Features of Advanced Cameras and AI to Get Attention at MWC This year

The Mobile World Congress (MWC) 2018, the world's largest mobile device show, will kick off on February 26 (local time). As it did in the past, the coming MWC will show the latest trends in premium smartphones which feature advanced cameras and artificial intelligence (AI) in the first half of this year.

Samsung Electronics will unveil the Galaxy S9 and the Galaxy S9 Plus in Barcelona on February 25 which is the eve of the opening day of the MWC. Later, visitors to the MWC event will have an opportunity to experience the S9 directly.

Samsung Electronics sent invitation cards and ran an ad about the new smartphone models in advance of the launch of the product on February 25. The invitation card and ad focused on the cameras of the Galaxy S9 Series. A source said that the Galaxy S9 and the Galaxy S9 Plus would be loaded with a single camera and a dual camera, respectively. This time will mark the first time that the Galaxy S Series will be loaded with a dual camera. It is said that the Galaxy S9 Plus will sport a 12 million-pixel camera on the back and an eight million-pixel camera on the front. It is expected that the new series will have 'super slow motion' technology that can shoot about 1000 frames per second. The Galaxy S9 will have a 3D face recognition function similar to the face ID function of Apple’s iPhone X.

Other major manufacturers such as LG Electronics and Sony will introduce new premium smartphones. LG Electronics will unveil the 2018 edition of the V30, an upgraded vision of the V30 loaded with artificial intelligence (AI) functions instead of a new strategic smartphone expected in the first place. The 2018 edition of the V30 will feature enhanced camera and voice command services via the AI-based AI Vision and AI Voice. The new V30 recommends an optimal shooting mode and enable users to search for information and enjoy mobile shopping by recognizing an object with its camera. The number of its voice commands jumped from 23 to 32.

Sony will unveil the premium smartphones Xperia XZ2 and XZ Pro loaded with the latest technology in a press conference. Its camera function will be highlighted after last year. The Xperia XZ Pro is said to have an 18 million-pixel camera, a 12 million-pixel camera on the back and a 13 million-pixel camera on the front, respectively for the first time as an Xperia series model.

Chinese makers such as Huawei and Xiaomi emerging as smartphone leaders these days will not take the wrap off new smartphone products at this MWC. Instead, Huawei will introduce its P20 smartphone in a new product launch in Paris on March 27. Xiaomi's Mi 7 is expected to be released around April.

"If you look at the features of smartphones that are unwrapped at the MWC, you can predict the main features and functions of smartphones this year," an industry observer said. "If bezelless design and big screens were notable trends last year, camera functions such as dual cameras and 3D cameras will get a lot of attention at the MWC this year.”