MWC cancellation aftermath: what will happen with the phones we were expecting there

2023-10-29

The MWC 2020 has been cancelled – now what? As the biggest exhibition of mobile phones in the world, many new models were slated to be unveiled in Barcelona but companies had to change plans.

Everything won’t happen at once and it certainly won’t happen at the same place. So to help you keep everything organized, we made a list of what new smartphones were expected at the MWC and when and what will happen with them now.

Sony Xperia 1.1, 5 Plus – February 24

Sony’s range of flagships and mid-rangers will be revealed on schedule – February 24 – through a livestream instead of an event in Barcelona. The Xperia 1.1 and Xperia 5 Plus are expected to bring significant camera upgrades with 64MP sensors and 8K HDR video. That will be a treat to watch on Xperia 1.1’s 4K HDR screen. The screen on the Xperia 5 Plus will grow to 6.6” but will likely stick with a sub-4K resolution.

These should also be Sony’s first 5G phones. Sony’s mid-range will be represented by the Xperia 9, which will also feature 5G thanks to the Snapdragon 765 chipset.

Oppo Find X2 - March

Oppo was supposed to unveil the Find X2 – its Snapdragon 865-powered flagship with 120Hz screen and 65W fast charging. It will have a punch hole camera as the tech isn't ready for an under-display unit. The official reveal has been pushed back to March, more details to follow.

Realme X50 Pro 5G – February 24

The Realme X50 Pro 5G is the company’s flagship version of its first 5G phone, the Realme X50 5G. With a 90Hz screen and 65W charging of its own, this is going to be one of the biggest releases in the affordable flagship segment. The X50 Pro will still be unveiled on February 24 but it’s going to be an online-only event.

LG G9, V60 – TBA

LG had prepared the V60 ThinQ for the MWC – a 5G phone with a dual screen accessory in the vein of the V50. The company’s new plan was to promote the premium V60 in North America and Western Europe, leveraging the rise of new 5G networks, while reserving the LG G9 for more price sensitive markets.

The LG G9 and V60 will be unveiled at a separate event soon, but we are given no date or even a timeframe yet.

Xiaomi Mi 10 – TBA

Xiaomi unveiled the Mi 10 and Mi 10 Pro this week and already had its first successful sale in China. However, the company was supposed to bring the two flagships to the MWC and announce details about their global launch. The even and the launch itself have been pushed back for a later date, the company will announce a new schedule soon.

Nokia – TBA

HMD’s original plan for an MWC event on February 23 has been canceled in favor of a series of Nokia Live events. They will feature demonstration of 5G tech, but beyond that the company hasn’t confirmed the slate of new devices it was meant to unveil in Barcelona.

The Nokia 9.2 seems a long way off as HMD works on the Snapdragon 865 chipset and tinkering with under display cameras. However, the Nokia 5.2 seems ready to go.

vivo Apex 2020 – TBA

Vivo had a hot new concept phone, the Apex 2020 to show at the MWC, but this has been pushed back for a later date. Little is known about the new Apex, but the 2019 model was one of the first hole-free phones. And if we were lucky, we may have seen the iQOO 3 (set to launch on February 25 in India).

ZTE Axon 10s Pro – TBA

The ZTE Axon 10s Pro is a budget-friendly powerhouse with Snapdragon 865, UFS 3.0 and LPDDR5, plus 5G and Wi-Fi 6 connectivity. The phone is official in China and the company’s presence at the MWC promised a wider availability, but ZTE cancelled its attendance. There’s no details yet on what’s next on ZTE’s event schedule.

Huawei Mate Xs - TBA

We've been hearing chatter about a Huawei Mate Xs, an upgrade to the company's first foldable phone with the latest Kirin 990 chipset. We expected to see this at the MWC along with new tablets, laptops and various accessories as a build up to the March reveal of the Huawei P40. The company is yet to announce how it will deal with MWC's cancellation.

TCL and Alcatel - TBA

TCL had plans to unveil new own-branded phones as well as new models bearing the Alcatel logo. The company is still mulling what to do now that MWC has been canceled (originally, it planned to skip the press conference and just show the phones at its booth, but that's not happening now).