In a nutshell: All eyes are on Samsung today as the company is set to unveil new high-end and mid-range smartphones, an AirDrop-like file-sharing feature, and perhaps a few other surprises. It all goes down in a matter of moments with the livestream starting at 2pm ET.
Samsung is hosting its Unpacked mobile event where most expect the company will unveil its first-half flagship line, tentatively known as the Galaxy S20. Pundits also believe the South Korean tech giant will announce a new foldable smartphone dubbed the Galaxy Z Flip.
While handset makers have historically waited until the end of February to unveil their new hardware at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, that's not always the case and there's an argument that can be made for doing so sooner.
You potentially get more attention with a standalone event than you do at a conference alongside several other companies. It's the same reasoning that drives some to avoid CES. Also, this year with the coronavirus, Samsung may want to lessen its presence at Mobile World Congress as a safety precaution, just as others are doing.
XDA Developers' Max Weinbach said last month that he believes the S20 line will be available on the first Friday of March (the 6th), or just over three weeks from now, with a price tag of around $1,300 for the Ultra model. The foldable, meanwhile, could debut around the $1,400 mark as more of a mid-range device.