Editor's note: This article will be updated each day of the event to inform readers of the most current MWC 2023 news and information
The Gist
- Open and Agile. Mobile networks are becoming more open and agile, and the interoperability of these technologies is paving the way for transformation across all industries.
- Significant shift. The GSMA Open Gateway initiative represents a significant shift in the way the telecoms industry designs and delivers services.
- New functionality. Google showcased new functionality in its Chrome web browser that enables users to zoom on text, images and videos up to 300 percent without disrupting the page layout.
- New service. 30 Countries To Launch 5G Services in 2023
- New products. Huawei Debuts Its GT Cyber Smartwatch
- GLOMO Award Winners: The GSMA honored Martin Cooper as the first recipient of the GLOMO Lifetime Achievement Award
- Fast Charging: Realme Announces World's Fastest Charging Smartphone
MWC 2023 — Day One
Dedicated primarily to the mobile communications industry, the Mobile World Congress, MWC Barcelona, is billed as “the largest and most influential event for the connectivity ecosystem.” Drawing tens of thousands of attendees, MWC brings together mobile device manufacturers, technology providers and tech businesses from around the globe to showcase the latest mobile technology and promises to be full of announcements of smartphone launches from manufacturers including Huawei, Honor, HMD’s Nokia and OnePlus.
CMSWire will bring you the highlights of this conference, which began today and wraps up on March 2, so be sure to check back to learn about the latest technology, keynotes and more.
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Keynote 1: Vision of an Open Future
The first keynote of the conference, Vision Of An Open Future, was presented by Mats Granryd, director general at GSMA, José María Álvarez-Pallete, chairman and CEO at Telefónica, Christel Heydemann, CEO at Orange, and Thierry Breton, commissioner for the internal market of the European Commission. Topics discussed included the shift in innovation that has been enabled by artificial intelligence, 5G and augmented reality, all of which have set the industry on a new trajectory that is immersive and inclusive.
Due to this shift, mobile networks are becoming more open and agile, and the interoperability of these technologies is paving the way for the transformation that can be seen today across all industries. The keynote focused on the evolution of these technologies and why a shared vision is needed to achieve a fair and equitable future for all.
Kingfisher Unveils Kinetic Sculpture ‘Circulation’
Kingfisher, the next-gen mobile experience company, in collaboration with the GSMA, today unveiled, "Circulation" a kinetic sculpture that was created to highlight how through circulation, mobile devices can be repurposed to live their second, third and at times, fourth “lives.”
The sculpture was created by Helsinki and Tokyo-based artist collective, Sun Effects, and is a three-dimensional kinetic sculpture that is nearly three and a half meters tall with a 14-meter-long aluminum spiral rotating on a central axis.
The spiral sculpture features 80 refurbished phones, which act as “windows into the circular economy.” Their displays are synched to create one large continuous screen that is paired to a “bespoke soundscape,” all of which is designed to transform these devices from phones into tools of expression, to express the concept of circulation. After their initial life as a phone, they were brought together to form a kinetic sculpture, and then they will be refurbished and circulated back into use as phones once again.
Mobile Industry Deploys Open Network APIs
The GSMA today announced an industrywide initiative called GSMA Open Gateway, which is a framework of universal network application programmable interfaces (APIs) that will enable universal access to operator networks for developers. Through a collaboration between 21 mobile network operators, Open Gateway represents a huge shift in the way the telecoms industry designs and delivers services.
Driven by the Linux Foundation in collaboration with the GSMA, the Open Gateway APIs are defined, developed and published as part of CAMARA, an open-source project which enables developers to access enhanced network capabilities. These APIs provide gateways between telcos and developers, who can then quickly deliver mobile applications.
Satya Nadella, chairman and CEO at Microsoft, stated that Microsoft is focused on extending a distributed computing fabric from the cloud to the edge, together with its operator partners. "We look forward to bringing the GSMA Open Gateway initiative to Microsoft Azure, to empower developers and help operators monetize the value of their 5G investments," he explained.
Google Chrome’s New Zoom Blows up Big
Google today made several announcements relating to different kinds of Android devices and showcased its work in conjunction with its partners to create connected devices that work better together and stay fresh over time. Of particular note is new functionality in its Chrome web browser, which enables users to zoom on text, images and videos up to 300 percent without disrupting the page layout.
Today in a blog about Google at MWC, Kara Bailey, VP of strategy, Android and Google Play, wrote that Google views the Android operating system as being about more than simply allowing devices to communicate with each other, but rather, it’s about improving how people communicate with each other. “We believe messaging should bring people together, not pull them apart.”
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Day Two, Mobile World Congress Barcelona 2023
It’s day two of Mobile World Congress, MWC Barcelona, and there promises to be plenty of announcements, sessions, and more as CMSWire continues to cover the latest and greatest from what is arguably the largest mobile event of the year.
Session: Natural Intelligence: Can AI Really Think For Itself?
With all the attention that ChatGPT, Bing, and Bard are getting for their generative AI models, the idea of intelligent machines is now mainstream. This session asks the question: can AI actually think for itself? Session moderator Daniel Beazer will speak with six thought leaders from brands including Intel, Microsoft, Ivanti, Deloitte, and CerebrumX about the potential opportunities to win the fight against climate change, improve manufacturing processes, and enhance customer experience.
30 Countries To Launch 5G Services in 2023
Today GSMA announced that expedited by technological innovations, 5G connections are expected to double over the next two years, and there will be new 5G network deployments in more than 30 countries in 2023.
The forecasts from GSMA Intelligence are indicative of a significant period of growth in mobile subscribers and enterprise adoption. At the end of 2022, consumer connections surpassed one billion and are expected to increase to around 1.5 billion this year, and two billion by the end of 2025. Many of the new 5G markets will be in developing regions across Africa, including Ethiopia and Ghana, as well as Asia.
Huawei Debuts Its GT Cyber Smartwatch
Today at MWC Huawei showed off its Watch GT Cyber, a smartwatch that features replaceable shells that make up the body and the straps.
Huawei’s Watch GT Cyber features a 1.32” circular AMOLED with 466 x 466 resolution, and comes with two shells, each in a different style: Urban in Golden Black and Sport in Space Grey. It will soon be available in Latin America, the Middle East, and China.
GSMA Mobile Net Zero Report: Global Mobile Industry Is Going Green
GSMA today released its annual Mobile Net Zero report, which indicated that mobile operators are gaining ground in the move towards net zero, as nearly a quarter of the industry’s electricity is now being purchased from renewable sources. The report is a good indication that mobile operators are working to improve energy efficiency, investing in 5G, retiring inefficient legacy networks, and investing in electric vehicle technology.
Cisco Wirelessly Helping Businesses Connect More People and Things
Cisco is showcasing the ways it provides simple and secure wireless experiences to enable businesses to connect more people and things. At MWC they are shining the spotlight on new projects with partners such as BT Group, KPN, Telenor, Telstra, Telus, Tele2, and TIM with a goal of helping enterprise customers manage IoT deployments with a focus on "simplicity, automation and speed."
Learning Opportunities
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Cisco Networking's executive VP and GM, Jonathan Davidson, stated in the announcement that "We look forward to meeting with customers to introduce new solutions including the Cisco Mobility Services platform powered by our 5G and Edge Cloud technology stack and IoT Control Center, 5G SA packet core, and global edge compute delivered together with Qwilt."
Day Three, Mobile World Congress Barcelona 2023
It’s day three of Mobile World Congress, MWC Barcelona 2023, and the excitement is palpable as mobile, telecom, and technology leaders converge to showcase their latest products, projects, and services. CMSWire continues to cover the latest and greatest from the largest mobile event of the year.
Sessions Rule the Day: Metaverse, Million Women Coders, Living on the Edge, AI for Business, and More!
Day Three was the day for some amazing sessions and keynotes, including Keynote 8: Enter The Metaverse, which will help to inform attendees about the differences between the hype and the reality of the metaverse. Thought leaders from The Sandbox, Dimple, and XEODesign will discuss how the metaverse brings together a hybrid of online social experiences, and its impact on gaming, brands, sports, and entertainment.
The tech industries have always been dominated by males, and women and marginalized communities have been disproportionately affected by digital illiteracy and lack of access to the internet. In the session entitled 1 Million Women And Girl Coders By 2030, Lady Marieme Jamme, chief sustainability officer, founder of iamtheCODE & Accur8global, will discuss the importance of promoting digital literacy and digital access for women and marginalized communities.
Other sessions on day three include Show Me The (Web3) Money!, which discusses how some innovative start-ups are actually delivering genuine value and revenues in the world of Web3, A Smart And Connected World In The Edge Computing Era, which looks at what a future-forward automotive ecosystem looks like, and how distributed edge computing can get us there, and A Look Into The Future of AI For Business, which focuses on the latest and upcoming steps in the evolution of AI for business.
2023 Global Mobile (GLOMO) Award Winners Announced
On day three on the Industry City and Ministerial stages at MWC Barcelona, the GSMA announced the winners of the 2023 Global Mobile (GLOMO) Awards, which celebrate the businesses, people and governments who have driven the greatest innovation in mobile and associated industries.
This year, the GSMA honored Martin Cooper as the first recipient of the GLOMO Lifetime Achievement Award. The award recognizes Cooper’s innovative and pioneering role in the mobile and technology industries. Cooper is acknowledged as the first person to make a public call from a handheld portable cell phone at Motorola, on April 3rd, 1973, and is known as the ‘father of the cell phone’. Additionally, he led the team that brought the first cell phone to market in 1983.
Apple's iPhone 14 Pro won the 2023 GLOMO Award for the Best Smartphone. Apple also won the award for Disruptive Device Innovation for its Emergency SOS via Satellite feature which enables iPhone 14 phones and Apple Watches to directly connect to a satellite in emergency situations.
Realme Announces World's Fastest Charging Smartphone
Realme today announced Realme GT3, the world's fastest-charging smartphone. Using a 240-watt fast charging technology, it takes only 80 seconds to charge to 20 percent capacity, and 9 minutes and 30 seconds to fully charge the GT3's 4600mAh battery.
The Realme GT3 smartphone runs on Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 SoC with up to 16GB RAM and 1TB of internal storage, and UI 4.0, which is based on Android 13. It features three lenses on the back: a 50-megapixel primary lens, an 8-megapixel ultra-wide sensor, and a 2-megapixel microscope lens, along with a 16-megapixel lens on the front.
Day Four, Mobile World Congress Barcelona 2023
It’s day four of Mobile World Congress, MWC Barcelona 2023, and as the largest mobile event of the year comes to an end, CMSWire wraps up its coverage of the latest announcements from mobile, telecom and technology businesses around the globe.
Sessions: Virtual Reality and the Internet of Things
Notable sessions today included Player One, Are You Ready?, hosted by session moderator Scott Porter, who spoke with thought leaders from XEODesign, MetaverseGO, NVIDIA and HTC about cloud gaming and the evolution of immersive technologies. The discussion sought to answer questions about the future of gaming, touching on gaming in the metaverse and Web 3.0, play-to-earn models, advanced AI in gameplay and AR or VR for mainstream immersive gameplay.
An Internet Of Things Tour was hosted by moderator Mark Harms, who took attendees through a focused experience, enabling them to interact with some of the leading IoT brands, from infrastructure to consumer endpoints. The session discussed the growing suite of over 40 billion devices and smart technologies that promise to reimagine and transform physical spaces both at home and in the business world.
Huawei Announces Inclusive Connectivity 2.0 Solution
Although most people don’t realize it, 400 million people, 5% of the world’s population, still do not have access to mobile broadband networks. As such, in low- and middle-income countries, rural residents are 33% less likely to use mobile Internet than urban residents.
Today, Huawei launched its Inclusive Connectivity 2.0 Solution at MWC as part of the Accelerating Digital Transformation of Public Services session, which discussed the trends in the public service sector's digital transformation. The session's focus was methodologies that promote economic and social development while improving citizens' quality of life.
Xiaomi Announces Its Wireless AR Glass Discovery Edition
Xiaomi announced its Wireless AR Glass Discovery Edition, which uses Qualcomm’s Snapdragon Spaces XR2 Platform. These untethered AR glasses are lightweight, and are able to connect to smart home devices. Additionally, they can be integrated with popular apps such as TikTok and YouTube.
The Wireless AR Glass is Xiaomi’s concept pair of wireless smart glasses, and as they don’t have built-in storage, they are designed to be paired to a phone or other device, and are able to provide a wireless immersive AR experience.
MWC Comes to a Close
The largest event for the connectivity ecosystem, MWC Barcelona was back in full force this week, attracting tens of thousands of attendees, with most of the world’s leading mobile and telecom businesses showing off their latest and greatest products and services. This wraps up CMSWire’s coverage of the 2023 Mobile World Congress in beautiful Barcelona.
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