MWC Barcelona: Top smartphones launched at the event

It’s that time of year again. The tech community has descended upon Barcelona for one of the year's biggest events. Started in 1987, MWC Barcelona (formerly Mobile World Congress) is an annual trade show (just like CES in Las Vegas and IFA in Berlin) dedicated to the mobile communications industry. The event, organised by the GSM Association (GSMA), has since extended to MWC Shanghai, MWC Kigali, and MWC Las Vegas.

Year after year, companies come to Barcelona to showcase the latest and greatest in mobile technology. From smartphones (a mainstay of the event) to laptops, and from smart glasses to crazy concepts, there is something for everyone at MWC. MWC is held at the Fira de Barcelona Gran Via and attended by around 100,000 people.

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Here are all the latest smartphones launched by various manufacturers at this year’s MWC Barcelona:

1. Samsung Galaxy A Series

Samsung, like Apple, likes to host its own events and not be one amongst a sea of many. Three new smartphones—Galaxy A26 5G, Galaxy A36 5G, and Galaxy A56 5G—were unveiled in India (a few days ago) and globally (at MWC). The Galaxy A-series smartphones feature One UI 7 and have Samsung’s AI-powered suite, which the company calls "Awesome Intelligence.” As always, the mid-range smartphones borrow features from their flagship brothers. This year, smartphones have been given Google's gesture-based Circle to Search and the Object Eraser tool.

They’re all powered by a 6.7-inch Super AMOLED display (FHD+ resolution and a 120Hz refresh rate), a 50MP primary camera (with autofocus and optical image stabilisation), a 5,000mAh battery and an IP67 dust and water resistance rating. The main differences lie in the choice of chipset.

The Galaxy A36 starts at ₹32,999, while the Galaxy A56 starts at ₹41,999. The Galaxy A26’s price has not been revealed yet.

2. Xiaomi 15 Series

Chinese multinational corporation and technology company Xiaomi, known for having smartphones with best-in-class imaging prowess, has unveiled the Xiaomi 15 Series globally at MWC Barcelona. The two devices—Xiaomi 15 and Xiaomi 15 Ultra—feature the most advanced imaging hardware in partnership with German giant Leica.

The highlight of the Xiaomi 15 Ultra is that monster 200MP periscope camera. The Xiaomi 15, on the other hand, is a more refined model of the Xiaomi 14, with a better in-hand feel and smarter AI chops.

The Xiaomi 15 has a 6.36-inch 8T LTPO AMOLED display (with a 120Hz refresh rate), Qualcomm’s flagship Snapdragon 8 Elite chip, up to 16GB of LPDDR5x RAM, and up to 1TB of UFS 4.0 in-built storage. It comes with a trio of 50MP Leice-branded cameras and a 5,240mAh battery.

The Xiaomi 15 Ultra features a 6.73-inch WQHD+ quad-curved LTPO AMOLED (with a 120Hz refresh rate), the same Snapdragon 8 Elite chip, up to 16GB of LPDDR5x RAM and up to 512GB of UFS 4.1 storage. It has a quad rear camera setup, all four of which Leica has tuned. There are a trio of 50MP shooters and the huge 200MP periscope telephoto camera (with 4.3x optical zoom)

While global pricing has already been unveiled, Indian consumers must wait until March 11 at 12 p.m. IST to learn more details.

3. Nothing Phone (3a) and (3a) Pro

The Nothing Phone (3a) and Phone (3a) Pro succeed the Phone (2a) and Phone (2a) Plus from last year. This year, there is a “Pro” instead of the “Plus”.

These smartphones feature the much-loved Glyph Interface on the back. This time, there has been a shift to Qualcomm Snapdragon chipsets.

The Northing Phone (3a) features a 6.77-inch AMOLED display (FHD+ resolution), a 120Hz refresh rate, and a peak brightness of 3,000 nits. Panda Glass protects the display, and the device has an IP64 rating. It also has a 5,000mAh battery with 50W fast charging.

Under the hood, the Snapdragon 7s Gen 3 chip is paired with 8GB of RAM and up to 256GB of storage.

On the other hand, the Nothing Phone (3a) Pro is largely similar but comes with an improved camera system. It has a 50MP camera (a Samsung primary sensor with OIS + EIS and 2x in-sensor zoom), a 50MP Sony periscope telephoto lens (3x optical zoom, 6x in-sensor zoom, 60x ultra zoom), and an 8MP Siny ultra-wide camera.

The Nothing Phone (3a) starts at ₹22,999, and the Phone (3a) Pro starts at ₹27,999.

The Phone (3a) will be available from March 11 on Flipkart, Flipkart Minutes, Croma, Vijay Sales and other retailers. The Phone (3a) Pro will be available on Flipkart and Flipkart Minutes from March 11, and Vijay Sales, Croma and other retailers from March 15.

4. Human Mobile Devices (HMD)

Human Mobile Devices (HMD), FC Barcelona's official mobile partner, took the stage at Camp Nou to unveil several smartphones, two of which were inspired by the football club.

Let’s start with the HMD Barca 3210 and the HMD Barca Fusion. The HMD Barca 3210 is a feature phone that HMD positions as the “Tiki-Taka of phones—simple, efficient and smooth.” It’s basically the Nokia 3210, and is available in Blau and Grana club colours. It comes with pre-loaded FC Barcelona-themed wallpapers and a customised version of the classic “Snake” game featuring FC Barcelona elements on a digital pitch. The rest is all standard - 2MP camera, 4G connectivity, 1,450mAh battery - specifications.

The HMD Barca Fusion is a Collector’s Edition Smartphone. This smartphone features a special “Smart Outfit” case engraved with the signatures of 11 FC Barcelona players. It also has preloaded FC Barcelona-themed visuals, audio greetings, and alarm sounds. It’s a modified version of the HMD Fusion that was launched a few months ago.

Then, there is the HMD Fusion X1. This one has been co-developed by HMD and SafeToNet and is made for teens. It has several child-safety features (which require a subscription to Xplora plat).

The HMD 130 Music and HMD 150 Music are feature phones with a traditional “candy-bar” design. They feature a 2.4-inch QVGA display, a 2W speaker, and dedicated music control buttons. As with all feature phones, the 3.5mm jack and FM radio functionality are present..

The HMD 2660 flip is a classic flip phone updated for the modern world. It has 4G VoLTE support, a mirrored glass front plate, and IP54 splash protection. It is touted as the successor to 2022’s Nokia 2660 Flip.

All of these feature phones are being positioned as a tool for “digital detox”.

No India pricing or availability has been announced as of yet but these will most likely make there way across the shore.

5. ZTE/Nubia

Nubia, owned by ZTE, has come to MWC to launch multiple smartphone models. There’s the nubia Neo 3 and Neo 3 GT, the Focus 2 Ultra and Music 2, and the Flip 2.

The gaming-focused Neo 3 and Neo 3 GT made their global debut at MWC 2025. They have a 6.8-inch FHD+ OLED display (with a 120Hz refresh rate), shoulder triggers (to enhance the gaming experience), and up to a 6,000mAh battery (depending on the market).

The Unisoc T8300 SoC powers the Neo 3, while the Neo 3 GT has a Unisoc T9100 SoC. Both phones come with VC cooling and feature Mini LED and RGB lights, along with stereo speakers.

When it launches globally later in the year, the Nubia Focus Ultra 2, which looks like the Xiaomi 15 Ultra, should be much more affordable. Forget the specifications for now. The star of the show is the rear camera system. There’s the 50MP primary sensor with a trick up its sleeve. There is a physical dial located behind the camera housing. Twist it to adjust the zoom levels or preset filters. Furthermore, like the Xiaomi 15 Ultra, the Focus 2 Ultra supports a dedicated camera grip.

The Nubia Flip 2 was the star of the show. It has a rectangular display on the front that can be unfolded to reveal a larger screen inside. It has a MediaTek Dimensity 7300X processor, 6GB of RAM, and 128GB of storage. The Flip 2 is available only in Japan but is relatively inexpensive at 62,080 yen (approximately ₹36,360).

ZTE has not announced the availability of any of these smartphones in India.

6. Doogee

Doogee brought the muscle to MWC. Six smartphones, three of which are rugged, were showcased in Barcelona. The three rugged smartphones - V Max Play, Blade GT Ultra, and S200 Plus - all feature the Android OS and 5G connectivity. There’s also the Pure 70 and Pure 70 Pro, the company’s first devices with a quad-curved display and the Moment 60 - a thin projector phone. Here’s the USP for each of the smartphones.

- Doogee V Max Play: This one has a mammoth 22,000 mAh battery, camping lights, and an integrated projector.

- Doogee Blade GT Ultra: At 10.5 mm thick, the Blade GT Ultra is the lightest and thinnest rugged device. Its back has dynamic lighting effects, similar to those of Nothing’s smartphones.

- Doogee S200 Plus: The S in the S200 stands for speed. This smartphone features a secondary 1.32-inch AMOLED display on the back.

- Doogee P70 & P70 Pro: These smartphones feature a 6.73" AMOLED panel that is 2.5D-curved on all four sides.

Doogee M60: According to the company, it’s the first “ultra-thin projector phone.” It beams a screen with an 854x480 resolution and works within a 2-meter range.

None of these smartphones are slated to launch in India.

7. Meizu

Meizu returned to MWC Barcelona (after a lengthy absence) with the Note 22, Blue 22, and Blue 22 Pro. Flyme is back, as they say. These three smartphones run Android 15 with Flyme skin.

The Meizu Note 22 is their entry-level device. It features a 6.78-inch LCD screen (1080p resolution) with a Helio G99 chip.

The mblu 22 is an entry-level device with a 6.79-inch LCD screen (720p resolution) and an unknown Unisoc chipset.

The mblu 22 Pro has a small bump in specifications compared to the mblu 22. It features a 6.79-inch (720p resolution) display with a 90Hz refresh rate and a 5,000mAh battery. Meizu has zero presence in India, so you shouldn’t expect these to be launched at all.

Stay tuned for the next two stories to see what else these companies have up their sleeve at MWC.

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