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Mobile World Congress, commonly known as MWC, kicks off this Monday, and this year’s Barcelona trade show for mobile technology is set to be one of the busiest ever.
With AI and personal computing devices, including smartphones, headsets and wearables, many new and exciting products will be available, even if the list includes concepts that promise more than real-world practicality, and Gadgets that may never cross the Atlantic into the US market. What happened to 5G? What is 6G? We will also have answers to these questions.
First, here are the logistics of the event.
When is MWC 2024?
The week-long event stretches from February 26 to February 29, with keynotes and launch events scheduled at the Fira de Barcelona Convention Center. Companies like Xiaomi, Honor, and Nokia have also announced product launch plans for Sunday, a day before MWC officially begins.
In advance, I’ve rounded up three of the biggest themes to get excited about this year’s mobile extravaganza, even if you’re not based in Europe and/or don’t consider yourself a bleeding edge devotee. Understand.
1. Don’t sleep on concepts.
Motorola
Two things are certain for every MWC: concept phones and tapas. While it’s hard to beat a plate of pan-con tomat, I have a feeling I’ll be more drawn to the futuristic, mind-bending handsets that will hit the show floor this year. Last February, Motorola unveiled its rollable phone concept, which I still believe should have been named “Moto-rolla,” while OnePlus unveiled its glowing, icy blue OnePlus Exhibited 11 concepts. Both devices demonstrated the potential of our most personal computing devices when manufacturers push the envelope, even if ideas take years to fully materialize.
This year, we’ll see more of this innovation:
- While Motorola hasn’t confirmed anything, the company’s Adaptive Display Concept (shown above) could be another reveal since it debuted at Lenovo Tech World in October. I’m excited to see if there really is a future where our smartphones can replace our smartwatches and wrist devices.
- Deutsche Telekom, T-Mobile’s majority stakeholder, also plans to demonstrate an “AI phone” that replaces apps with generative AI assistants.
- Just as weird, phone maker Tecno next week will showcase the Phantom Ultimate, its first rollable screen concept with a “double-sided screen that stretches from 6.55 inches to 7.11 inches.” Are rollables the new foldables?
- Or is transparent display the new, cool trend? Recent rumors from Windows Report point to Lenovo unveiling a transparent laptop at MWC. If true, it wouldn’t be the first device to feature a see-through display this year — CES was full of them — but it would be the first for a laptop.
2. Growing competition in the East
Carrie Vaughan/ZDNET
Concept phones aside, several mobile releases will indeed hit the global market after MWC, including Xiaomi’s 14 Ultra, the company’s top-of-the-line handset with a triple 50-megapixel camera setup, titanium construction, And includes the latest Qualcomm processor. . Xiaomi finds itself in third place when it comes to global smartphone market share in Q4 2023, behind Apple and Samsung, as reported by Canalys. Here’s to hoping it can carry that momentum with its flagship releases for the year, and possibly give the iPhone 15 Pro Max and Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra a run for their money. can
Honor, Huawei’s former sub-brand, will also launch a phone on February 25 in Barcelona. While it won’t be as flashy as the Magic V2 foldable that the company introduced last month, the Magic 6 Pro has a 180MP periscope. A camera that should be able to capture some of the most detailed and vivid portrait photos ever seen on a smartphone.
Perhaps the most relevant MWC phone release for US readers will be the Nothing Phone 2a, a more affordable option for the brand’s light-pulsing flagship from last year. While official pricing and specs have yet to be revealed, there’s no denying that the Phone 2a will run on a MediaTek Dimensity 7200 Pro chip, a processor that delivers above-average performance at an accessible price point. If nothing plays its cards right, this will be the budget phone to beat in 2024.
3. Wearables will steal the show.
Carrie Vaughan/ZDNET
This is my bold prediction for MWC; If the quality of new wearables over the past few months is any indication, much of the buzz this year revolves not around smartphones, but the gadgets that surround them.
From XR glasses and VR headsets to fitness trackers and smart rings, companies, big and small, are doubling down on new ways to keep us connected, entertained and always on top of our health.
Building on Unpacked’s momentum, it’s likely that Samsung will talk more about the feature set and capabilities of its first Galaxy Ring, though the official launch likely won’t happen until July or August. Xreal and HTC will also be present at the show, both showcasing their latest innovations in native computing. And the OnePlus Watch 2 could round out the wearable’s best news with “100-hour battery life” and key improvements that could be enough to resurrect the once-condemned smartwatch model.
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