MWC Barcelona 2024 Preview: Industry Rubs Shoulders with Consumer Tech

More than 80,000 attendees are expected to descend on Fira Gran Via in Barcelona next week for MWC, the world’s largest event for the connectivity ecosystem.

Once you could have expected MWC to cover mainly innovations in cellphones and their supporting network infrastructures. Now, nearly every technology is connected technology, and increasingly AI-enabled. From smart rings to foldable phones and “invisible” laptops, the event promises to showcase the innovations that will be talking points in 2024 and beyond.

As well as consumer tech, MWC visitors can expect to discover how connectivity supports business and industrial applications using AI, IoT and quantum computing. In turn, these three technology pillars are also influencing the development of next-generation communications.

The themes of this year's event are 5G and Beyond, Connecting Everything, Humanizing AI, Manufacturing Digital Transformation (DX), Game Changers and Our Digital DNA.

Here are the presentations and technologies to watch at this year’s event, in AI, IoT and quantum.

AI to Watch

Tuesday, Feb 27

Revolutionizing Connectivity: Navigating the Future with AI-powered Networks

The convergence of AI and communication technologies is creating networks that make hyperconnectivity and immersive experiences an everyday reality for consumers. This discussion will look at how the next generation of mobile networks, underpinned by AI, is poised to combine communication and computing in a hyperconnected world of digital and physical experiences that will transform daily lives. Panelists from AT&T, Nokia, Nvidia and Ericsson are participating.

Related:Quantum at Mobile World Congress 2023

Wednesday, Feb. 28

Is 2024 the Year of the AI-centric telco?

This session looks into why AI is a game changer for the telco industry and what strategies they are adopting to unlock its future potential across the business. Panelists from Telefonica, Microsoft and Telenor will discuss key success factors, including the importance of implementing responsible AI principles and the value of industry collaboration.

IoT Innovations

Tuesday, February 27

The Lights Are Out but the Robots Are Home: Deploying the Smart Factory

A ‘lights out’ factory is a manufacturing facility that can operate without human intervention, typically relying on automation and robotics for production, and not needing the facilities that humans would require, such as lighting.  It is driven by 5G-enabled technologies including industrial robots, machine vision, automated guided vehicles, IoT sensors, AI and machine learning. This session sees panelists from Tren Micro, Verizon, Petronas and Telefónica share their experience of how to approach a smart factory deployment.

Paving the Way for the Industrial Metaverse

The hype of the consumer metaverse may have fizzled, but experts believe the industrial metaverse is here. Driven by digital twins, AR/XR and other frontier tech, the industrial metaverse market is predicted to reach a value of $100 billion by 2030. Panelists from Nokia, Nvidia and Dassault Systèmes will examine the potential for the industrial metaverse, including enabling a new era of virtual product design and training to creating digital twins of an entire operation and even cities.

Quantum Risks and Opportunities

Monday, February 26

Quantum Industry: A Bird’s Eye View

This session looks at the quantum industry and the evolving landscape in 2024: what is real, what is hype, what is new and what is passé.  Panelists from Puzzle X, Terra Quantum and Resonance will discuss a strategic initiative that will serve as a focal point for the quantum ecosystem: the proposal to the United Nations to proclaim 2025 as the international year of quantum science and technology and how current and future stakeholders can join the initiative.

Wednesday, February 28

Are We Ready for Quantum Computing as a Service?

Before companies can offer Quantum-As-A-Service (QaaS) can be offered, they need to explore the advancements made in quantum computing technology as well as the challenges that still need to be addressed and visualize the potential of this as a service for businesses and organizations. Panelists IBM Quantum, SandbixAQ, Arqit, Forschungszentrum Jülich, Quantum Delta NL will address questions like whether there is a demand for this QaaS, where and how it could help organizations and whether the industry is ready to offer this.

The Best of the Rest

Lenovo’s Transparent Laptop

Lenovo's transparent laptop. Credit: Evan Blass/Lenovo

If you’ve ever had trouble finding your laptop, perhaps this one isn’t for you. Following a leak, Lenovo is widely expected to showcase a new transparent laptop concept with a touch-sensitive keyless keyboard, which hints at a dual-screen concept, and stylus support. Transparent screens have been around for a while, but this suggests Lenovo may be ready to commercialize the technology. 

Samsung’s Galaxy Ring

Samsung's Galaxy Ring. Credit: Samsung

Move over smart watches, smart rings are the new wearable game in town for 2024. Samsung tends not to release new handsets at MWC, but it teased its upcoming Galaxy Ring at its Samsung Unpacked event. Details are thin on the ground, but it’s likely to share features with early-to-market rivals like the Oura, such as fitness, health metrics and sleep tracking technology, and contactless payments.

Motorola’s Foldable Phone

Motorola has been the go-to brand for foldable phones since it released its Razr V3 flip phone in 2004. The brand has since dropped out of the mainstream, but it could be back with its latest foldable-screen smartphone, codenamed either Razr+ or Glory. As well as its foldable screen, the new device is likely to offer extended battery life and AI capabilities. AI-enabled smartphones –and many other devices – are likely to be everywhere in 2024.