14 DAY TRIAL // Since Samsung and Sony Mobile started to replace their flagship smartphones twice per year, consumers have had a hard time keeping their bank accounts safe from reckless expenses.
Even if you are a fan of a certain brand and have lots of money at your disposal, it becomes inefficient to change your smartphone twice a year. Obviously, I’m not talking about upgrading from a device to another, but simply acquiring a new flagship smartphone for its upfront price.
It’s perfectly cool to have more than one smartphone, eventually running different operating systems, but it does not make sense to change them twice a year because the enhancements you get do not justify the amount you would have to pay, even if money is not an issue.
Nevertheless, launching two flagship smartphones per year helps some handset makers boost their income early in the year, but also in the holiday season, when their second top-tier devices should sell like hot cakes.
Consumer Electronics Show is the first major telecommunication trade fair and is scheduled for January. Lots of mid- to high-end smartphones are announced in Las Vegas, US, but not many flagships are introduced here.
The next big event in the mobile world is Mobile World Congress, which usually takes place in Barcelona, Spain, and brings the announcement of at least two flagship smartphones from Samsung and Sony, respectively.
HTC seems to prefer to launch its flagship devices at dedicated events that are not part of any major trade fair, and Microsoft may follow the same pattern, though this has yet to be confirmed.
One of the last major telecom events taking place each year is IFA. The trade fair is usually scheduled for early September in Berlin, Germany. This is where some of the most important handset makers announce their second flagship smartphones, and this is exactly what we expect to happen for this year as well.
At least three companies are expected to announce their powerful smartphones, sadly, all powered by Android operating system. Sadly because I would have preferred some variation for once, but I don’t think that we will see a high-end Windows Phone at IFA 2014.
The good news is that we will still get lots of interesting devices, even though HTC and LG have already taken the wraps off some of their mid-range smartphones that were expected to appear in early September 2014.
Probably the most important announcement for this year’s IFA trade fair will be Samsung’s Unpacked 2014 Episode 2 event, where the company will reveal the Samsung Galaxy Note 4.
I’m not going into details here, as Samsung Galaxy Note 4 specs sheet has already leaked, and we will continue to receive even more info on the phablet the closer we get to launch.
As expected, Sony will also be present at IFA with its second flagship smartphone, the Sony Xperia Z3. The company is likely to announce a few more mid-range Android phones as well, such as the Sony Xperia Z3 Compact, and a tablet.
HTC Desire 820 is another mid-range smartphone that’s supposed to make its debut at IFA in early September. Previously rumored as the first phone to pack a 64-bit chipset, the Desire 820 may only be the second smartphone equipped with such a powerful system-on-chip, as HTC had already introduced the Desire 510.
Either way, it appears that both smartphones powered by 64-bit Snapdragon chipsets will be effectively launched on the market in Q4 2014, but that has yet to be confirmed. Anyway, HTC’s IFA 2014 press event is set for September 4, so stay tuned for more around that timeframe.
Motorola fans will be pleased to know that their favorite company, that’s been recently bought by Lenovo, will launch at least two new Android (again) smartphones. Motorola Moto X+1 will replace the current Moto X flagship smartphone, but the US-based company plans to launch an affordable device as well.
Building on the success of Moto E and Moto G, the handset maker is expected to announce the Motorola Moto G2 at IFA 2014. Motorola has scheduled a press event on September 4, but until then, we’re likely to find out more about these via online leaks.
Huawei is another company that usually launches its flagship smartphones during these events, though most of them are initially launched in China, but there are some exceptions to the rule as well.
This year, Huawei Ascend Mate 7 is supposed to be the star of the company’s IFA 2014 event, which is scheduled for September 4. The company has already released a teaser for its upcoming phablet, which doesn’t reveal too much in terms of specs, but we can tell, judging by its size, that it will be a big device.
Lenovo is looking to bring some mid-range smartphones at IFA 2014 as well. The Chinese company’s smartphones and tablets are always present at the most important telecom trade fairs.
The only device that we know might be unveiled at IFA is the Lenovo X2, but word is that Motorola’s new owner wants to launch its first smartphones powered by 64-bit chipsets next month as well.
Lenovo’s press event during this year’s IFA has been confirmed for September 4. We’ve been invited, so stay tuned for more info on what’s to come from the Chinese company.
Next in line, LG has already started to introduce some of its mid-range Android smartphones that were rumored for unveil at IFA. The new LG G3 Stylus, along with the new L Fino and L Bello have been confirmed to arrive on the market beginning next month, but the South Korean company may still have some aces up its sleeve.
I don’t want to rule out a premium version of the LG G3, though with the smartphone doing so well, it doesn’t really make sense for the company to introduce another competitor to its own flagship handset.
LG has yet to confirm a press event for IFA 2014, but we will surely get to see then new LG G Watch R smartwatch that has just been officially unveiled.
Asus is another company that usually brings new stuff to IFA, and from my experience, they are the most unpredictable. They could bring a 10.1-inch tablet with GSM capability or a plethora tablet/phones hybrids, and I wouldn’t be surprised at all.
September 3 is the day Asus decided to unveil its new lineup of smartphones and tablet, but the company has recently teased its smartwatch, which seems to be called ZenWatch.
One of the few companies that will not launch any Android smartphones at IFA (although a new Nokia X smartphone won’t totally surprise me) is Microsoft.
The company confirmed a press event for September 4, and we already know that it’s going to announce its so-called “selfie phone,” also known as Nokia Lumia 730.
Nokia Lumia 830 is another mid-range Windows Phone that’s supposed to make its debut at IFA 2014. I’m also expecting Microsoft to announce one or two Asha smartphones as well, and probably another dumb phone like the Nokia 130.
Microsoft is expected to announce the next version of Windows Phone at the end of September, which is why I believe that, if there are any other high-end smartphones that the company plans to launch this year, they will be revealed at this event that’s yet to be confirmed.
Other companies that I expect to showcase new smartphones at IFA are Acer, Panasonic, Gigabyte, Alcatel and ZTE.
What are your expectations for this year’s IFA trade fair? Which device excites you the most and what would you like to see from your favorite company? Let me know in the comments section and I’ll try to do my magic.