Launches at MWC 2012

It is still few hours before Mobile World Congress [MWC] 2012 kicks off, and 5 new mobile phones have already been launched in Barcelona. The highlight of the launches so far are quad-core phones and Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich [ICS]. Yes, Android phones are stepping up on the hardware front.

Here's a low down of the devices that have been announced, as yet.

Huawei Ascend D quad

Huawei's latest flagship device, the Ascend D quad, is supposedly 'the world's fastest smartphone.' The D quad is definitely a sight to behold, particularly the 4.5-inch 720p display — the screen's very bright, and the viewing angles are excellent. It's not the thinnest phone we've seen, but its 8.8mm body definitely cuts a slim figure, and actually feels smaller in the hand than most 4.5-inch phones.

LG Optimus Vu

The Optimus Vu by LG is a stylus-equipped LTE smartphone featuring a 5-inch IPS LCD with a 4:3 aspect ratio and a 1024 x 768 resolution. It runs Android 2.3 on a dual-core 1.5GHz Qualcomm processor, has 32GB of internal storage, and an 8-megapixel camera on the rear plus a 1.3-megapixel front-facing camera.

HTC One X

HTC One X is powered by the new Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 dual-core SoC clocked at 1.5GHz, and features a 4.7-inch 720p display protected by Corning's Gorilla Glass. HTC has put a new version of its Sense skin 4.0 on top of Google's operating system, and also added Beats Audio integration.

HTC One S

The HTC One S is an ultra-thin (7.95mm) Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich smartphone. The One S features a aluminum unibody construction, is powered by the new Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 dual-core SoC clocked at 1.5GHz, and features a 4.3-inch qHD (960 x 540) display. HTC has put a new version of its Sense skin 4.0 on top of Google's operating system, and also added Beats Audio integration.

Sony Xperia P

The Xperia P offers an aluminum unibiody design, a 4-inch Reality Display, HDMI-out, NFC and Xpera smart tag support, an 8-megapixel camera capable of recording in 1080p HD and Sony's new "White Magic" display tech. White Magic offers solid viewing even in bright light, twice the level of a typical smartphone. The Xperia P will begin hitting stores in the second quarter and will be available in three colors.

Sony Xperia U

The Xperia U is equipped with a 1GHz dual-core processor, a 3.5-inch Reality Display and a 5-megapixel camera capable of recording HD video. It also offers NFC support and an awesome customizable color bar that illuminates and changes colors depending on who is calling or texting. It will also ship during the second quarter of this year.

Samsung Note 10.1

Some call the device a "phablet," a hybrid of phone and tablet. But despite the Note's effort to create a device to satisfy users of both kinds of devices, the Note falls more squarely in the phone category. The rumors. After the success of the previous Note, it wasn't surprising too see Samsung launching the larger version, with Android 4.0 ICS, 1.4GHz dual-core Exynos processor, 3-megapixel camera and a larger S-Pen stylus with more utility and advanced software than before.