Sony
Sony has released a teaser ahead of MWC 2018. Reuters/Kim Kyung-Hoon

Sony just dropped a mysterious teaser ahead of Mobile World Congress 2018 where it is expected to unveil a new smartphone. By the looks of things, Sony’s next Android handset could be curved or something that will be reminiscent of 2011’s Xperia arc.

On Monday, Sony took to Instagram to share a promotional clip that shows curved lines hovering over a curved hand. Interestingly, the hashtag “#SONYMWC” replaces the lines when they vanish into thin air. Then, the clip ends with “26.02.18,” which stands for the first day of MWC 2018.

According to Phone Arena, the promotional material is clearly hinting at a new design for Sony’s upcoming Xperia smartphone. This is good news to fans who may have switched to other brands when Sony was stuck with its relatively unchanged, chocolate bar design for its smartphones.

Based on earlier leaks and reports, Sony’s new phone could debut with the moniker “Xperia XZ2.” With the release of the teaser, it’s now clear that the handset will likely come with a curved back, which is an ergonomic feature that will make it fit better in the hand.

Not much is known about the rumored Sony Xperia XZ2, but some sources are claiming that the device could feature a 2:1 taller and narrower screen that’s become a trend among flagship devices since last year. The handset is also expected to have slim bezels, so it could compete with its rivals that are embracing the almost bezel-less design language.

Sony won’t be the only one to unveil a new flagship smartphone and showcase the device at next week’s MWC. Samsung has already scheduled a launch event for its Galaxy S9 flagship on Feb. 25, a day before the kickoff of the Barcelona event. It will be interesting to see if Sony’s new handset could hold a candle to the Galaxy S8’s successor.

In addition, HMD Global, the owner of Nokia Mobile, is also unveiling new Nokia smartphones at the largest gathering for the mobile industry. The devices that HMD are rumored to showcase next week include Nokia 7 Plus, Nokia 9, Nokia 6 (2018), Nokia 8 (2018) and an upgraded Nokia 3310 with 4G.