Mobile World Congress celebrates its return

This year's Mobile World Congress was supposed to be a celebration, a long-awaited return after the pandemic curtailed the last two years' events. But instead it is taking place in the shadow of war in Europe.

The conflict between Ukraine and Russia has not exactly taken center stage here in Barcelona. But it is being acknowledged, in the opening remarks of keynote speeches, or through subtle displays of solidarity with Ukraine. At the Lithuanian pavilion, for example, a Ukrainian flag is displayed on a TV screen with the message #StandWithUkraine.

GSMA, the industry group organizing the event, was quick to condemn Russia's actions and to restrict access for some — though not all — of Russia's tech industry.

"For example, the Russian country pavilion is not present here today," said Stephanie Lynch-Habib, the chief marketing officer of GSMA, in an interview with DW. "In light of the tragic loss of life, and the terrible, terrible situation ongoing, we think that MWC is immaterial to the overall picture."

Nonetheless, for the 40,000 to 60,000 people expected to show up at this year's MWC, the event is anything but immaterial. GSMA likes to say that MWC is where "business gets done," where tech giants, startups, government ministers and key players come together to strike deals. But it's also a place for the tech industry to show off their shiny new products. 

MWC was one of the first major events to be canceled due to the pandemic back in February 2020. Last year the event was held, though with limited attendance and without many big headliners.

This year's MWC has been touted as the return to normality. Though against the backdrop of Covid-19, normality is relative. Attendance is expected to be about half of the 2019 level of 110,000.

That hasn't dulled the excitement of tech industry analyst Paolo Pescatore. "It sounds obvious, but it's one thing having a call with someone, it's one thing having a Zoom meeting with a group," he said. "But nothing beats the real thing of being at an event, a big trade show like this, and seeing people."

Some had feared the pandemic would spell the end of expensive in-person trade shows. GSMA's Lynch-Habib says this year's MWC shows the industry is on its way back.

"I think it's fair to say that the trade show industry is not where we were in 2019. It's a different world," she said. "But as you'll see this week, this is going to be 2 to 3 times the size of our event in Barcelona in June 2021."

China's rising smartphone industry

One new trend to emerge since the industry last gathered here in full force in 2019 is the rise of Chinese mobile phonemakers, according to CCS Insight chief analyst Ben Wood.

Chinese firms like Oppo, Xiaomi, Realme, ZTE and Honor have made waves with their smartphones and gadget debuts.

"They are looking to fill the void left by Huawei," Wood told DW. Huawei was at one time the world's largest smartphone manufacturer. But its phone business has been hurting since it was blacklisted by the US in 2019 and faced restrictions on its ability to access chips.

This new crop of Chinese smartphone makers are competing not just with the existing industry leaders Apple and Samsung but with each other.

"Is there enough cake for 4 to 5 players?" Wood said. "It's unlikely all Chinese manufacturers here will be viable."

Sustainability sells

"Almost every company here has some sort of sustainability and green message," Wood said. "However the challenge for people attending the event is cutting through the green rinsing."

Take Samsung, which announced a new Galaxy laptop lineup that uses plastic made from discarded fishing nets. That recycled material is also in the Galaxy S22 smartphone lineup Samsung announced in February. 

Aside from the questions about how effective recycling ocean plastic is, Wood said that the best way for the industry to reduce its environmental footprint is to encourage people to buy less.

"Even if you don't change what the phone is made of, if people aren't switching phones every year that is a huge change.The goal has to be now a minimum of 3 years."

5G still reins

The rollout and adoption of 5G — the ultrafast, next generation internet — remains key.

This year's MWC saw the debut of many 5G devices for consumers, like a series of affordable 5G phones and internet routers. But it also saw a number of "weird, wonderful and crazy" demonstrations of the uses of 5G, said analyst Pescatore. 

His favorite was a 5G-enabled racing game that allows people here in Barcelona to compete against employees of French telecom Orange in Paris. Nearby, people can watch the Notre Dame cathedral's construction in virtual-reality headsets. Elsewhere a robot bartender pours drinks and people dance in the metaverse with K-pop star Jamie.

This might all sound futuristic and fantastical. But 5G is increasingly finding its place in both our devices and the businesses around us.

"It's not just about the technology, it's about how you apply the technology in the different industries," said GSMA's Lynch-Habib. "And that transforms the way healthcare, finance, manufacturing are evolving."

Edited by: Uwe Hessler