MWC 2024: All the latest announcements

Mobile World Congress is a mobile-focused trade show that takes place every year in Barcelona, Spain. After a cancellation in 2020 and a diminished event in 2021, we had a full-size show in 2022, and MWC 2023 came even stronger. We’re expecting an even better MWC 2024.

Of course, we’re in Barcelona covering the event first-person, but what’s been announced already? And what should we still expect? Below, we go over the hottest news from MWC 2024. Want to know what products really caught our eye? Check out our Best of MWC 2024 awards.

MWC 2024: Important information

• What is MWC? MWC stands for Mobile World Congress. It’s the largest yearly mobile-focused convention in the world. It hosted over 80,000 attendees in 2023, getting people from all over the world together. In 2024, the projected attendee count is over 90,000. This includes all types of industry attendees, including “global mobile operators, device manufacturers, technology providers, vendors, content owners, or people interested in the future of tech.”
• When is MWC 2024? MWC 2024 takes place from Monday, February 26, to Thursday, February 29, 2024.
• Where is MWC 2024? MWC 2024 takes place in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain, primarily at the Fira Gran Via. Separate MWC announcements, keynotes, and product unveilings usually also happen at various locations around Barcelona, though.
• Is MWC 2024 open to the public? Unlike other major tech conventions, MWC makes it pretty simple for people to attend. The event is open to the public as long as attendees pay for registration. You can find all the details here.

Deutsche Telekom

German carrier Deutsche Telekom introduced an AI phone concept at MWC. This promises to let AI help the user instead of apps. The company says you can take a picture on your phone and have AI send it for you. Or you could get (groan) product and food recommendations based on your prompt. CEO Tim Hoettges reckoned during the phone’s reveal that nobody will use apps five to 10 years from now. We’ll take that bet, Tim.

Energizer

Energizer brand licensee Avenir Telecom revealed the Energizer Hard Case P28K in Barcelona. And this phone brings a monster 28,000mAh battery. The device is incredibly thick and pretty heavy while offering budget specs elsewhere. Avenir says we should expect an October release for €250 (~$271), but the firm’s track record for releases isn’t encouraging.

Google

Google doesn’t typically use MWC for its most high-profile announcements, but it nevertheless had plenty of news to share at the event.

Some of the more notable tidbits include Gemini coming to Google Messages, text summaries for Android Auto, and passes/tickets/memberships on Wear OS watches.

HONOR

HONOR commonly brings some important announcements to MWC. This year, the company globally launched the Magic 6 Pro and the Magic V2 RSR at the event. Both have already launched in China, but their European debut happened on February 25.

The company has also launched the new HONOR MagicBook Pro 16 laptop at the event. You can read all about HONOR’s MWC 2024 announcements here and check out our Magic 6 Pro hands-on article.

Lenovo

The veteran laptop maker always makes an appearance of some kind at MWC, and the 2024 running is no different. This time, the standout product was a laptop concept with a transparent display.

The company also had a few commercial laptops up its sleeve. It revealed a couple of new two-in-one laptops along with new T-series notebooks that are focused on repairability.

Motorola

Lenovo subsidiary Motorola also came to Barcelona for MWC 2024, and the company’s most eye-catching showcase was its Adaptive Display Concept. This is effectively a phone that can wrap around your wrist. Check out our hands-on video above.

Motorola and Lenovo also teamed up for a Smart Connect suite of features. This enables cross-device features when using laptops, tablets, and phones from either brand. Some touted features include using a keyboard and mouse across multiple devices, starting a video on one device and resuming it on another, and a smart clipboard.

Finally, the company confirmed that it will use Gorilla Glass on all its smartphones, starting in the second half of the year. That should be good news for budget phones, in particular, which sometimes lack adequate protective glass.

Nokia/HMD Global

HMD Global was one of the first companies to hold a press conference at MWC 2024. They announced four new phones, but unfortunately, we were only shown one. HMD is going big on its own brand name and announced the HMD Fusion, a smartphone with functional, interchangeable back covers. The company also teased an “iconic” Nokia-branded phone and a Barbie-branded flip feature phone in partnership with Mattel. You can read all about HMD Global’s MWC 2024 announcements here.

Nothing

Nothing’s MWC teaser simply says, “Nothing to see.” This is both funny and fitting, as Nothing isn’t known for making any actual announcements at MWC events. It has been known to tease upcoming products at this congress, though.

In 2022, Carl Pei was seen using a Nothing Phone 1. In 2023, Pei and Qualcomm held a joint press release in which they confirmed the Nothing Phone 2 would have a Snapdragon 8-series processor. In 2024, we assume there will be some kind of teaser regarding the Nothing Phone 3 or probably some announcement about the Nothing Phone 2a that’s confirmed to launch on March 5.

Nubia

ZTE-affiliated smartphone brand Nubia had a couple of notable products on offer at MWC. Perhaps the most interesting device was the cheap Nubia Flip 5G, which is a rebranded version of the Japan-only ZTE Libero Flip. This will be the cheapest foldable phone in Europe, coming in at €599 (~$650).

Nubia also showed off the intriguing Nubia Music handset. This is a music-focused Android phone with extremely loud speakers and two 3.5mm ports. Expect low-end specs, otherwise.

Qualcomm

Qualcomm announced the Snapdragon X80 modem in Barcelona, and it’s expected to appear in the Snapdragon 8 Gen 4 processor. The big deal here is that this is the first smartphone modem with integrated satellite support.

The US chip designer also revealed its FastConnect 7900 connectivity suite, which will likely power wireless connectivity in the Snapdragon 8 Gen 4. The most notable feature is integrated UWB support, suggesting that more next-generation flagship phones will have UWB. Qualcomm also revealed an AI Hub for developers, allowing for easier implementation of AI features in apps.

OnePlus

OnePlus has already launched the OnePlus 12, but it still managed to bring something new to MWC 2024. Yep, the company launched the $300 OnePlus Watch 2 in Barcelona.

The new watch brings a chunky design with a 1.43-inch AMOLED screen, a Snapdragon W5 Gen 1 chipset, and Wear OS 4. However, this watch also offers a “dual-architecture” design thanks to a second processor for low-power tasks. In fact, the device is able to run in a power-sipping fitness tracker mode via this second chip, enabling days of battery life if necessary.

OPPO

The Chinese conglomerate didn’t have much to announce in Spain, but it did reveal the OPPO Air Glass 3 “assisted reality” glasses. This is just a prototype, but the company says these glasses offer access to a generative AI assistant when paired with a phone. These spectacles also offer features like a full-color display, call functionality, media playback, and more.

Samsung

Samsung didn’t actually announce anything major at MWC 2024, but it did give us more Galaxy Ring details in a media briefing. The company also showed off the ring itself, and we made sure to take some snaps. Expect “long” battery life (reportedly between five and nine days), support for four sleep-tracking metrics, and fertility tracking. The company also told us that the ring will play nicely with your Galaxy Watch.

TCL

Is it even a tech expo without TCL? The Chinese manufacturer used MWC 2024 to announce the TCL 50 series of phones for the US. Two of these budget phones pack NXTPAPER technology, which is effectively a matte display for reduced glare.

Like the idea of NXTPAPER but want it on a larger screen? Then the manufacturer also revealed the TCL NXTPAPER 14 tablet. The device will offer a sub-$400 price tag,  a 14.25-inch screen, a Helio G99 chip, and a 10,000mAh battery with 33W wired charging.

TECNO

The nascent Chinese brand is no stranger to Barcelona, having made an appearance at MWC 2023. Back then, the company announced a new laptop along with the ambitious Phantom V Fold foldable.

Unfortunately, it sounds like those expecting a new Fold-style foldable at MWC 2024 might be disappointed. The Chinese brand launched the mid-tier POVA 6 Pro device and a Windows handheld/pocket cinema glasses combo dubbed the Pocket Go.

The company confirmed it will also reveal an AI-based imaging chip and the MEGABOOK T16 Pro 2024 Ultra high-end laptop.

Xiaomi

Xiaomi went all-in on the Sunday before MWC 2024, bringing a variety of products to global markets. The most notable device was the Xiaomi 14 Ultra, which looks like a beast of a camera phone.

The company’s global launch also hosted the standard Xiaomi 14, Xiaomi Pad 6S Pro, Xiaomi Watch S3, and Xiaomi Smart Band 8 Pro. Either way, you can check out our vanilla Xiaomi 14 hands-on article and Xiaomi 14 Ultra first-look. Oh yeah, the company also had its first electric car on the showfloor.