Alongside smartphones, MWC 2023 also brought a handful of tablets, although not at the same level as CES 2023. Despite dwindling tablet sales, there are still new players entering the category. Back in February 2023, OnePlus announced its first tablet which will be available for pre-order starting in April 2023. The Android tablet will be available in North America and will take on Samsung’s own tablets as well as the iPad 10.
Among those who showcased new tablets at the tech event in Barcelona are ZTE, who unveiled a 3D tablet; TCL with a new tablet that debuts its NXTPAPER 2.0 technology; and Lenovo, with a 2-in-1 Windows tablet that’s ready to take on the Microsoft Surface Go 3. All of these tablets are going to be available in Europe first, but some of them may eventually get a North American release.
ZTE nubia Pad 3D
ZTE’s latest tablet has been launched under its nubia brand. Called the nubia Pad 3D, it provides a glasses-free 3D experience. ZTE says it collaborated with a company called Leia Inc. for the 3D technology. Unlike standard 2D tablets, the nubia Pad 3D has a proprietary Diffractive Lightfield Backlighting (DLB) layer developed by Leia that features Leia’s 3D Lightfield mode, which helps the tablet display content in 3D. In addition to the aforementioned, the tablet also has dual 8MP front-facing cameras that track a user’s face to ensure a smooth 3D experience even when tilting the tablet. These cameras, as well as the two 16MP cameras on the back, can capture 3D photos and videos.
It’s not just on the hardware side that Leia’s technology is present. The tablet can convert 2D content into 3D and also comes preloaded with several Leia apps that provide a 3D experience. This includes a media player, camera app, video calling app, and an app store for several 3D games and educational apps. The rest of the specs include a 12.4-inch 120Hz LCD with a 2560 x 1600 resolution, a Snapdragon 888 processor, 8GB of RAM, up to 256GB of expandable storage, quad speakers, and a 9,070mAh battery that charges at 33W. The nubia Pad 3D runs Android 13 and will be available for pre-order in late March. However, ZTE is yet to reveal its pricing and availability details.
TCL NXT PAPER 11
The TCL NXTPAPER 11 is one of two tablets TCL unveiled at MWC 2023, but it is the only one of the two that features its new NXTPAPER 2.0 technology. According to TCL, the new NXTPAPER 2.0 technology is 150 percent brighter than the original technology, with the display of its new tablet reaching up to 500 nits. This is also an improvement over the upgraded NXTPAPER technology that it announced earlier this year when it unveiled the NXTPAPER 12 Pro at CES 2023. That version of its screen technology is 100 percent brighter than the previous generation.
The NXTPAPER 11 tablet sports an 11-inch 2K display with an automatic sensor that adjusts the color temperature based on the environment and time of the day. It has an aging Helio P60T chip powering it, expandable storage, quad speakers, an 8MP camera on the back and front, and an 8,000mAh battery that supports 18W charging. It also supports reverse charging and will run Android 13 out-of-the-box. It will be available in May 2023 for $250 starting in Europe before moving to other regions. TCL will also sell an optional stylus and Bluetooth keyboard.
Lenovo IdeaPad Duet 3i
While folks wait for Microsoft to announce a successor to the Surface Go 3, Lenovo intends to fill in the gap with the IdeaPad Duet 3i. The new 2-in-1 Windows tablet was announced at MWC 2023 but won’t be available until June 2023. While that’s still a few months from now, there’s a chance it will still hit store shelves before the next-gen Surface Go. Sporting an eye-catching shade of blue, the IdeaPad Duet 3i has an 11.5-inch 2K display that reaches up to 400 nits. It is powered by an Intel N200 chipset from the Alder Lake family, it has up to 8GB of LPDDR5 RAM and up to 256GB of SSD storage. The tablet also has a 5MP front-facing camera, an 8MP rear camera, a battery life of up to 8.5 hours, and stereo speakers with Dolby Audio. For ports and connectivity, it boasts two USB-C ports, an audio jack, Wi-Fi 6, and Bluetooth 5.1. When it goes on sale, it will start at €449, but it is not stated if this price includes the cost of the detachable keyboard and Lenovo Digital Pen. Unfortunately, Windows Central reports that there are no plans for the tablets to launch in North America
Source: ZTE, TCL, Lenovo, Windows Central