Breath of the Wild, on the other hand, the file size will devour a whopping 13.4GB. Even if you plan to buy physical copies of most AAA games, if you account for system updates, game patches, eShop games, and Virtual Console classics (when VC comes to Switch), the console’s 32GB of storage space will evaporate rather quickly.

More: Nintendo’s Switch is one console you can take everywhere — here’s what you need to know

Thankfully, the Switch has a microSD card reader that allows you expand on-board storage. Here’s what you should consider when picking out a microSD card for your Switch, along with a few recommendations.

microSDXC vs. microSDHC

The Switch supports microSDHC cards by default, but a launch update will add microSDXC compatibility as well. What’s the difference? Storage limits.

SDHC stands for Secure Digital High Capacity, but these cards top out at 32GB. SDXC stands for Secure Digital eXtended Capacity, and these cards store anywhere between 64GB and 256GB at this time.

Depending on your gaming habits, 32GB of additional storage via microSDHC may be enough for you, but for those who plan to use the eShop and Virtual Console, microSDHC probably won’t cut it for very long.

Taking a look at the Nokia 3, 5, and 6: Baby steps

Nokia used to be the star of mobile tech shows, but it’s been years since MWC Barcelona showcased a genuinely exciting Nokia phone. Well, that changed this year, as you surely already know. Nokia smartphones are back – albeit through a licensing deal – and this time they run Android. As HMD Global executives said on stage at the launch event… Finally! Finally, the Nokia brand embraces Android, the most powerful and successful mobile OS in the world. But is that enough to guarantee success?

We spent time with the new Nokia 6, Nokia 5, and Nokia 3, and these are some of our initial impressions. Spoilers: we’re moderately optimistic!

Read: Huawei P10 hands-on!

Right off the bat, the great thing about the Nokia 6, 5, and 3 is that, no matter which one you pick, you’re getting excellent build quality.

The 6 and 5 feature unibodies machined out of blocks of high-strength aluminum, while the more affordable Nokia 3 features an aluminum frame with an understated polycarbonate back.

Nokia 5

The trio are all running Android Nougat and it’s a completely stock build of Nougat, with no bloat or needless customization added. HMD said it went for a pure version of Android in order to keep the experience clean and simple and to make it easier to keep up with Google’s monthly security updates. In fact, “Pure Android” is one of the taglines of HMD’s Android lineup, along with the “obsession” with user experience and a leadership in product design.

Nokia 6

Speaking of software, Google Assistant is built-in across the lineup, and accessible with a long press of the home button. This is the very same Google Assistant we’ve seen on Google’s Pixel phones and Home, though the recent announcement that all recent Android devices would get it soon definitely stole some of HMD’s thunder.

Nokia 6

As a quick comparison, the Nokia 6 is the biggest out of the bunch and it’s also the highest spec’d. This device, which was launched in China earlier this year, has a 5.5-inch 1080p display, 3GB of RAM, 32GB of onboard storage, and it’s being powered by a Snapdragon 430 processor. There’s an 8MP front-facing shooter and a 16MP camera on the rear, with dual-tone LED flash. You also get dual speakers with Dolby Atmos enhancements driving the audio experience. The Nokia 6 will be available in four colors – matte black, silver, tempered blue, and copper – but there’s also a limited edition “Arte” version that comes garbed in gorgeous glossy black and packs four gigs of ram and double the internal storage compared to the regular versions.

Nokia 6 Arte

The Nokia 5 sits squarely in the middle of the pack with a 5.2-inch IPS HD display, two gigs of ram, 16 gigs of storage and the same Snapdragon 430 processor as the top of the line. It’s got a 13MP camera on the rear, an 8MP camera on the front and comes in the same four matte color options as the Nokia 6. The only other real difference between the Nokia 5 and 6 aside from the specs is that the design of the former is a rounded metal body, whereas the Nokia 6 has sharp and distinct edges with flat sides all around.

Nokia 5

The unassuming Nokia 3 rounds out the lineup with a 5-inch screen, two gigs of ram, 16 gigs of internal storage, and 8 megapixel cameras on both the front and the rear. Instead of a Snapdragon processor like the Nokia 5 and 6, the Nokia 3 features a MediaTek quad-core processor, which is a common occurrence of budget devices like the Nokia 3. If you want a small phone this is definitely the one to get out of the bunch, as it’s the easiest to use in one hand and despite having a polycarbonate back and not being fully metal, the build quality is still pretty solid.

Nokia 3

The Nokia 6 has been available in China for quite some time now, but now it’s going to be available internationally, along with the Nokia 3 and Nokia 5. The expected availability date for the three devices is sometime in Q2, which could mean as soon March.

The prices of these phones are quite appealing – Nokia 6, the current top of the line (we can’t call it a flagship, as it’s hardly a competitor to the best of Android) will retail in Europe starting at €229. The Nokia 5 will start from €189, while the smallest of the brood, the Nokia 3, will be just €139. It’s an open question whether any of these phones will make it to the US, though from HMD Global’s verbiage it does sound as the plan is to make them widely available across the world.

As a quick conclusion, it’s clear that HMD Global played it really safe with the Nokia 6, 5, and 3. Remember that we’re talking about a company that’s been incorporated mere months ago, attempting a delicate resuscitation of a brand that retains a lot of nostalgic fans, but has little other advantages against some incredible fierce competition. If you were hoping to see bolder designs or any actual innovation, you will probably be disappointed by the Nokia 6, 5, and 3, but as a first step, the trio of Nokia Android phones seems entirely adequate.

Read next: LG G6 hands-on!

For more on Nokia’s new line of Android-powered smartphones and the rest of our Mobile World Congress 2017 coverage, keep it tuned to Android Authority, our YouTube channel, and our social channels!

What do you think of these Nokia Android phones? Is this what you were expecting to see after all the buildup?

Oppo’s 5X camera tech uses a custom prism to take incredibly clear photos

Why it matters to you

Oppo’s long been recognized as a leader in smartphone camera technology, but the company’s 5X technology may be the pinnacle.

You might say Oppo’s secret sauce is camera tech. Ahead of the Mobile World Congress conference in Barcelona, Spain, this week, the Chinese smartphone maker detailed technology that’ll give its upcoming phone’s image sensors a leg up on the competition.

It’s called 5X, and Oppo describes it as “smartphone photography technology that [gives] users [the] ability to capture highly detailed images.” More specifically, it’s a dual camera system that uses a “periscope” structure to divert light through a prism and onto an angled telephoto lens. Oppo says the resulting shift from the light’s natural path delivers an unprecedented level of clarity at any zoom level.

More: Oppo’s mad N3 smartphone is here, and it has a motorized, rotating camera

But Oppo’s innovations don’t stop there. The 5X compensates for vibrations with a two-part optical image stabilization system that fine-tunes the telephoto lens. By dynamically adjusting the prism’s angle in 0.0025-degree increments, it’s able to deliver up to 40 percent better performance than the previous generation of OIS. It’s the fruit of more than a year of development.

Oppo has a long history of innovative camera technologies. The N1 and N3 featured the world’s first — and only — motorized smartphone cameras. Oppo kicked off its F Series with the F1, a mid-range handset featuring a selfie camera that takes in “44 percent more light” and captures “30 percent clearer selfies” than the closest competition. The Oppo Find 7 featured a software photo-stitching mode that could produce a 50-megapixel image from several separate pictures. And the company’s Pure Image 2.0+ software package contains various features including an ultra macro mode, slow shutter speeds, manual control, and the option to adjust the depth of field after taking a picture.

Oppo has also made breakthroughs in other areas. The smartphone maker’s trailblazing fast-charging system, VOOC Flash Charge, delivers up to 66 percent more power than Qualcomm’s comparable Quick Charge. And the company is developing a bendable smartphone prototype capable of folding in half, like a book.

Those types of innovations have helped to set it apart from the competition. Last year, Oppo nabbed the top spot for smartphone sales in China for the first time, beating out heavyweights like Vivo, Hauwei, and Xiaomi. Analysts at IDC credited the achievement to an aggressive pricing strategy, flashy advertising campaigns, and an abundance of brick-and-mortar product placements.

More: Selfie lovers will drool all over the 16-megapixel front camera of the Oppo F1s

The company is also focused on expansion. In a conversation with Digital Trends last year, Oppo said it would expand into emerging markets such as India, and it’s aiming to have its phones available in as many as 24 different countries.