Mobile World Congress is the world's biggest phone show, and it's happening soon. Barcelona will host the event from 3rd - 6th March.
We're sure to see some great new phones launch. But which ones specifically? Most of the debutants are still under wraps, of course – but that hasn't stopped the rumours and leaks flying. We have scoured the internet to bring you everything (worthwhile) that has been said about what phones we expect to see. And being What Hi-Fi?, we're very much focused on their audio and visual skills.
Here's what we expect to see (and what we would like to, in an ideal world).
Mobile World Congress 2025: what to expect
Nothing Phone 3a
We know for sure that this one is coming, because Nothing has confirmed it. It put out a teaser video before saying that the phone in question was the Nothing Phone 3a. At the same event, it will launch the Nothing Phone 3a Pro. It has even named the time and date: 4th March, 10am.
Both phones will feature the same cool glyph lighting from the Nothing Phone 2a. According to X user Gadget Bits, the Nothing Phone 3a will have a 6.8-inch FHD+ AMOLED screen with a maximum refresh rate of 120Hz, a Snapdragon 7s Gen 3 chipset, 5000mAh battery with 45W fast charging, and Nothing OS 3.1 (which is based on Android 15). Cameras are said to be a 50-megapixel main snapper, 50-megapixel telephoto with 2x optical zoom, and an 8-megapixel ultrawide lens.
The 3a Pro is said to increase the RAM to 12GB and the storage to 256GB, and might boast a 50-megapixel ultrawide-lens camera.
And as for the Nothing Phone 3? That's not expected until the summer, and is said to be the firm's first flagship phone.
Xiaomi 15 Ultra
The Xiaomi 14 Ultra (pictured) is widely considered one of the best cameraphones around, but its screen is also a sight to behold, with an insane peak brightness of 3000 nits. So nearly 12 months on, what's cooking for the sequel?
The latest rumours suggest another stellar performance in the camera department, with a 200-megapixel periscope telephoto snapper mooted. Other improvements include the same Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite processor as the Samsung Galaxy S25 (though not the customised version Samsung uses), and the same 6.7-inch screen as the Xiaomi 14 Ultra. You'll need to wear shades.
OnePlus Open 2
One of the best foldable phones around, the OnePlus Open (pictured), didn't get a sequel last year, but rumours say it's coming soon. The same winning software is said to make a return, but according to one leak, the device has slimmed down considerably, potentially taking the crown as the slimmest foldable around. Its predecessor was known as the Oppo N5 in some territories, so chances are the sequel will be similarly named in some parts of the world.
Mobile World Congress 2025: what we'd like to see
Sony Xperia 1 VII
Sony has been slimming down its phone range in recent years, from seven devices in 2021 to just two last year. But now rumours abound that the Xperia 10 VII has been cancelled, leaving just the Xperia 1 VII on its tod. Which would be a shame – the Xperia 10 VI won an Award last year for its great performance at a very reasonable price.
Rumours suggest the Xperia 1 VII will be another high-end effort, with a better telephoto camera lens. It is also thought to be retaining the FHD+ resolution of the Xperia 1 VI – sadly, it doesn't look as though we'll see a return to the 4K screen of the Xperia 1 V, nor the more cinematic 21:9 aspect ratio.
Sony used to launch its new Xperia models at Mobile World Congress, but since 2021 the date has slipped to April or May. Here's hoping it breaks with recent tradition and brings the announcement forward to MWC.
Apple iPhone SE 4
Apple doesn't do trade shows, so don't expect to see Tim Cook manning a stand at Mobile World Congress. But the iPhone SE 4 could be announced around the same time (though another rumour reckons it'll land as soon as this week). It's rumoured to look a lot like the iPhone 14 (pictured), with flat sides and a 6.1-inch OLED screen. Which would be quite an upgrade on the current SE's Touch ID button and 4.7-inch LCD.
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