The absence of a new Sony mobile device in the recently closed 2016 Consumer Electronics Show has led many tech analysts to speculate that the Japanese company is cooking something up for the upcoming 2016 Mobile World Congress.

This year's Mobile World Congress will open its doors on Feb. 22 in Barcelona, Spain. The annual fair is considered as a major event in the tech calendar.

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As part of its preparation for the event, Sony is sending out invitations for its press conference. Sony has yet to reveal what it plans to introduce on its scheduled conference. However, there are rumors claiming that the company might release a new flagship smartphone.

According to Android Police, a closer look at the release schedule of the Xperia Z series and one will notice that it closely follows a six month cycle. The Xperia Z3 was released in September 2014 followed by the Xperia Z3+ in April 2015 while the Xperia Z5 was released in September 2015.

Some market analysts said that it is still a bit early for Sony to release a new model on the Xperia Z series while devoted Sony fans are also eager to get their hands on a new phone.

On the other hand, tech analysts were somewhat disappointed when Sony decided to announce a new flagship device just days after the Xperia Z5's debut in the United States. Some analysts said that the decision had negative repercussions on the sales performance of the Z5.

Rumors about the upcoming Sony 2016 MWC conference claim that the tech company might release a new mid-tiered smartphone, a smartwatch or a fitness tracker.

According to Digital Trends, the Sony SmartWatch 3 is needs a refresh. Critics pointed that while the smartwatch sports top of the line hardware that can easily compete with new generation Android Wear devices, the SmartWatch 3 simply isn't that eye catching. Additionally, the smartwatch was released more than a year ago which makes it a bit old considering the current refresh cycle of devices in the tech world.

As for the Xperia Z series of devices, analysts pointing to the still missing Xperia Z5 tablet. Many suggest that should Sony decide to unveil a new device at the upcoming 2016 MWC, it should be the Z5 tablet.