Futuristic Concepts Unveiled at the Mobile World Congress (MWC)

A silhouette of people with the branding of the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona. COURTESY PHOTO A silhouette of people with the branding of the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona. COURTESY PHOTO
<center>A silhouette of people with the branding of the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona. COURTESY PHOTO</center>

The recently ended Mobile World Congress (MWC) in Barcelona, Spain showcased new and latest innovations and there was also plenty of experimentation with different types of screens and first looks at some devices from some of the world’s biggest tech firms. Here are some of the innovations that some companies were able to showcase at their respective stages at the 2024 MWC;

Motorola
Motorola showed off a concept smartphone that can bend along the spine-like hinge, including wrapping around your wrist. The “adaptive display concept” smartphone from the brand, which is owned by China’s Lenovo, has an interface that changes depending on how it bends. It even has a feature to generate a background to match your outfit.

Lenovo
Lenovo showed how an object could be placed behind the screen and identified by the laptop’s camera. Artificial intelligence is then used to display information about the object on the screen.

Humane
Humane introduced the AI Pin — a small device that attaches to your clothing. You can ask it questions and it will give you a response. There’s also a camera built in so it can take pictures.

OPPO
Oppo debuted a set of augmented reality glasses it calls the Air Glass 3. The glasses are equipped with an AI assistant you can talk to.

Samsung
Samsung introduced its Galaxy Ring this week. It’s the South Korean tech giant’s first foray into smart rings. It is equipped with sensors that can track things like heart rate and aspects of your sleep. Samsung said that this, combined with its smartwatch and phone, can give users some insightful health readings. The company is looking to launch it in the second half of 2024.

Tecno
Tecno showcased several products including;

  1. A robot dog called the Tecno Dynamic 1. It has a design inspired by a German Shepherd, according to the company. In a demo, the dog danced to a beat, jumped around, and shook hands with a person. Other companies like Xiaomi are also developing robot dogs.
  2. The Phantom Ultimate — a phone with an expandable screen. The screen expands horizontally after a user presses the button on the top of the device.
  3. An augmented reality glasses product with a video game controller attached. It allows a user to play games on a big screen by wearing glasses. The processing power for the whole system is housed inside the gaming controller.

Xiaomi
Xiaomi showcased its first-ever electric vehicle, dubbed the SU7. The car is not yet on sale and it’s unclear if Xiaomi will sell the car in Europe and other parts of the world yet. However, the Chinese tech company is keen to flaunt its progress and entrance into the highly competitive EV space.

Xiaomi has spent years talking up its smartphones’ camera capabilities. This year, the company took it one step further when it announced that it is selling a professional photography kit with its flagship Xiaomi 14 smartphone. The kit turns it into something akin to a DSLR camera.

Deutsche Telekom x Brain.ai
Deutsche Telekom, in association with American startup Brain.ai, demonstrated a highly original smartphone prototype, devoid of even the slightest application. Only an AI-powered personal assistant is installed, tasked with carrying out a multitude of practical tasks, such as organizing a vacation or booking a table at a restaurant.