What we count on from MWC 2024

In slightly over every week’s time (February 26-29) round 85,000 or so attendees will descend upon the Fira de Barcelona for Cellular World Congress 2024. Over the previous few years, the present has change into arguably an important cell occasion of the 12 months. Cellphone makers, telecoms and quite a lot of different tech distributors, journalists and analysts converge to debate what the subsequent 12 months will maintain for the trade.

Like each different main in-person occasion, the previous few years have been rocky for MWC. In 2019, the present hit 109,000 guests — not fairly CES numbers (which hit ~175,000 that very same 12 months), however nonetheless a formidable turnout for what’s finally a considerably extra narrowly targeted present. COVID hit the present laborious for just a few years (be a part of the membership).

After many main vendor withdrawals and weeks of handwringing, the GSM Affiliation (GMA) canceled the 2020 occasion. A considerably scaled again model of the occasion occurred the next 12 months, with a tough cap on attendance. 2022 noticed the beginnings of a bounce again to 60,000 attendees, whereas final 12 months hit 88,500. Organizers anticipate an identical determine for this 12 months’s occasion. The quantity remains to be down considerably from the present’s peak, however MWC nonetheless qualifies as a big present.

It’s a great bit more durable, nonetheless, to evaluate the present’s present stage of significance for the trade. That is due in no small half to some macro traits which have impacted just about each tech trade tradeshow. Even previous to the pandemic, massive distributors had begun migrating to their very own standalone occasions, in order to not get misplaced among the many noise. COVID solely expedited the development, as corporations had been compelled to determine dwell occasion streaming.

Among the largest trade names not have a serious presence. Take Samsung, which has taken to asserting its new flagships through the once-slow weeks between CES and MWC. As we head into this 12 months’s occasion, I might like to inform you that — as with CES — small, fascinating startups have rushed in to fill that void, however it’s not likely the case. At the very least it’s nowhere close to the diploma of what we’ve seen from the Vegas occasion.

There’s a respectable sufficient startup presence at MWC, although it takes the type of its personal sister occasion. 4FYN (that’s 4 Years From Now) is celebrating its tenth 12 months of existence in 2024. Hopefully that may translate into an thrilling exhibiting. The occasion is run by the identical group in the identical venue. I’ve come to think about it because the Cellular World Congress equal to CES’ Eureka Park: an enormous, cacophonous room filled with startups. There are actually worst methods to spend a day for work.

For the businesses that take part on the present flooring and in pitch-offs, it’s an opportunity to get an viewers with MWC’s massive and engaged viewers. For us, it’s a chance to take a look at smaller companies which may have in any other case flown beneath the radar. The occasion isn’t unique to European startups, however they have a tendency to dominate for causes of proximity. It’s rather a lot simpler to swing over to Spain than it’s to fly throughout an ocean and a continent or two as a way to hand around in the neon pit of despair that’s Las Vegas, Nevada.

In the event you’re planning to point out off some fascinating new tech, tell us right here.

Among the traits I anticipate dominating the dialog embody a continued give attention to health-centered wearables, together with newer type elements just like the good ring. Head-worn shows have all the time had one thing of a presence on the present. It appears to be among the many greater reveals for HTC Vive, as an example. Within the wake of Apple’s Imaginative and prescient Professional launch and Qualcomm’s dedication to AR and VR, I count on to be speaking rather a lot about this as soon as the present kicks off.

MWC can be a enjoyable present for idea gadgets. That is the place Lenovo/Motorola shine. Actually, the extra I give it some thought, the extra I’m satisfied that Lenovo is having probably the most enjoyable among the many world’s main client electronics producers. Count on all the things to fold and/or slide. Some shall be pure ideas, however Lenovo’s not afraid to launch some actually, delightfully bizarre stuff. There’s even a “transparent laptop” presently rumored for the occasion.

Talking of rumors, Nothing’s mid-tier 2a handset is pegged for a March 5 launch (albeit an apparently restricted one right here within the U.S.). Carl Pei’s previous firm, OnePlus, may even be current. Final 12 months’s present discovered the corporate leaning into its personal line of idea gadgets. This 12 months, in the meantime, it’s rumored to be readying the discharge of the OnePlus Watch 2.

Extra broadly talking, count on AI all over the place at MWC, however be ready to chop by way of the BS (don’t fear, we’re right here to assist). Samsung broke the “generative AI smartphone seal with the Galaxy S24 line,” and now it’s going to be out in full type with functions starting from useful to ridiculous. I’m cautiously optimistic in regards to the proliferation of AI gadgets within the mould of the Humane Pin and Rabbit R1. As with CES, I anticipate robots getting a second to shine on the occasion, albeit primarily from European corporations this day out. There’s additionally the matter of that Xiaomi car.

Above all, this can be a huge present for telecos, and sure, the 6G conversations have already begun. Bear in mind earlier than the inevitable deluge, nonetheless, that we’re nonetheless within the VERY early stage of improvement. No customary has been agreed upon and we’re possible ~4 years out from really seeing suitable gadgets. Nevertheless, 5.5G/5G superior could be very a lot a actuality being pushed by Chinese language companies, specifically. Count on to listen to rather a lot about this — and different issues — from Huawei, which has spent the final a number of years slowly clawing its manner again up after shedding entry to Google and Qualcomm merchandise.

Additionally very actual and prone to be very current at this 12 months’s present is Wi-Fi, which succeeds Wi-Fi 6E as the most recent wi-fi customary. Information World shall be dwell and current at MWC, as nicely.