Feb. 11 (Bloomberg) -- Nokia Oyj, the world’s largest mobile-phone maker, has ruled out showing new devices at the industry’s biggest annual gathering next week, the first time in at least a decade the company has done that, a person involved in the planning said.

Nokia won’t have a stand at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona. The Espoo, Finland-based company made a “strategic” decision not to unveil any new phones at the event, according to the person, who didn’t want to be identified because the plans are not public.

The company’s low-key presence may disappoint those expecting to see Nokia’s newest devices to take on Samsung Electronics Co. and Apple Inc. It gives rivals the chance to dominate the show with touchscreen devices at lower prices. Technology blogs Fonehome.co.uk and Phonesreview have raised expectations by reporting that Nokia plans to show a new range of phones called the C Series at the event.