Last year, Sony used Mobile World Congress to unveil the Xperia X, a flagship device for the first half of 2016. Unfortunately, it never quite hit the mark here in SA despite being a solid offering. With MWC 17 just around the corner, starting 27 February to be precise, Sony will be opening the Barcelona-based conference by unveiling the Xperia X2, if reports are to be believed. To that end, we've identified five things that the Xperia X2 needs to feature in order to be a success. 

1. Significant redesign

You can spot an Xperia device a mile off, with its aluminium frame and, more recently, metal back cover. The Xperia X was much the same, and to the uninitiated it could have been one of many Sony-branded phones as opposed to a flagship (as the Japanese company billed it).  

As such, a significant redesign is needed, much like Samsung did when moving from the Galaxy S5 to Galaxy S6. We're not saying curved edges are a must, but something different couldn't hurt. 

2. Top of the line processor

The Xperia X had a middle of the pack Qualcomm Snapdragon 650 processor, which left it underpowered when compared to other flagships at MWC last year, like the Galaxy S7 and LG G6. To that end, Sony needs to get the top of the line Snapdragon chipset.  

3. Cleaner UI

Bloatware. It's the bane for any new smartphone owner looking to set up their device for the first time. Sony is not immune to this ailment, with Xperia phones sporting versions of Android filled to the brim with duplicate apps and unnecessary widgets. To that end, we'd advise Sony to take a cue from HTC and release a simpler OS, as found on the HTC 10.  

4. Step up the camera

Last year, Sony debuted a new 23 MP camera for the Xperia X. It is not the number of megapixels that needs to be addressed for the Xperia X2, but rather the number of lenses, with Apple, LG and Huawei all making the most of dual camera offerings. Sony should adopt a similar tact. 

5. Get the price right

Sony brought the Xperia X to South Africa with a R12 000 price tag, which was hard to justify when you weighed its specs against other devices. If Sony truly wants to entice local consumers with the Xperia X, it needs to fall below the R10k mark, and we're not saying R9 999. 

With the likes of Xiaomi bringing high-specced flagship devices to the country for R8 000, Sony will have to try and match such price points in order to not be left behind.  

With Sony being one of the few manufacturers to unveil their offerings on 27 February, instead of the 26th like others, the pressure will be on to leave a lasting impression. We'll be on-hand in Barcelona to see exactly what the Xperia X2 looks like, and gauge how Sony fares at MWC 17.