Report: Sony will only have a modest presence at MWC

With three weeks to go until MWC, Sony is yet to send out invitations for a press event at the show. According to Xperia Blog, Sony is opting for a more muted presence this year, a sign that the Xperia Z4 won’t launch in Barcelona.

For the past couple of years, Sony has iterated the Xperia Z at a furious pace. Sony has been alone in the industry in releasing two generations of its flagship in a year, but mediocre sales and massive losses show that this strategy failed to excite buyers.

Now signs point to Sony going back to longer release cycles for the Xperia Z line, and that means we may not get to see the Xperia Z3’s successor in Barcelona. Citing sources close to the matter, Xperia Blog says Sony will not have a press conference at MWC and there will be no live-streaming. The company will have a small welcoming event for the press on March 2, the first day of the show, but that’s a far cry from Sony’s flashy events from previous years.

For some circumstantial evidence, other companies have already sent out invitations for their press events: Samsung, HTC, and HUAWEI all have big events scheduled for March 1. All we’ve got from Sony so far has been silence, though there’s still time left. We haven’t seen any substantial leaks about the Z4 either.

Now just because Sony is opting for a more modest presence in Barcelona doesn’t necessarily mean there won’t be any new Sony devices at the show. It’s possible that the Japanese giant will unveil some less important devices; the 10-inch Xperia Z tablet is due for a refresh and we’ve been hearing rumors about the entry-level Xperia E4.

Were you looking forward to a new Xperia Z, or is it better for Sony to take its time with the Z4?