Forget Vegas and the CES, Now it's the Mobile World Congress 2013 - Let's Talk Mobile Advertisng

The CES in Las Vegas, was just a taster before the Mobile World Congress, 2013, in Barcelona and Mobile advertising is heavily in focus now. Read on to find out why...

Last week's Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas was just enough to whet the appetite of those eager to see how the hottest new technologies in mobile will make mobile advertising more effective and profitable in the years to come.

Fortunately, this conversation will continue in earnest at the next big convention in mobile - Mobile World Congress – which kicks off in Barcelona, Spain six weeks from now. 

This year, the discussion of mobile advertising will focus heavily on Android. With more than 1.3 million Android devices activated daily across the globe, mobile ads have never before had the potential to reach the mobile masses like they can today.

Advertisers today are now dramatically adapting their campaigns to connect with mobile consumers, says Vikas Gulati, a mobile advertising executive based in Asia. But in return for that investment, a higher premium is being placed on mobile analytics.

“Much of the work in mobile advertising has been focused on rich media formats and app creation,” Gulati says. “However, as mobile advertising now begins to go mainstream, the focus will also shift towards performance. Mobile, like all digital media, is highly measurable, and advertisers will be looking for response/outcome focused campaigns such as leads, acquisition, or any other definitive actions that enhance the ROI of the marketing budgets.”

Sophisticated mobile ad formats and strategies will need to grow more pervasive, Gulati suggests, in order for most advertisers to get excited about their ROI. And that’s exactly why expectations for mobile advertising are so high ahead of MWC 2013. The pressure is on major players in mobile advertising to step up their games and elevate the industry at large.

One of the most talked about names ahead of MWC is Airpush, the Android mobile ad network that impressed the industry in 2012 following the release of its SDK 5.0. Airpush is once again expected to unveil major new innovations that may raise the bar even further for mobile advertising.

Airpush, which recently announced on its blog that it has reached a major milestone in passing 50,000 live apps on its platform, is often singled out as a primary example of Android’s growing effectiveness in mobile advertising. Considering that Airpush is exclusively Android-focused, it’s expansion and achievements – like being named “Best Mobile Ad Network” at the 2012 Mobile Excellence Awards – underscore the swelling attention being paid by developers and advertisers to the Android ecosystem.

“2013 is going to be a critical year for mobile advertising networks,” says tech analyst and regular Examiner contributor Mike Randazzo. “But the pressure to deliver will be immense. We’re largely past the point where advertisers want to wait for proof that mobile is a worthwhile channel for their investment. Now they want clear and incontrovertible evidence that it can work for them.”

Source: http://www.examiner.com

If you are visiting Barcelona for the Mobile World Congress, MWC or GSMA in 2013 or just want to make a Tour, Day trip, Attractions or Excursion or are interested in any other tour services, then check out the picture above at the top and if you can't find what you are looking for, call us on +34 663 801 325, because you can be sure we can do it.      

Barcelona Mobile World Congress 2013 - Places to be During MWC

With very little time to go before the Mobile World Congress 2013, in Barcelona, Rudy De Waele has written a great article about the main events to "be at" during the congress. For more information, contact Rudy direct (details below). 

 

With roughly six weeks to go before the mobile craze will hit Barcelona again during the Mobile World Congress, here’s my annual list of side events and *places to be*: the events and networking cocktails – next to the classic big industry players mega parties – where I’m involved with or will be hanging around.

Feel free to send me your networking event, cocktail or party, I will update this list regularely.
I hope to meet you at one of those events! If you’d like to catch up, the best way is to contact me directly on Twitter as @mtrends.

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Sunday, February 24th, 2013

Mobile Sunday 2013

Don’t miss the most important networking event before #mwc13! Connect with mobile influencers, developers, investors and entrepreneurs in a relaxed social networking environment before the hectic week begins!



The eighth annual Mobile Sunday will take place Sunday 24th February, in the heart of Barcelona.

Mobile Sunday has become the most important networking event prior to the Mobile World Congress eight years running, and is hosted this year at the Antiga Fàbrica Estrella Damn, near the emblematic Sagrada Família in Barcelona.

Rudy De Waele and Nyota Media invite you for some free beer tasting, enjoy the variety of flavours from this local beer brewery brand, and thanks to Estrella Damn, we are able to host you in one of the most iconic places of the city.

The event is supported by Adaptxt, the intelligent keyboard app for Android smartphones and tablets. Adaptxt is a brand owned by KeyPoint Technologies.

Why attend?
Mobile Sunday is the place where the stories that matter are launched the day before the conference starts. It’s the place to be where you can meet some of the most influent people in the mobile industry and its convergent areas: from startups to VC’s, from operators and handset manufactures to the most innovative application developers and service providers around.

When: Sunday, February 24th 2013. From 6pm to midnight.
Where: Antiga Fàbrica Estrella Damn - Carrer Del Rosselló, 515, 08025 Barcelona, Spain. Google Maps link here.
Registration: the event is FREE. Registration is required, sign up here.

The event is hosted by Estrella Damn, Rudy De Waele and Nyota Media and produced by INEZZ Productions in collaboration with AppCircus.

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Monday, February 25th, 2013

Mobile Premier Awards

 

Appcircus will be hosting the annual Mobile Premier Awards, recognising the world’s best apps of 2012. The event will be taking place on the evening of February 25 at the legendary Sala Apolo starting at 15.30.  The MPAs will be the main kick-off for the MWC 2013 and a great chance to start networking with key influencers in Barcelona, as well as an opportunity to discover some of the world’s most innovative apps presented live on stage. Come along and enjoy the show!

When: Monday, February 25th at 15.30.
Where: Sala Apolo - Carrer Nou de la Rambla, 113, 08004 Barcelona, Spain.

MEF Connects MWC 2013

 

For the 11th year MEF is organizing the infamous MEF Connects MWC even bigger and better for 2013! The event will take place at the Museu d’Art Contemporani de Barcelona (MACBA) and it will be an exciting night of drinks, art and entertainment and the most effective and popular networking event of the Congress. The Museu d’Art Contemporani de Barcelona assumes responsibility for disseminating contemporary art, offering a diverse range of visions, and generating critical debates on art and culture, while aspiring to reach increasingly diverse audiences. It is an INVITE-ONLY event, register your interest to attend here and will receive more information nearer to the time.

When: Monday, February 25th, From 8:30 pm.
Where: The Museu d’Art Contemporani de Barcelona, Plaça dels Àngels, 1
 (map)
Metro: Universitat (L1/L2) or Liceu (L3)

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Tuesday, February 26th, 2013

Barca Starta 2013

 

The Barca Starta is a new competition designed to recognise and reward excellent mobile start-ups. Start-ups with less than 3 years trading and under 20 members of staff are eligible to enter. Finalists will have the chance to pitch for a cash prize, with the presentations filmed, and the best ones streamed on the Mobile Marketing magazine site. To enter, simply download and complete this form and email it to Kath Clarke. The deadline for entries is Monday 25th January 2013. Finalists will be announced mid-February.

When: Tuesday, February 26th, afternoon.
Where: Cerveceria Moritz, Ronda de Sant Antoni, 39 (map)
Metro: L2 at Universitat/ Sant Antoni.

 

GSMA Global Mobile Awards 2013

 

The Global Mobile Awards 2013 presentation will take place at the Mobile World Congress on Tuesday, 26 February 2013 as part of the conference programme. The Global Mobile Awards Ceremony is included in Platinum, Gold, Silver Passes and media who have been accredited to attend MWC.

When: Tuesday, February 26th, time TBC.
Where: Fira Gran Via, Avenida de la Reina Maria Cristina, Hall 4, Conference Village (map).
Metro: Pl. Espanya (L1/L3/L8)

 

Mobile Marketing Mixer Party

 

Look no further than the Mobile Marketing Mixer, which will be hosted at the spectacular Cerveceria Moritz, a unique building, transformed from the old Moritz beer factory into one of Barcelona’s coolest venues. An open bar, light buffet and great music will be sure to make the night one to remember. With only 300 tickets to give away, the Mobile Marketing Mixer is set to be one of the hottest tickets in town. Tickets are INVITE ONLY by the Mixer’s sponsors, Smaato and Tafi, but ticket giveaways are organized on twitter throughout January by @Mmmagtweets.

When: Tuesday, February 26th, From 8:00 pm until late.
Where: Cerveceria Moritz, Ronda de Sant Antoni, 39 (map)
Metro: Universitat or Sant Antoni (L2)

 

4th Dutch Mobile Networking Event

The fourth edition of the Dutch Mobile Networking Event will take place in an exclusive town house in Barcelona. The annual event is focused on Dutch visitors of the Mobile World Congressand the main language spoken will be Dutch. However in the previous years they had quite international guests, so feel free to join. Starting at 8 pm with a welcome drink, the event will present a keynote on the impressions of the MWC and all the developments in the market. After that a party with open bar with live music and tapas. Registration is free on Eventbrite.

When: Tuesday, February 26th, From 8:00 pm to 11:00 pm.
Where: Cocktail bar Incognito, 6 Carrer de la Fusina, 08003 Barcelona.


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Wednesday, February 27th, 2013

WIP Party @ MWC 2013

 

WIP Connector, the Wireless Industry Partnership, is organizing for the fifth year “THE” party for connecting Developers at MWC. Make sure to register to take part at this event and connect with great crowd and networking. Free food and drinks, and of course, JAMEOKE. For those of you that have never attended Jameoke before, it is Karaoke with a live band of developers! Registration is free on Eventbrite

When: Wednesday, February 27th, From 7:00 PM to 11:00 PM
Where: La Fianna Restaurant, 4 Carrer Manresa (map)
Metro: Jaume I (L4)
 

Mobile Mixology 2013

 

Join InMobi and Mobile Marketing Magazine to celebrate MWC 2013! Tapas and full service bar open all night at Fahrenheit in the heart of the city of Barcelona. Special Guest: DJ PEMA. RSVP here.

When:  Wednesday, February 27th, From 8:00 PM until Midnight.
Where:  Fahrenheit Lounge Club Restaurant, Carrer d’Aribau, 131 (map)
Metro: Diagonal (L5)


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Thursday, February 28th, 2013

MLOVE @ MWC 2013

 

MLOVE is  planning the biggest bash ever in Barcelona during Mobile World Congress 2013. Join the MLOVE Community at Ocaña, just voted Barcelona’s No. 1 bar and club. They are expecting a sold out space as there will be space to meet, mingle and dance in a hot basement with a curious link to Berlin club connection. More info on tickets will follow during the month of January.

When: Thursday, February 28th, From 7:00 PM.
Where: Ocaña Barcelona, Plaça Reial, 13 14 15 (map).
Metro: Liceu or Drassanes (L3)

In summary, these are all the main events and if you need any more information, contact Rudy De Waele directly.

Source: http://www.m-trends.org

If you are visiting Barcelona for the Mobile World Congress, MWC or GSMA in 2013 or just want to make a Tour, Day trip, Attractions or Excursion or are interested in any other tour services, then check out the picture above at the top and if you can't find what you are looking for, call us on +34 663 801 325, because you can be sure we can do it.     

Firefox Mobile Operating System for 2013

Here is a video, made by Engadget, that we found about Firefox's mobile operating system which showed up on a mystery phone at a pre-CES event ahead of its unveiling later this year. It seems that Mozilla is planning a 2013 launch of the Chrome OS, which is an OS powered entirely by HTML5. This will be done in partnership with Telefonica, Qualcomm, and a long list of industry supporters. Watch the video below for more information.

If you are visiting Barcelona for the Mobile World Congress, MWC or GSMA in 2013 or just want to make a Tour, Day trip, Attractions or Excursion or are interested in any other tour services, then check out the picture above at the top and if you can't find what you are looking for, call us on +34 663 801 325, because you can be sure we can do it.   

Possibilities at the Mobile World Congress Barcelona 2013

What's going to happen at the forthcoming Mobile World Congress, in Barcelona next month? Andy Boxall of Digital Trends puts his spin on things going on....

In just over a month, Mobile World Congress 2013 begins, and with it will come an abundance of new smartphone and tablet announcements. Here’s what we’re expecting the major manufacturers to bring with them.

Have you heard of Mobile World Congress? If you’re into gadgets, chances are you Mobile World Congress begins on February 25, and as CES 2013 didn’t provide quite the smartphone overload we hoped for, it’s probably going to be one of the busiest shows for several years. Due to a slightly quieter than usual CES, many of the devices rumored may now turn up at MWC, so let’s compare what we thought was going to happen in Vegas, with what we think will happen in Barcelona.

 

Samsung

As far as mobile phones are concerned, Samsung didn’t bother announcing any at CES, leaving Verizon to talk about the Ativ Odyssey and merely sending out a press release for the Galaxy S2 Plus. Rumors spread of the Galaxy S4 making its debut in Vegas, but that was almost certainly never going to happen and what’s more, it almost certainly won’t be at Mobile World Congress either.

The Samsung flexible phone did get its moment in the spotlight, but only as a prototype on stage during the company’s keynote presentation. Known as Youm, the device was shown running Windows Phone 8 and not Android as many expected, but it was very much a work-in-progress and won’t go on sale anytime soon.

So, what’s left for MWC? We’re still waiting on a 7-inch Galaxy Note tablet and a 1080p smartphone/tablet hybrid, which were both possible for CES, and they could be joined by the mid-range GT-iS6810 Galaxy Frame and a new version of the dual-SIM Galaxy Young Duos handset. The world’s first Tizen phone could also be at the show, although the rumor suggests if it is announced, it’ll be for Japan only.

 

LG

LG made no secret of the fact it was waiting for MWC to unveil its 2013 smartphone range, so what can we expect? LG’s VP of marketing said it would be bringing out “tier one” – which means flagship – phones with “various screen sizes” at MWC and throughout 2013.

Whether LG will announce more than one high-end smartphone isn’t clear, but the Optimus G2 is a candidate, as is a tablet/smartphone hybrid with a 5.5-inch, 1080p resolution screen. LG’s fashionable L Series range is due for an update, having been announced at the show last year, and the Korean firm may also re-enter the tablet market.

 

Nokia

Nokia didn’t announce any new products at CES, so if it has anything in the works, it’s sure to be bringing them to Mobile World Congress. Perhaps the most talked about device Nokia could launch is a Windows RT tablet, the specs of which are said to include a 10-inch screen and a Snapdragon processor. Microsoft needs all the help it can get to push Windows RT, and it would probably welcome a stylish tablet with Nokia’s name attached.

An recent interview with Nokia’s head of imaging technologies may prove to be well-timed, as it revealed it has some “very cool” new PureView camera technology in the works. It’s worth remembering the 808 PureView celebrates its first birthday at the show. As for its Lumia range, it seems a little early for the refreshed 920, codename Catwalk, to be announced, as it’s a model Nokia may save for its own event later this year. CEO Stephen Elop is listed on the official Mobile World Congress site as a confirmed keynote speaker.

 

 

 

Huawei

After Huawei announced the Ascend D2, Ascend Mate, and the Ascend W1 at CES, it would be reasonable to expect the company to give Mobile World Congress a miss; however this isn’t the case at all. A Huawei executive has said it’ll be launching two phones at the Barcelona show, the first being a successor to the Ascend P1 with a thin, metallic chassis.

The second could be the Ascend W2, another Windows Phone 8 device but this time with a higher specification. The W2 has been leaked before and its potential spec list includes a 4.5-inch HD screen, a dual-core processor and an 8-megapixel camera, all wrapped up in a 7.7mm thick body. Additionally, we’re hoping to hear some news on the international release for the Ascend D2 and Mate, as they’re current only slated for China.

 

Sony

Sony is one of the few companies which had a strong smartphone line-up at CES, however it only really announced one phone, with the Xperia ZL being a variation on the Xperia Z. It’s possible Sony will use Mobile World Congress as a launchpad for the remainder of its 2013 range.

Phones such as the C530X, codename HuaShan and the C550X, codename Dogo, are prime candidates for launch. Both run Android 4.1 Jelly Bean and the C550X could be another Sony device powered by a quad-core processor.

 

ZTE

Like Huawei, ZTE had a good CES 2013 line-up but will also be bringing more phones to Mobile World Congress. While it hasn’t be as explicit as Huawei regarding its plans, another couple of big-screen devices have been rumored, named the ZTE Grand Memo – with a 5.7-inch screen and a quad-core processor – and the Nubia Z7, boasting a massive 6.3-inch screen. The Z7 has some other big numbers attached to it, with talk of a 16-megapixel camera, 4GB of RAM, and a 2560 x 1440 pixel resolution. We’ll believe it when we see it.

 

HTC

As HTC was completely silent for CES, we’re expecting great things from it at MWC. The M7 has been the subject of much speculation over the past weeks, and the new flagship phone – potentially boasting another 5-inch, 1080p resolution screen – is likely to take pride and place at the show. The new phone could be accompanied by the announcement of HTC Sense 5, too.

Last year’s Mobile World Congress saw the introduction of the One X and several of its cheaper siblings, so the M7 could bring with it a selection of other phones as part of a brand-new collection for 2013, as hinted at in an extensive codename leak recently. HTC could also use the show to reveal its new brand identity.

 

 

Research in Motion

Mobile World Congress will begin less than a month after RIM officially launches BlackBerry 10, and should the leaked release date prove accurate, it’ll end just as the phones go on sale. The press coverage provided at MWC, plus the chance for attendees to try out the retail devices just ahead of launch, could be seen as critical publicity for RIM at a very important time.

This makes it all the more surprising to read rumors the company won’t be attending the show in any capacity. RIM was there last year, when it had nothing to announce except PlayBook OS 2.0, so for it to shun the show when it actually has something to shout about (and in which many people are interested) is very odd.

At the time of writing, Research in Motion isn’t listed as one of MWC’s confirmed exhibitors on the official event website. There’s also nothing on the company’s own event planner either, but then neither is anything past November 2012, so one can’t take this as confirmation just yet.

 

All The Rest

Acer, Asus, Fujitsu, and Alcatel should all have new hardware – some of it already seen at CES – on display, while Intel, Qualcomm, and Nvidia will also be there to talk mobile processors. Apple won’t be at the show officially, but members of its staff will undoubtedly be wandering the show floor.

Mobile World Congress begins on February 25 and runs until February 28 in Barcelona, Spain.

Source: http://www.digitaltrends.com

If you are visiting Barcelona for the Mobile World Congress, MWC or GSMA in 2013 or just want to make a Tour, Day trip, Attractions or Excursion or are interested in any other tour services, then check out the picture above at the top and if you can't find what you are looking for, call us on +34 663 801 325, because you can be sure we can do it.   

What is Facebook up to? A Search Engine, Mobile OS, Messenger, Ad Network In One?

Here is an article that we found, which basically explains what Facebook might be up to. Basically they are thinking of producing a set of applications to run on iOS, to become what? Read on to find out more.

Six words designed to “build” hype. Shortly after 10 am PT tomorrow, we will know what the fuss is (or isn’t) about. The speculations circle around mobile, of course. Is it a full-on phone, or a mobile OS that runs on one or more manufacturers’  phones? A form of Facebook Messenger for iPad seems certain, but how does that fit in?

Then there are the persistent rumors that Facebook is buying the Atlas ad serving network from Microsoft. And let’s not forget the possibility that the social giant is trying to get into the ad supported search business, as well.

More than pitting itself agains Apple‘s iOS, these ideas are more directly aggressive towards Google. Could it be that Facebook and Google are bothfighting to be the guest for whom Apple’s iOS is the host?

Think about it. Google’s recent batch of apps for iOS virtually add up to an OS onto itself. Facebook could do the same, only different.

Facebook and Google have, in fact, two contrasting paradigms about how to create relevance for users—and advertisers. As Eli Pariser writes in his brilliant book, The Filter Bubble, ”Google and Facebook have different starting points and different strategies—on starts with relationships among pieces of information, while the other starts with relationships among people—but ultimately, they’re competing for the same advertising dollars.”

But despite the fact that Apple may have set production quotas too high for the iPhone 5, iOS users are widely acknowledged to be more valuable users than Android users. And since the name of this game is advertising, it is possible that instead of building its own Android fork OS or phone, that Facebook could be targeting Apple’s OS in the same way Google has.

So while it is possible that Facebook has been “building” its own phone or mobile OS, it’s also possible that what they have built is a set of apps that run on iOS that together become a defacto OS in much the same way Google’s suite of mobile apps do. They could be doing the same for Android, or even Windows Phone or Blackberry 10. Who knows, Mark Zuckerberg could have even rescued HTML5 from under the bus where he threw it last year and the apps could work everywhere.

The point is that a people based mobile experience that intermediates your messaging, your news feed, your games, entertainment and commerce would be different than Google (or Apple’s) version of the same. Personally, it’s the last thing I want, but I’m not who Facebook is after. But really all of the big mobile apps that have incorporated their own web browser within the apps (Twitter, LinkedIn, etc.) are heading in this same direction, but Facebook and Google are unique in being able to lay claim to all the corners of people’s lives.

The question for tomorrow, and really for Facebook’s future, is what is the benefit to users to see the world and speak to the world through Facebook. We already know what it will do for Facebook.

Source: http://www.forbes.com

If you are visiting Barcelona for the Mobile World Congress, MWC or GSMA in 2013 or just want to make a Tour, Day trip, Attractions or Excursion or are interested in any other tour services, then check out the picture above at the top and if you can't find what you are looking for, call us on +34 663 801 325, because you can be sure we can do it.    

Huawei to Release More Smartphones at Mobile World Congress

Although Huawei has released 3 new smartphones at the CES, they it seems that they are going to release a further 2 at the Mobile World Congress, in Barcelona, this February. Read on to find out more...

Despite a strong showing at CES 2013, Huawei is planning to introduce two additional smartphones at Mobile World Congress, and they could be even more impressive than the Ascend D2 and Ascend Mate.

After announcing three new smartphones at CES 2013, one could have expected Huawei to be done with new releases for a while, however according to Richard Yu, head of the company’s consumer business group, it’s planning a similarly strong showing at Mobile World Congress next month.

Yu couldn’t wait to tell those gathered at the Las Vegas show there was more to come, as he’s quoted as saying, “Huawei will be launching two new products at MWC that are more innovative than these two phones,” soon after the launch of the Ascend D2 and Ascend Mate, the devices to which he was referring.

It’s a bold statement too, as the Ascend D2 has a 5-inch, 1080p screen and the Ascend Mate is equipped with gigantic 6.1-inch display. Perhaps not innovative, but certainly two of the standout smartphones revealed at CES. It also backs up what we all expected, that even those companies who revealed new smartphones at the show are saving their best for MWC.

So what innovative products does Huawei have waiting in the wings? According to Engadget, one of them will be the successor to the Ascend P1 S, and it’ll be even slimmer than the original 6.68mm thick Android phone. This puts the current World’s Slimmest Smartphone record holder, the 6.45mm Alcatel One Touch Idol Ultra announced at CES, firmly in its sights. As for the other phone, it has so far stayed out of the limelight.

Exciting huh? Yes, but with a few reservations. Seeing as the Ascend P1 S, which Huawei debuted at CES 2012, has only just gone on sale in the U.S., and P1 S’s LTE variant became part of EE’s 4G line-up in the UK this October; prompt release dates following announcement isn’t one of Huawei’s strong points. There’s also no guarantee it’ll be coming to anywhere except China either, as the Ascend D2 and Ascend Mate have so far only been given release dates there.

We’ll know all about Huawei’s continued plans for 2013 at Mobile World Congress, which begins on February 25.

Source: http://www.digitaltrends.com

If you are visiting Barcelona for the Mobile World Congress, MWC or GSMA in 2013 or just want to make a Tour, Day trip, Attractions or Excursion or are interested in any other tour services, then check out the picture above at the top and if you can't find what you are looking for, call us on +34 663 801 325, because you can be sure we can do it.   

Is it Worth Waiting for the New Galaxy S4?

So many new phones being launched, so much competition between rival companies, but the burning question is "Should you wait for the new Galaxy S4?". Check out the article below, which covers the question in morte depth.

We’ve seen a wave of Android smartphones sporting 5-inch 1080p displays, quad-core processors, and 13-megapixel cameras unveiled at CES 2013, but you should probably wait for the Galaxy S4.

It hasn’t been an earth-shattering show for mobile this year. CES 2013 has thrown up some interesting devices, but the big players in mobile seem to be saving their announcements for MWC (Mobile World Congress) next month. If you’re in the market for an upgrade, you’d do well to bide your time and wait just a little longer to see what else is on the horizon. There will be new releases from HTC and LG, RIM’s BlackBerry 10 will arrive, and there’s never a shortage of new iPhone rumors, but the device you can’t afford to ignore is the Samsung Galaxy S4.

 

Bigger and better

Check out our Best of CES 2013 in Mobile to find full details on the devices that grabbed our attention. The “phablet” space is getting competitive with releases like the 6.1-inch Huawei Ascend Mate, and the market is predictably being flooded with new tablets, but there’s a lack of innovation in the smartphone segment. Sony’s new flagship, the Xperia Z, is a good example. It has a 5-inch 1080p display, a quad-core processor, and a 13-megapixel camera, just like the newly announced ZTE Grand S and the Huawei Ascend D2.

The Xperia Z definitely compares favorably with the Android leaders right now, but it doesn’t offer much beyond the HTC Droid DNA, which came out last November. A bigger camera and an impressive level of water resistance don’t qualify as big innovations.

We don’t have details on carriers or pricing yet, but the Xperia Z is a premium product and will no doubt have a price tag to match. The ZTE Grand S and Huawei Ascend D2 are launching in China and we don’t yet know when, or if, they’ll reach the states.

The truth is that none of the smartphones announced at CES 2013 should you have you running to the stores or phoning your carrier for an upgrade. When you factor in pricing, you could build a pretty strong case for the Pantech Discover being the most noteworthy release – it’s $50 on a two-year contract at AT&T and it has a 4.8-inch 720p display, a decent 1.5GHz dual-core processor, and a 12.6-megapixel camera. A variant called the Pantech Perception will also be available on Verizon.

 

You’ll be sorry if you don’t wait

If you’re looking for something slightly better than the Galaxy S3 then there are definitely some options out there, but what will Samsung bring to the table with the Galaxy S4? Until we see what Samsung’s new iteration has to offer, it would be jumping the gun to upgrade your smartphone.

The brand that Samsung has built with the Galaxy S series is impressive. The Galaxy S2 really upped the ante for Android and the Galaxy S3 took it to a whole new level. The Galaxy S3 has surpassed 30 million unit sales worldwide, making it Samsung’s most successful smartphone ever. It was the number one, best-selling smartphone in the third quarter of 2012, beating the iPhone into second place. It won a number of “phone of the year” awards and it is still going strong.

The S3 set the standard for Android smartphones and other manufacturers struggled to match it in the weeks and months following its May 2012 release.

 

The weight of expectation

Levels of expectation for the Galaxy S brand are sky high. We are starting to see the same kind of excited anticipation and the same explosion of rumors that traditionally precedes a new iPhone launch. That’s because Samsung has consistently kicked it up a gear. The specs for the S2 and S3 were streets ahead of the competition at the time of release. Only HTC came close to keeping up but poor marketing put paid to any chance of competing.

Samsung knows what is expected of it. The S4 has to blow the competition away. If it can’t do so in terms of raw power then there has to be a new innovation. The company is gargantuan with fingers in more pies than you can count and its vast resources allow incredibly fast turnaround times on new developments.

We’ve seen teasers of flexible displays and eight core processors from Samsung at CES. It seems doubtful that either is ready to roll out in the Galaxy S4, but you never know.

 

When will we see it?

Samsung unveiled the Galaxy S2 at MWC back in February 2011, but it didn’t hit the market until May of the same year. The Galaxy S3 wasn’t unveiled until May 3rd 2012, but it was rolling out into the marketplace by the end of the same month. There are plenty of rumors about a March or April release, but why would Samsung break with the established cycle? We think a standalone Samsung event in May will be followed by the S4 release later the same month, just like the S3.

With the Galaxy S3 still selling so well and a distinct lack of pressure from rival manufacturers, Samsung can afford to wait a little longer and make sure it produces another standout device. Nothing at CES 2013 will have worried Samsung. MWC next month might be a different story. If something big from HTC or LG grabs the public’s attention then perhaps the S4 will break cover earlier, but we doubt you’ll be able to lay hands on one before the summer.

You might feel that another few months is too long to wait. That will largely depend on what you are rocking right now. If Samsung knocks it out of the ballpark for the third time in a row you’re going to lament that lack of patience – don’t say we didn’t warn you.

Source: http://www.digitaltrends.com

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