The telecommunications industry, specifically mobile communications, is converging in Barcelona this week. Even before Mobile World Congress (MWC) kicks off today, two companies have fired the first salvo with something old, something new.
Something old
That something old is the classic curvy Nokia 8110 mobile phone that’s been given a refreshing update by its new maker HMD.
The Smart Feature OS-based feature phone will come in black and yellow, just like a banana. A 2.4-inch QVGA display replaces the older make’s monochrome screen while a two-megapixel rear camera has been added.
Add in a revamped Snake game and 25 days (yes, days!) of battery standby life and the new incarnation may be a steal at just 79 euros. Those keen can look out for the May availability.
Something new
Now for the something new, which comes from who else but Samsung. And it’s something quite expected too — the Samsung Galaxy S9 and S9+.
At first glance, they look similar to their predecessors with headphone jack intact.
According to Samsung, the smartphones’ Dual Aperture lens adapts like the human eye and is able to automatically switch between various lighting conditions with ease. The f1.5 aperture mode is capable of detecting light in the dark to capture precious moments even in the late of night.
Another interesting feature is what Samsung called AR Emoji, which lets users create emojis of themselves. These can then be turned into animated GIFs for use in WhatsApp, Telegram and other messaging applications.
It’s interesting to note how the mobile world has evolved. In the early days, the most important mobile phone features were connectivity and speed. Today, those are a given and makers spend more time focusing on the camera capabilities.
Entelechy Asia 