MWC2024 summary: The best new smartphones

During MWC 2024, many smartphones were introduced. This is the case with the Honor Magic6 Pro, the brand’s highest-end conventional model (apart from the folding model). It highlights impressive specifications. Indeed, it is equipped with a 6.8-inch LTPO OLED screen, which offers a very high brightness benefiting from ultra-solid protection thanks to Nanocrystal Shield technology, which makes it 10 times more resistant than standard glass. It runs on Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 processor, along with 12 GB of RAM and 512 GB of storage. The operating system is MagicOS 8.0, which is based on Android 14.
When it comes to photography, the Magic6 Pro stands out with a triple camera setup at the back, which includes OIS (optical stabilization), a 180-megapixel periscope telephoto lens with 2.5x optical zoom, and a 50-megapixel primary sensor. – Megapixel ultra-wide-angle sensor. It also has a 50-megapixel front camera and a 3D ToF sensor with eye tracking. The smartphone is powered by a 5600 mAh battery, which supports 80W wired fast charging and 66W wireless charging with the possibility of 5W wired reverse charging. The Honor Magic6 Pro smartphone has been announced at a price of €1,299, benefiting from an attractive launch offer.

For its part, the Honor Magic V2 RSR Porsche Design smartphone, the technical specifications of which were known, was announced during MWC 2024. It is distinguished by its elegant design inspired by automobiles, especially by its resemblance to the hood of a Porsche. 911. This folding model in book format is the result of a collaboration between Honor and German studio Porsche Design, offering a premium user experience. Like its “classic” version, the Magic V2, it’s the slimmest book-style folding phone on the market, with a typical Porsche agate gray finish. It incorporates a folding LTPO OLED screen that offers an exceptional visual experience with increased protection thanks to the anti-scratch Nanocrystal Shield technology on its back cover. Its 5000 mAh silicon-carbon battery supports 66W fast charging.

Otherwise, it is equipped with a triple rear camera system, which offers particularly good image quality for various shooting modes, including night photography, zoom and time-lapse. The Honor Magic V2 RSR is powered by a Porsche Design Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 processor and has 16GB of RAM as well as 1TB of internal storage, promising smooth performance for all uses.
The Honor Magic V2 RSR Porsche Design is available for pre-order with a price tag of €2,699.

Two “new products” from Xiaomi

Xiaomi has unveiled its entire Xiaomi 14 series. Introduced to the Chinese market several months ago, the Xiaomi 14 is finally a reality here. It has a compact design with a glossy glass shell. Inside, it is powered by a Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 processor and offers state-of-the-art connectivity including Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 5.4. The Xiaomi 14 stands out for its triple camera set designed in collaboration with Leica, which covers a focal range of 14mm to 75mm. It is equipped with a 50-megapixel primary sensor, a 50-megapixel telephoto lens and a 50-megapixel ultra-wide-angle sensor. It is capable of filming in HDR Dolby Vision format. It packs 12GB of RAM with either 256 or 512GB of storage and is powered by a 4610mAh battery that supports 90W wired charging and 50W wireless charging. Its screen is a 6.36-inch CrystalRes AMOLED model with a maximum refresh rate of 120Hz. The Xiaomi 14 is available for €999 in the 12+256 GB version and €1099 for the 12+512 GB configuration.

The real innovation this time was the announcement of the Xiaomi 14 Ultra, a model firmly oriented towards photography. Note that it can be attached to a photography kit, which includes a textured handle that houses the battery, a trigger button for better grip, and round blocks for attaching filters.
The Xiaomi 14 Ultra has an array of four rear cameras, all tuned by Leica, that deliver exceptional image quality. It has a 50-megapixel Sony LYT-900 main camera with variable aperture f/1.63 to f/4.0 and optically stabilized, a 50-megapixel Sony IMX858 telephoto lens with OIS, a 50-megapixel Sony IMX858 camera with OIS. 50-megapixel Sony IMX 858 ultra-wide camera with autofocus. This setup offers unparalleled flexibility for any type of photography, from portrait to landscape, with Leica image quality and exclusive software filters. On the inside, the Xiaomi 14 Ultra is powered by a Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 processor with 16GB of RAM. It has a very large 6.73-inch AMOLED screen curved on all 4 sides and can reach a record brightness of 3000 cd/m², according to the brand. Like the Xiaomi 14, it is IP68 certified. It has a battery with a capacity of 5300 mAh supporting charging at 90W wired and 80W wireless. Xiaomi 14 is priced at €1,499.

Nubia Flip 5G, an affordable folding clamshell

One of the most interesting new features of the show, apart from the high-end models, was the introduction of a folding flip smartphone by the Nubia brand, the Nubia Flip 5G. In addition to its format that is similar to the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip5 and Motorola Razr 40 Ultra, for example, it has the merit of being offered for less than €500. This does not prevent it from sporting a large 6.9-inch folding OLED screen offering a resolution of 1188×2790 pixels and a refresh rate of 120 Hz, complemented by a 1.43-inch circular secondary screen on the top cover, which allows quick access to notifications and basic functions. without opening the phone.

The Nubia Flip 5G is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 7 Gen 1 processor, coupled with 6GB RAM and 128GB UFS 3.1 storage, ensuring solid performance for daily tasks and multitasking. The smartphone runs Android 13 and includes a camera system consisting of a 50-megapixel main sensor, a 2-megapixel depth sensor for portraits and a 16-megapixel front camera for video calls and selfies. It has a 4310 mAh battery that supports 33W charging. It is available in purple with highlights or gold and will soon be available in France.

Energizer Ultimate U660S, another folding mobile for less than €500

The Energizer Ultimate U660S folding smartphone was officially unveiled at MWC 2024, positioning itself as an affordable option in the folding phone category. The clamshell format device is equipped with a 6.67-inch vertical folding OLED screen with a resolution of 1080×2400 pixels. It also has an external screen for viewing notifications and other quick controls. The U660S is powered by the MediaTek Helio G99 chipset, coupled with 12 GB of RAM and 256 GB of storage.

In terms of cameras, it offers a 64-megapixel main sensor, an 8-megapixel ultra-wide sensor and a 25-megapixel front camera. Despite the Energizer brand being known for its large capacity batteries, the U660S only packs a 3,400 mAh battery. It runs on Android 14, is 4G compatible and will be available from November for €499.

TCL 50 series, €59 to €149

The TCL brand took advantage of the MWC 2024 show in Barcelona to introduce its new entry-level smartphones. The TCL 50 series thus consists of TCL 501, TCL 505, TCL 50 SE and TCL 50 5G models. Prices range from €59 to €149. It has a large LCD screen with different chipsets depending on the model, the most powerful of which is the MediaTek Dimensity 6000+. They have a battery of at least 5000 mAh except the TCL 501 which is limited to 3100 mAh. The TCL Serie 50 smartphone benefits from a completely modern design.

Motorola Rizr, a concept that suits all desires

Finally, Motorola presented its concept to the MWC 2024 audience which was unveiled at Lenovo Tech World in late October 2023. Called the Motorola Rizr, it’s unlikely to one day be commercialized, but it shows how its vision makes a mark. Innovation in the mobility segment.

The device is a rollable wrist-worn smartphone that offers a 5-inch screen that can be expanded up to 6.5 inches. This advanced prototype, which is still in the experimental phase running Android, can also follow other shapes to be ideally positioned for playing games together, for example, or for video conversations.