Barcelona Mobile World Congress 2023: All the news

As they do every year, the big names on the technology scene come together at the Fira de Barcelona to present the latest advances and innovations.

This edition is marked by an air reminiscent of the pre-Pandemic meetings, with many attendees and three main themes: smartphones, 5G, and the metaverse. Here are the keys to the event!

Barcelona Mobile World Congress

Last year’s edition foreshadowed the excitement of the Mobile audience to bring back one of the most important events of the year, which was reflected in the figures with more than 60,000 attendees.

For this edition, that figure is expected to reach 80,000 visitors at what is considered the window to the future of technology. As usual, tablets and mobiles were the main protagonists, but robot dogs, the metaverse, and developments in artificial intelligence were also in the spotlight.

Mobile World Congress 2023| Recap

5G Networks

According to the latest GSMA report, these networks will contribute $1 trillion to the global economy by 2030. They will serve a consumer who wants streaming TV, video, high-speed connectivity with no latency, and gaming… All in one.

This implies the collaboration of many players from different segments of the technology sector (telecom operators, streaming platforms, hardware providers…) and could definitely lead to the tech giants co-financing the network.

This has been one of the main demands in terms of European legislation and one of the most talked about topics during the event.

Nokia’s refreshed image

For the first time in decades, the Finnish company has revamped its logo and used the occasion to unveil several affordable handsets, as well as its Beacon 10 WiFi, its first Wi-Fi 6E home gateway device. This means faster speeds and lower latencies, perfect for the latest office, home entertainment, and telecommuting applications.

This is Nokia, but not as the world has seen us before. Our new brand signals who Nokia is today. We’re unleashing the exponential potential of networks and their power to help reshape the way we all live and work. https://t.co/lbKLfaL2OI #NewNokia pic.twitter.com/VAgVo8p6nG

— Nokia #MWC23 (@nokia) February 26, 2023

Holographic Telepresence from Telefónica

One of the most striking demos presented by the telecommunications giant was its “Making Holographic Telepresence Happen,” based on fiber, 5G, and Edge Computing technologies.

It is a volumetric capture room where visitors can immediately see themselves transformed into a 3D avatar and transported into augmented and virtual reality environments with different scenarios.

Xiaomi 13 Pro and Xiaomi Wireless AR Smart Glass

Already launched in China, they will be available in the rest of the world in March. These smartphones result from a collaboration between the Chinese brand and Leica, which aims to offer the best photographic experience thanks to its Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 processor and a Surge battery management system. Prices will range from 500 to 1300 euros.

But what has attracted the most attention is its first augmented reality glasses, the Xiaomi Wireless AR Smart Glass. They are still in the early stages, but the prototype already shows promise. It has a compact, premium design and the latest technology in eye displays. They are wireless, weigh only 126 grams, and have very low latency.

Huawei and FundingBox with Spanish startups

The two companies have signed an agreement to accelerate business opportunities and global growth for innovative start-ups.

Through the “Huawei Cloud Start-up” program, which will be launched in March, support will be provided to digitize, assist in global expansion, and fund novel developments in the fields of AI, data analytics, blockchain, Web 3.0, and SaaS.

Intel and its Xeon processors

Intel has launched its fourth-generation Xeon scalable processors with vRAN boost.

These processors offer twice the capacity of the previous generation, with the same power consumption and up to 20% additional power savings with integrated acceleration.

Battery improvements for Honor phones

The Chinese brand has unveiled the latest member of the Magic Series family, the Magic5 Lite. It is a device that DXOMARK has already awarded as the world’s No. 1 smartphone in battery performance.

With a power output of 5100mAh, which equates to three days of moderate daily use and up to two days of heavy use, it comes with a 6.67-inch curved OLED display and low-blue light hardware technology.

Qualcomm and its race to space

Qualcomm has confirmed that it will connect more smartphones in more ways with the evolution of the Snapdragon Satellite. Space will no longer be a frontier for communication, as several companies are already looking for ways to use satellite communications in their devices.

Qualcomm plans to leverage the Iridium network of satellites in low-Earth orbit, whose service will support SMS messaging, two-way messaging for emergencies, and other undisclosed messaging services.

Lenovo and their “roll-up” laptop

Lenovo has announced several new devices, most notably the IdeaPad Duet 3i. It’s a very light tablet with a beautiful design that moves in a slightly different direction from the rest. It features a dual-textured finish on the back and where the Folio Case slides down from the top, revealing the textured finish and making it easy to create the stand and show off the design.

Nubia Pad 3D

It has become one of the most important tablets presented during the congress. At first glance, it looks like a regular device, but when you look at it, its cameras sense the position of your eyes, adjust the screen, and the magic begins.

The image on the screen changes from 2D to 3D, the graphics take on depth, and you can immerse yourself in the content by running your fingers over the surface. All without the need for glasses.

Electric scooters from Xiaomi

It has become one of the most sought-after gadgets of this edition. The Xiaomi Mi Scooter 4 Ultra features a range of up to 70 kilometers, dual suspension, and an innovative front wheel design that allows balancing and is puncture-proof.

These are the most critical innovations announced at MWC 2023 but don’t worry because the next edition of the Mobile World Congress 2024 has already been confirmed: from 26th to 29th February. We’ll see you again!