Johannesburg - Two top manufacturers have already marked the Sunday prior to the Mobile World Congress 2017 for product launches.
Chinese giant Huawei and South Korean multinational LG have both distributed invitations for an event presumed to be a product unveiling the day before the trade show takes place, with LG teasing their device to be launched and Huawei remaining mum.
Traditionally, the Sunday (February 26 this year) before the commencement of MWC is dominated by smartphone releases from major manufacturers with the LG G5, Huawei MateBook and Samsung S7 and S7 Plus all being launched on the date prior to commencement of the previous event.
Samsung, however has since pulled out of the race with the company announcing on Monday that a device, expected to be the Galaxy S8, would not be released amid delays from a probe into the explosion-prone Note 7.
READ: Don't expect the 'Samsung S8' to be launched next month
LG has purportedly leaked images of their next flagship device – the LG G6 – expected to be released at an event in Barcelona next month.
Images were reported to have first emerged on US technology website The Verge and showed an almost bezel-less display.
Exclusive: This is LG’s G6 smartphone https://t.co/v5Rt7Okrh9 pic.twitter.com/BjJfQETxwd
— The Verge (@verge) January 23, 2017
LG seem to have gone the Xiaomi route, if images of the device are authentic.
The Chinese electronics manufacturer recently launched the borderless concept Mi Mix smartphone, featuring a display which spans the entire face of the device with the exception of a black panel at the bottom.
The already massive 6.4 inch screen, just short of being a tablet, spans 91.3% of the face of the device.
Irish smartphone specification and review site GSMArena has listed specifications for the G6 which include a 5.3 inch display, 16 megapixel rear camera, 12 megapixel facing camera and a Snapdragon 830 chipset.
READ: Most mobile tablet computer
LG has set the date of February 26 for the date of the unveiling of the device with a “Save the Date” invitation being distributed.
Meanwhile, Huawei has also marked the same date for a product launch expected to be held with no additional information being provided by the company.
Huawei launched the hybrid PC tablet, the MateBook two other entry-level devices at the previous event.
MWC is set to take place from February 27 to March 2.
Read Fin24's top stories trending on Twitter: