MWC 2019 Day Zero highlights: 5G, foldable phone, Nokia 9 PureView steal the show

MWC highlights: Xiaomi launched its first 5G smartphone while Huawei took on Samsung with its own foldable phone.

Highlights from Mobile World Congress (HMD Global)

Mobile World Congress kicks off in Barcelona tomorrow. On eve of the biggest mobile tech show of the year, Xiaomi, Huawei and Nokia showcased their latest tech innovations. As expected, 5G took centre stage while Samsung's Galaxy Fold already has a competitor in the market.

Xiaomi

Xiaomi joined the 5G race with a new version of Mi Mix 3. The smartphone is powered by Qualcomm's Snapdragon 855 processor, same chipset that powers Galaxy S10 5G and other 5G devices. Xiaomi also launched the global variant of Mi 9 at the MWC 2019.

Huawei

Huawei introduced its first-ever foldable smartphone, Mate X. Set to compete with Samsung's Galaxy Fold, Huawei Mate X is priced at 2299 Euros (₹1,85,000 approximately. Huawei claims its foldable phone is faster and slimmer than the competitor. It also offers two cover displays and a large 8-inch screen when folded up.

Nokia

HMD Global launched Nokia 210, Nokia 1 Plus, Nokia 3.2, Nokia 4.2 and Nokia 9 PureView. The top-end phone comes with five rear cameras from Carl Zeiss. Nokia 9 is priced at $699 (₹50,000 approx), and will start shipping a week later. Other Nokia phones are usual incremental upgrades over their 2018 iterations.

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