The curtain has come down on yet another edition of one of the biggest events in the tech world, the Mobile World Congress (MWC) in Barcelona. From February 27 to March 2, thousands flocked to see the best in tech showcased by some of the biggest names in the industry as well as relative newcomers.
Dozens of products, ranging from smartphones to watches, were launched alongside unveiling concepts at the Catalan capital. As is always the case, some products and concepts grabbed attention, while some fell by the wayside and others got bookmarked for later reference.
Here are the seven products that we think rocked this year's MWC, and which we’re sure will grab headlines iin the coming days:
Xiaomi 13 Pro: The Most Leica Phone Yet
It might have just been released in the Indian market, but the Xiaomi 13 Pro officially saw the light of the global day in Barcelona.
The phone boasts top-notch hardware, including a Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chip, an outstanding 6.73-inch AMOLED display with 2K resolution and 120Hz adaptive refresh rate as well as a battery with support for 120W wired and 50W wireless charging.
However, what made the phone exceptional was the array of three 50-megapixel sensors on the back, one of which is a massive one-inch sensor. The other is a floating lens for stunning portraits and the third is an ultrawide lens. Most importantly, all three sensors came with lenses from Leica and special shooting modes as well.
With no fewer than four Leica-specific portrait modes (thanks to that floating lens), special Leica filters and even two Leica signature colour styles, the Xiaomi 13 Pro is perhaps the closest a smartphone has come to a high-end point-and-shoot digital camera.
Oppo Find N2 Flip: A Flip That's Not A Galaxy
Mention foldables and it is a fair chance that most folks will think that you are talking of either the Galaxy Z Flip or Galaxy Z Fold series from Samsung. While other brands have dipped their phone-y toes in foldable waters, the results have not been particularly impressive, Oppo is looking to change that with the Find N2 Flip.
The phone flips open vertically, like the Galaxy Z Flip, and comes with some serious hardware. Its most striking feature is a gorgeous 3.26-inch AMOLED external display that is actually very functional and almost a phone in its own right.
A special hinge ensures that the "crease" in the phone does not look too intrusive on the 6.8-inch full-HD AMOLED internal display. There are Hasselblad cameras and support for 44W charging, some very neat software touches, as well as a design that screams "premium."
The MediaTek Dimensity 9000+ chip might seem like a minus point for some, but it could also mean a relatively more affordable price tag. You might ‘Find’ a new ‘Flip’ being the rage in tech town this year if this one lives up to its promise.
Nokia G22: The QuickFix Phone
Nokia came up with one of the most surprising phones of the event — the G22. It was surprising because it did not boast any special hardware.
If anything, the Nokia G22 is very modestly specced — its 6.52-inch display is not full-HD, it runs on a UniSoc T606 chip, it has only 20W charging, and its cameras are adequate rather than amazing.
However, what makes the G22 special is the fact that this is a phone you can literally repair on your own, thanks to what Nokia calls QuickFix repairability.
If you wish you can just consult iFixit and replace parts of the device yourself — you can actually fix a damaged display, charging port or battery and more.
You can, of course, also take it to a service centre if you would rather do so.
The back of the phone is also made of 100 per cent recycled plastic, making this a very eco-friendly, very fix-it-yourself kind of phone. We do hope other brands jump on this fixable bandwagon and save us from service centre visits.
Motorola Rizr: Roll Out, Moto!
We did not see a new Moto Razr at MWC 2023, but Motorola did show off a very interesting concept phone at the event. This was the Moto Rizr, which came with a rollable display.
In its normal shape, the Rizr is a compact device with a 5.0-inch POLED display, but with some of the display rolling onto the back and actually acting as a sort of secondary display. Hit a button and the display literally rises (hence the name) and the display on the back rolls to the front, giving the phone a 6.5-inch display.
Motorola has thrown in some software touches to automatically launch features when the screen extends as well, making this one a very interesting device.
Of course, it is still a concept, so the final hardware and software have not been confirmed but fans of compact devices will love the idea of a small phone that can roll out to become a larger one, even though cynics will hem and haw about the durability of that rolling mechanism and issues like battery life.
Anura: Want A Health Check? Take A Selfie!
Taking selfies could be good not just for personal vanity, but also for personal health. One of the most interesting products shown at MWC 2023 was a health monitoring platform called Anura from NuraLogix. Its aim is simple — to give you a health update based on a video selfie!
The app revolves around an AI-based app running on NuraLogix's Affective AI engine. This links to the selfie camera and using computer vision technology detects a variety of physiological and psychological conditions.
The app spots key regions of interest and extracts blood flow information, and this is blended with AI data models developed from tens of thousands of patients, to deliver results on a number of parameters including heart rate, breathing rate, and blood pressure.
The app also can provide risk assessments for conditions like type-2 diabetes, hypertension, cardiovascular disease, and mental health. This could change how we and our doctors monitor health in the coming days.
Huawei Watch GT Cyber: Change The Look Of Your Watch… Literally
It might be a little on the back foot in the smartphone business, but Huawei has kept its innovation game strong when it comes to smartwatches.
The brand showcased a number of wearables at MWC 2023 but the most interesting of them was the Huawei Watch GT Cyber. On the surface, it looks like any routine smartwatch with a round 1.32-inch AMOLED display, and packs in the sensors that you would expect in a smartwatch these days, such as a heart rate sensor, magnetometer, gyroscope, accelerometer and so on.
You get information about your health, your fitness routine and also notifications from your phone. Sounds routine, right? Well, what is not so routine is the fact that you can literally take out the case of the phone and fit the dial into another one.
It is not just the band that changes but the whole case around the dial. It takes customisation to a whole new level, even while coming with military-level durability.
Motorola Defy Satellite Link: Make Every Phone A Satellite Phone
Motorola might have turned more heads with the RIZR concept phone, but Motorola also came out with perhaps the handiest accessory of MWC 2023, the Motorola Defy Satellite Link.
Made by Bullitt (the brand that is known for the Cat range of rugged phones), this handy dongle-like device connects to iOS and Android devices and allows users to swap messages using satellite connectivity.
This means that you can get messages out even if you do not have network connectivity, a feature that was highlighted by Apple in its iPhone 14 Pro range. All you need is a clear view of the sky.
It has got a battery that can last for days, runs on a MediaTek processor and is priced at $99. This could well end up being the go-to mobile accessory for those who love the great outdoors, besides also being a great tool for emergency services.
