IFA 2013: Consumer Electronics Unlimited, one of the biggest shows in electronics, is about to begin, with major device makers set to debut their tablets, smartphones, and other devices, starting on Sept. 6 and going until Sept. 11. But Samsung and Sony are crashing that date, starting with announcements Wednesday, Sept. 4. Here's what to expect for the week.
Samsung
Samsung is the biggest star of IFA 2013 Berlin, even though it's starting the party two days early with its "Samsung Unpacked 2013: Episode 2" event, which we will be livestreaming Wednesday. The biggest announcement of the week is definitely the Samsung Galaxy Note 3, which the South Korean device-maker has tipped off by inviting press to the event, telling them (with a wink and a smile) to "note" the date.
The Samsung Galaxy Note 3 is the next big phablet flagship from Samsung, and it's expected to dazzle the crowd with the kind of premium specs, hardware and features that we've come to expect from Samsung. The Galaxy Note 3 is expected to bring a larger screen than its predecessor, at 5.68-inches or above, while thinning the bezels around the screen to avoid making the phablet comically large, overall. The display is purported to have full HD 1080p resolution. The device is expected to pack a quad core Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 processor at launch, clocked to 2.3GHz and assisted by a first-ever (for a mobile device of its class) 3GB of RAM. There will probably be versions of the Galaxy Note 3 coming out soon after launch with Samsung's Octa-core Exynos 5420 system on a chip, and expect all versions to come in either 32GB or 64GB with an updated S Pen and Android 4.3 Jelly Bean.
That's not all Samsung has in store for the big Unpacked event. The company is also expected to unveil the new Samsung Galaxy Gear. The Galaxy Gear is an accessory for smartphones and Samsung's first smartwatch. Rumors have it coming in several colors, and while a recent leak of a prototype seems to deflate some of the expectations of a revolutionary device (it was called basically a glorified fitness tracker most recently) we'll have to wait and see what the final product has in store before making any final judgments.
Sony
Samsung isn't the only one moving up its announcement in Berlin to before the start of the IFA 2013 consumer electronics show. Sony is trying to get in on the action by (reportedly) announcing the company's latest 2013 flagship a few hours earlier than Samsung, the details of which have leaked like a sieve ahead of the announcement. Called the Sony Xperia Z1, and previously referred to as the "Honami" or "i1," the newest device is expected to have a quad core Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 processor as well. But the biggest thing about the new device is its expected 20-megapixel camera.
Along with that announcement, Sony is expected to unveil a smaller version of the Xperia Z1, with slightly pared-down specs and a smaller frame - the better to catch the market just below premium-level, which has only gotten a taste of the HTC One mini on AT&T so far. Finally, there's the Sony lens camera, which is purportedly an add-on for smartphones with 10x optical zoom and a sensor within the lens.
LG
LG Electronics just recently announced the LG G2, but a quick ramp-up to the announcement of a new tablet has happened in the past weeks, with leaks and teasers coming fast and often. Called the LG G Pad 8.3, the tablet is the first device in its class from LG Electronics in over a year. It's been announced online already, but expect to see more of the LG G Pad "in action" during IFA 2013.
LG also recently showed off a ridiculous 4K resolution display, which we may see more of (and maybe a practical use case for) during the consumer electronics show.
HTC
HTC just announced a new lineup of mid-tier and entry-level devices, called the Desire 601 and Desire 300, respectively. The details were displayed online Tuesday, but expect to see more of them in action, along with perhaps some ideas on pricing, during the IFA 2013 show.
Also, a "Vivid Blue" variant of both the HTC One and its smaller successor, the HTC One mini, have been officially announced online, so HTC will probably show those of as well at the event. As far as the HTC One Max is concerned, the rumored phablet version of the HTC One, it's still an unknown.
Stay with Latinos Post Tech for more updates this week, as we'll be covering every exciting new piece of information that comes out of Berlin.