MWC 2025 Highlights: AI Integration, Innovative Designs, and Camera Advancements

The Best of MWC 2025: The Products and Concepts That Stole the Show

BARCELONA -- Mobile World Congress, the largest annual trade show centered on mobile technology, roared with action this week in Spain with more than 100,000 attendees from around the globe. MWC might be focused on phones, but it now covers a wide range of connected technologies, including laptops, smartwatches, and smart glasses. We spent a week in Barcelona, attending various events to learn everything there is to know about the year in mobile tech ahead. The prevailing theme? AI is going to change everything -- and it's already started. With that in mind, these are the products, concepts, and technologies we think will have the biggest impact on the industry this year. The Xiaomi 15 Ultra is our favorite phone at MWC this year, largely due to its advanced camera technology. The company co-engineered the phone with renowned German camera maker Leica and created a powerful imaging device as a result. The 15 Ultra has three 50MP sensors for the main, ultra-wide, and telephoto cameras. It also features a second telephoto camera with a periscope lens and a 200MP sensor. The phone can capture 8K30, as well as 4K60 in Dolby Vision. Moreover, it has the ability to constantly record 4K120 for adjustable playback speeds. Every other aspect of the phone is top-notch: It has a Snapdragon 8 Elite processor, up to 1TB of storage, a fast-charging 5,410mAh battery, all the latest radios, and, of course, a gorgeous screen. All this power doesn't come cheaply: Expect to pay around $1,500 for it. It's expected to go on sale in China soon, but we don't yet know if it will be coming to other markets. Samsung might have hit a home run with the Galaxy A56. Priced at under $500, it brings a lot of tech to the table. To start, it's one of the first wave of Galaxy A phones to ship with some Galaxy AI features. It also has a large and bright screen, peppy performance, good network support, and plenty of battery life. The 50MP camera is enticing, as is the rapid wired charging, Circle to Search, and six years of software support. The phone is slated to arrive later this year. You're looking at the modem that's most likely to be inside the Samsung Galaxy S26 next year. Qualcomm's Snapdragon X85 packs a lot more AI than last year's X80 modem did, leading to a 30% improvement in inference capabilities. Beyond AI, it will support the most advanced 5G networks with theoretical top downlink speeds of 12.5Gbps. Qualcomm is most likely to pair the X85 with its yet-to-be-announced premiere system-on-a-chip. It will probably follow up the Snapdragon 8 Elite with a new generation in October. Xiaomi's Pad 7 Pro is a powerful tablet meant for professionals. This slim slate may look familiar (ahem, iPad), but it contains some of the industry's top tech. It's the screen that really appeals to the eyes: The 11.2-inch OLED panel has an incredible 3.2K display with an adaptive 144Hz refresh rate and adaptive HDR. The tablet is powered by the Snapdragon 8s Gen 3 processor and has a large 8,850mAh battery that charges at a rapid 67W. The Pad 7 Pro includes a 32MP front camera for 4K video conferencing and a high-resolution 50MP rear camera. It measures 6.18mm (0.24 inches) thick and weighs 1.1 pounds. It runs the latest version of Xiaomi's HyperOS, which contains more AI than the company has ever put into a tablet. The Xiaomi Pad 7 Pro is priced reasonably at 499 euros (about $537) and goes on sale later this year. We like our Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon laptops, but the ThinkBook X13 gets you much of the way there for half the price. The X13 weighs a mere 2.05 pounds, making it light enough to take anywhere. It also has plenty of power. You have your choice of Intel Core Ultra or AMD Rizen processors and you can pack it with as much as 64GB of RAM and 2TB of storage. It has a bevy of ports, a 13-inch screen at 400 nits, and Wi-Fi 7, sub-6GHz 5G, NFC, and Bluetooth. The ThinkPad X13 Gen 6 starts at $1,139 and should arrive in June. With a titanium alloy case and sapphire glass screen protection, the Honor Watch 5 Ultra offers high-end design touches similar to the $799 Apple Watch Ultra 2 and the $649 Galaxy Watch Ultra, but it's less than half the price of either at 279 euros (roughly $300). Notably, the Watch 5 Ultra promises 15 days of battery life on a charge, far exceeding most feature-rich smartwatches. It runs Honor's proprietary MagicOS with plenty of health and fitness tracking tools and cross-platform support for both Android and iOS phones. Honor hasn't announced a release date for the Watch 5 Ultra or whether it will be available in the US. -- Andrew Gebhart These smart glasses are some of the first we've seen to target a specific activity, in this case, cycling. The BleeqUp Ranger resembles a pair of Oakley cycling glasses and packs a ton of tech into a slim frame. The primary feature is an AI-equipped camera that captures 1080p video or 16MP photos. It has a 120-degree field of view and can record up to an hour of video onto the 32GB of onboard storage. A Qualcomm Snapdragon W5 chip keeps it running. The AI can help with video capture, as it can automatically tag segments based on events like swerving or rapid acceleration. Built-in speakers will help you stay in the groove as you spin your wheels. You control the glasses by tapping the touch-sensitive temples. The glasses cost $500 and ship in May. The ThinkBook Flip AI from Lenovo follows the maximalist approach that bigger is better. In this case, we're talking about a bigger screen. The Flip AI features a unique dual-screen design that flips up to form a single 18.1-inch tall display. It's probably the best way to get this much screen real estate into something that still folds into a relatively compact laptop. Moreover, when the flipping segment of the screen is closed, you can have it show content on the back side of the lid. This could let you present to someone seated across from you, for example. Lenovo hasn't announced plans to actually release the Flip AI, but we like that the company continues to think outside the ThinkBook. Samsung Display brought an array of bending and folding screens and prototypes to showcase what its flexible screens can do, including one that can fold like an accordion and another that opens like a pamphlet. Our favorite is the smaller Z Flip 6-style phone with two asymmetrical folding segments, which is like nothing else we saw at the show. Samsung Display didn't say if any of these concepts will make it to market, but that's the same tactic it took with its first folding displays many years ago.

The Android Authority Best of MWC 2025 awards: The biggest announcements from the show

We've handpicked the standout products and innovations that truly pushed the boundaries at MWC this year. MWC 2025 has arrived, bringing with it a wave of cutting-edge mobile innovations straight from Barcelona. As always, Android Authority was on the ground, diving into the latest breakthroughs in smartphones, wearables, AI, and everything in between. With so much happening across the show floor, it's impossible to catch every single reveal. But after scouring the event for the most impressive tech, we've handpicked the standout products and innovations that truly pushed the boundaries this year. So, without further delay, here are the Android Authority Best of MWC 2025 award winners! The BleeqUp Ranger is a high-tech pair of cycling glasses equipped with AI-powered smart features. These glasses feature a built-in camera capable of continuously recording for up to an hour or extending to five hours with an optional helmet-mounted battery pack. With a built-in gyroscope, they can detect when a rider slows down to take in the scenery or experiences a potential crash, automatically saving footage to the onboard 32GB storage. The accompanying app uses AI to generate highlight reels from recorded rides, capturing only the most significant moments. Integrated speakers allow for music playback via Spotify, with intuitive touch gestures for control. While currently a Kickstarter project, prototypes we've seen have shown strong functionality, making these a promising accessory for cycling enthusiasts. At MWC 2025, realme showed off a super interesting concept phone that basically turns into a mirrorless camera. It supports Leica M-mount lenses, so you can attach full-sized DSLR lenses to it, giving you way more flexibility in your shots. The phone itself still has standard smartphone cameras, including a main and ultrawide sensor, but the real star is a 1-inch Sony CMOS sensor dedicated to the interchangeable lens system. They demoed it with a 73mm portrait lens and a 234mm telephoto lens, and it worked surprisingly well. Sadly, it's just a concept for now, with no plans for an actual release. At MWC 2025, HONOR made a big move by announcing a seven-year software support plan for its flagship devices, starting with the HONOR Magic7 Pro. This means users can expect seven years of Android OS updates and security patches, aligning HONOR with the likes of Google and Samsung in offering extended support. This initiative is part of HONOR's broader "Alpha Plan," aiming to transform the company into an AI-focused device ecosystem. It's great to see HONOR committing to longer support, and we hope more Android manufacturers follow suit. The HONOR Pad V9 is an 11.5-inch tablet that impresses with its 2.8K resolution display and 144Hz refresh rate, making it a pleasure to use. While the bezels are slightly chunky, the £399 price tag makes this forgivable. The premium feel comes from its unibody aluminum design, which keeps it lightweight and easy to handle. Powered by the MediaTek Dimensity 8350 Elite processor, it boasts a substantial 10,100mAh battery, offering up to 80 days in ultra-long standby mode. With 12GB of RAM and a base storage of 256GB, there's ample space for movies and apps, making it ideal for both travel and home use. The IMAX Enhanced certification and eight-speaker setup ensure an immersive media experience. At MWC 2025, HMD unveiled the Fusion X1, a smartphone designed with teens' safety in mind, thanks to its integration with Xplora's parental control features. Through a companion app available on both iOS and Android, parents can customize app and internet access, limit social media usage, browsing, and screen time, and manage contact lists by allowlisting or blocklisting specific contacts. The device offers continuous location tracking with updates every 20 seconds, low battery alerts, and even allows parents to remotely access the device. While Android already offers parental controls, the Fusion X1 takes it a step further, providing a more comprehensive solution for parents who want their kids to have a phone without unrestricted access to social media. It'll cost you $249, with the Xplora app running €4.99 a month -- and even Drew Barrymore showed up at the launch event to give it her stamp of approval. If it's good enough for her, it's probably worth checking out! Nothing just dropped the Phone (3a) and Phone (3a) Pro, and for $459, the Pro gets a periscope zoom lens, which is a big deal at this price. Other than the camera setup, both phones are pretty much the same -- they pack a 6.77-inch AMOLED display with 3,000 nits peak brightness and 120Hz refresh rate, plus an IP64 rating (but no wireless charging). One new feature is the Essential Key, which lets you take a screenshot and record a voice memo simultaneously. AI then turns it into a task in the Essential Space app, but it's a bit slow, and there's no notification when it's done. It's a cool idea, but it could use some polish. Samsung unveiled its new Galaxy A series at MWC 2025, featuring the A26 5G ($299), A36 5G ($399), and A56 5G ($499). All three have a 6.7-inch 120Hz AMOLED display, 256GB storage, and a 5,000mAh battery, with the A36 5G and A56 5G supporting 45W fast charging. Samsung is promising six years of OS updates, making these solid mid-range options. The main differences are in the chipsets and cameras -- the A26 5G has an Exynos 1380 and a 50MP main camera, while the A36 5G runs on Snapdragon 6 Gen 3 with a slightly better macro camera. The A56 5G packs an Exynos 1580 with an improved 12MP ultrawide sensor. The A26 5G and A36 5G launch on March 26, while the A56 5G arrives later in Q3. TECNO showed off the Spark Slim at MWC, a concept phone that claims to be the world's thinnest at just 5.75mm thick. To make it this slim, TECNO had to design its own USB-C port and speaker since regular parts wouldn't fit. Even with its size, it still packs a 6.78-inch curved AMOLED display, a 5,200mAh battery with 45W charging, and a ceramic or stainless steel finish. It's also so light that TECNO actually added weight to make it feel more premium. Right now, it's just a concept, but if enough people show interest, TECNO might consider making it a real product. Lenovo has unveiled the ThinkBook Flip AI PC Concept, a laptop with a foldable display that starts as a 13.1-inch clamshell but expands into an 18.1-inch vertical screen. You can also keep it partially folded, giving yourself a 13.1-inch screen while displaying a 12.9-inch view to others, making it a unique dual-display setup. This builds on Lenovo's previous rollable display concept, showing the company's push for flexible laptop designs. Given Lenovo's track record of turning concepts into real products, there's a chance this could hit the market soon. Xiaomi has introduced a concept called the Modular Optical System, aiming to enhance smartphone photography by allowing users to attach a specialized lens module to their devices. This system utilizes Xiaomi's proprietary LaserLink technology for high-speed data transfer between the lens and the phone, ensuring seamless integration. The lens attaches magnetically, eliminating the need for additional sensors on the phone itself. Currently, this technology is in the concept stage and is not available on existing models like the Xiaomi 15 or 15 Ultra. At MWC 2025, RayNeo unveiled the Air 3s, a pair of virtual display glasses compatible with devices supporting DisplayPort over USB-C or HDMI output, such as the Nintendo Switch and Steam Deck. These glasses feature RayNeo's latest HueView screen technology, utilizing micro-OLED tandem panels to deliver vibrant colors and enhanced eye comfort. Users can optimize the display for gaming or movie viewing by selecting the appropriate mode. Audio quality is enhanced by a dual opposing acoustic chamber design, integrating four speakers (two on each side), which RayNeo claims is a first in this category. Compared to the previous generation, the Air 3s are 50 nits brighter and 2 grams lighter. They are expected to be available in the U.S. starting in April 2025, priced around $259, which is more affordable than the previous Air 2s model. Infinix has revealed two exciting innovations at MWC: a solar-powered concept phone and an update to its color-changing technology. The solar phone features built-in perovskite solar cells on the back, allowing it to charge slowly under sunlight or even bright artificial light. While it only gains about 10% battery after an hour in direct sunlight, that could be enough in an emergency. This is just a concept for now, so don't expect to see it on shelves anytime soon. Meanwhile, Infinix has upgraded its E-Color Shift technology to version 2.0. This technology lets users change the back panel's color through an app or AI automation. It can shift shades based on time, weather, or user preferences. Unlike the solar phone, this feature is confirmed to appear in future Infinix devices. At MWC 2025, Google showcased upcoming enhancements to Gemini Live, introducing live video analysis and screen-sharing capabilities. These features enable users to engage in natural, real-time conversations with Gemini by utilizing their smartphone's camera to share live video or their screen content.

The best of MWC 2025: Our favorite products announced in Barcelona

Mobile World Congress, or MWC, is one of the biggest trade shows in the world, and while there aren't a ton of proper computers coming out of this show, there are a lot of smartphones, plus some cool concept devices here and there. As is tradition, we've rounded up the very best products we saw at the show, so let's jump right into the good stuff. Here are the best products of MWC 2025. Lenovo ThinkBook Flip AI PC Concept That's a mouthful Close Lenovo always manages to surprise us with some crazy cool devices at pretty much every major event, and MWC 2025 was no different. The company showed off a concept PC in the ThinkBook line, with the main selling point being the foldable display, but it's a bit different from the usual approach. Rather than folding inward and using the display as the base, the Lenovo ThinkBook Flip AI has an 18.1-inch screen that folds backwards, so the way to close this laptop is to essentially expose half of the screen so it's always visible on the lid. You can fold the display back to use it as a regular laptop with a 13.1-inch display, but the display on the back acts as a second monitor, so you can mirror your screen to show something to someone sitting across from you at a table, for example. If you want the full display to yourself, just unfold the screen and enjoy the extra tall screen. Of course, that's if you could actually buy this product, which you can't. It's just a concept, and there's no guarantee it will ever become a real product. That being said, it wouldn't be unlike Lenovo to eventually make this available to buy in the future, even if it's just a one-off release. -- João Carrasqueira, OS Segment Lead Lenovo Yoga Solar PC Concept What if your PC was powered by the sun? Close Sustainability is an increasingly big concern in the tech world, and Lenovo's other big concept at MWC 2025 addresses this issue head-on by allowing your PC to charge using the power of the sun. Indeed, the lid on the Lenovo Yoga Solar PC concept is entirely covered in solar panels that can convert energy from all kinds of light sources, not just the sun. Solar power isn't very efficient in such small sizes, but with laptops being devices you use on the go, being able to charge the laptop -- even if slightly -- while traveling is a pretty cool feature to have. Maybe it can finally give you that all-day battery life most laptops can't achieve normally. With a 24% solar energy conversion rate, Lenovo says 20 minutes of direct sunlight will get you one hour of local video playback, which isn't totally insignificant. Related Want a solar-powered laptop that never runs out of battery? Lenovo's concept has you covered Lenovo's MWC concepts also include a triple-display laptop attachment and a foldable Posts 3 Again, this isn't a real product for now, but the idea of having devices directly powered by solar energy is certainly an intriguing one. Hopefully this kind of experiment means this will truly be feasible someday. -- João Carrasqueira, OS Segment Lead Honor MagicBook Pro 14 A powerful yet slim laptop Coming back to reality in the world of laptops, Honor introduced a new device that -- get this -- you will actually be able to buy at some point. This is a laptop that follows in the design footsteps of the MagicBook Art 14 we reviewed a few months back with its "vine-leaf" design, but it comes with powerful specs for an ultrabook. That includes Intel Core Ultra 200H series processors with up to 80W of power to deliver top-notch performance, which should be enhanced by Honor's Turbo X technology. There's a very large 92Wh battery, too, so you should get solid battery life out of it. And it has a 3.1K OLED touchscreen, so it's a very complete package. It's still not clear when it will be available, but the Honor MagicBook Pro 14 looks like a strong contender if you're in the market for a new high-end laptop. -- João Carrasqueira, OS Segment Lead TCL Nxtpaper 11 Plus A tablet that looks like paper With the discussion about eye health and screen use still ongoing, there isn't yet a consensus on how best to protect our retinas while we live in an ever-increasingly digital world. The Nxtpaper 4.0 display tech that TCL is using in this tablet is one approach, with a LCD screen that's designed to mimic the look and feel of paper. But unlike E Ink, the Nxtpaper 11 Plus has bright, bold colors, a 120Hz refresh rate, and an 11.5-inch 2.2K display, which makes it more usable for daily tasks. Plus, the nano-matrix lithography on the display is anti-reflective at any angle, making it a digital paper substitute like no other. -- Joe Rice-Jones, Senior PC Hardware Author Xiaomi 15 Ultra The cream of the crop of Android smartphones Xiaomi is known for adding cool features to smartphones, and the company's newest creation is no different. Capable of supporting 4.3x (100mm) optical zoom, the 200MP periscope lens is the most stand-out feature of the Xiaomi 15 Ultra, and slumbering under this slick-looking smartphone is the all-powerful Snapdragon 8 Elite processor. Combine that with 1TB of storage and 16GB RAM, and you've got a behemoth of a phone that's as good at capturing the fleeting moments of life as it is at running graphically demanding Android games. -- Ayush Pande, Senior PC Hardware Author Nothing Phone (3a) Pro Leveling up the mid-range Nobody has been putting out intriguing and playful mid-range smartphones like Nothing, and the pared-down, transparent Nothing Phone (3a) Pro is nothing short of exciting. Expect a new Snapdragon 7s Gen3 processor powering this quirky phone, so it'll be snappy. A periscope zoom lens (unheard of at this price point) will make you snap happy, and the Glyph notification interface is a literal highlight of every Nothing handset. And a new "Essential Key" on the side will call up an AI-curated to-do list so you can stay organized and remove all those Chrome tabs you leave open just as a reminder. -- Joe Rice-Jones, Senior PC Hardware Author Nothing Phone (3a) Pro The nothing Phone (3a) Pro features a Snapdragon 7 Gen3 chipset and a unique design with a transparent back. It has a multi-camera setup and three LED bars on the back. $459 at Nothing Tecno Spark Slim The world's thinnest phone If you're disappointed with the latest trend of larger, bulkier phones, you'll love the prototype Tecno unveiled at this year's MWC. True to its name, the Spark Slim is an ultra-compact device measuring 5.75mm in thickness and weighing a mere 166 grams (5.85 oz). On top of that, it's armed with a 1224p 144Hz AMOLED screen capable of hitting a peak brightness of 4,500 nits, making it perfect for outdoor usage. While it's hard to say whether Tecno will release the Spark Slim, it's still a terrific proof-of-concept device for frequent travelers and lovers of compact smartphones. -- Ayush Pande, Senior PC Hardware Author Samsung Galaxy A56 Nothing crazy, but a welcome upgrade The mid-range smartphone market is dominated by two players, and the latest Samsung Galaxy A56 is going to sell like hotcakes no matter what. But to add to the value proposition, you get six years of OS and security updates here, 256GB of storage, some of the AI features from the Galaxy S25 flagships, and a triple camera array with a 50MP main, 12MP ultrawide, and 5MP macro. You also get a fantastic 6.7-inch AMOLED with 1,200 max nits of SDR brightness, and 1,900 nits peak in HDR, which is flagship specs for mid-range money. -- Joe Rice-Jones, Senior PC Hardware Author A slow event for PC news At the end of the day, MWC 2025 is clearly not an event focused on computing, but we still got some interesting devices out of it. Lenovo always delivers some awesome concepts, and seeing things like the world's thinnest phone with the TECNO Spark Slim is always fun, even if the actual product isn't for everyone. Are you interested in any of these products? Let us know below!

MWC 2025 day 1 recap: Must-see gadgets from the event

The Mobile World Congress (MWC) 2025, one of the biggest events in the mobile technology world, has wrapped up its first day in Barcelona, Spain, on March 3, 2025. As in previous years, this year's event showcased boundary-pushing innovations, intriguing concepts, and devices poised to shape the future of the market. From smartphones and laptops to augmented reality glasses and wearables, a diverse array of products took center stage. Key themes this year included sustainability, modularity, and seamless artificial intelligence (AI) integration -- trends that underscored the direction of mobile tech evolution. So, what were the standout devices from Day 1? One of the most eye-catching reveals of the first day was Lenovo's ThinkBook "Codename Flip" AI PC concept. At first glance, it appears to be a standard 13-inch laptop, but when fully unfolded, it transforms into an impressive 18.1-inch vertical OLED display with a 2000 x 2664 resolution and a 3:4 aspect ratio. Unlike many other expandable laptops, such as the Asus Zenbook Duo, it stands upright without requiring a kickstand, thanks to its innovative design. Powered by Intel's latest Core Ultra 7 processor, paired with 32GB of RAM and 1TB of storage, this concept device offers versatile modes: a clamshell laptop for traditional use, a vertical workspace for multitasking, and a tablet mode for flexibility. Features like the Smart ForcePad with a three-layer illuminated dashboard (including numeric keys and media controls) and Thunderbolt 4 ports add to its appeal. While Lenovo hasn't confirmed production plans, this concept exemplifies their forward-thinking approach to AI-driven productivity and ergonomic design. Infinix unveiled a groundbreaking concept: a smartphone that charges itself using solar energy. Leveraging perovskite photovoltaic materials and AI-driven algorithms, the phone's integrated solar panel can generate up to 2W of supplementary power from ambient light, both indoors and outdoors. While this isn't enough to replace traditional charging, Infinix positions it as a way to extend standby time or serve as a practical backup in emergencies. Additionally, Infinix showcased a phone with E-Color Shift 2.0 technology, an AI-powered e-ink back panel that dynamically changes colors -- up to 30 unique styles -- based on weather conditions or user preferences. Neither device is slated for commercial release yet, but they signal a promising step toward reducing the energy footprint of mobile devices. Xiaomi made waves with its camera-focused innovations, introducing the Modular Optic System (MOS) alongside the flagship Xiaomi 15 Ultra. The MOS brings modularity to smartphone photography: a magnetic ring on the phone's rear allows users to attach various lenses effortlessly, offering customization for both casual users and professional photographers. The Xiaomi 15 Ultra, powered by the Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset, boasts a retro-inspired design, a 1-inch main sensor, a 200MP telephoto lens with additional zoom capabilities, and an ultra-wide-angle camera. Running HyperOS 2 on Android 15, with 16GB of RAM and premium build quality, it's a standout in the high-end segment -- though its price reflects its premium status. Launched globally at MWC 2025, it's poised to compete with the best in mobile photography and performance. Nothing kicked off MWC 2025 with the highly anticipated launch of the Nothing Phone (3a) and its sibling, the (3a Pro), on March 3rd. Known for their minimalist design and transparent aesthetic, these budget-friendly Android devices bring premium features to a wider audience. The Phone (3a) sports a 6.7-inch AMOLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate, powered by Qualcomm's Snapdragon 7s Gen 3 chipset, while the (3a Pro) ups the ante with the Snapdragon 8s Gen 3, offering near-flagship performance. Both models retain the signature Glyph Interface -- customizable LED strips on the back for notifications and calls -- but now integrate AI-driven enhancements like real-time call transcription and adaptive lighting based on ambient conditions. Priced at $399 and $599 respectively, these phones aim to disrupt the mid-range market, blending style, substance, and affordability. Nothing's CEO Carl Pei emphasized their mission to "make tech fun again," and the buzz on the show floor suggests they're on the right track. HMD Global, the force behind Nokia's revival, unveiled an evolved version of the HMD Fusion on Day 1, showcasing its innovative modular "Smart Outfits" system. Launched in India late 2024, this Snapdragon 4 Gen 2-powered smartphone (6.67-inch 120Hz display, 108MP dual camera, 5000mAh battery with 33W charging) now offers interchangeable covers that add functionality -- like a gaming pad with physical controls, a wireless charging backplate, or a ruggedized case with an integrated kickstand. Priced at $249 with a free outfit (valued at $79), it's a compelling pitch for customization fans. At MWC 2025, HMD also teased a collaboration with FC Barcelona, hinting at a special edition featuring the club's colors and the classic Snake game preloaded. While not a high-end powerhouse, the Fusion's modularity and partnerships signal HMD's ambition to carve a unique niche in a crowded market. Tecno stole the spotlight with the Spark Slim, billed as the world's thinnest smartphone at just 5.75mm thick -- outdoing even the rumored Galaxy S25 Edge. Unveiled on March 3rd, this sleek device doesn't skimp on power, packing a 5200mAh battery with 33W fast charging, a 6.78-inch 120Hz AMOLED display, and a MediaTek Dimensity 6020 chipset. Its triple-camera system, led by a 64MP main sensor, promises sharp shots despite the ultra-slim profile. Tecno's focus on affordability shines through with a starting price of $299, targeting emerging markets while appealing to design-conscious consumers globally. The Spark Slim's featherlight 165-gram build and premium glass finish make it a Day 1 highlight, proving that thin doesn't mean fragile -- or underpowered. Qualcomm made waves beyond its usual chipset reveals by showcasing the Snapdragon X Elite's audio prowess, integrated into new devices like the Xiaomi Buds 5 Pro. Announced on Day 1, this chipset powers Wi-Fi-enabled earbuds capable of streaming 24-bit/96kHz lossless audio -- ditching Bluetooth's limitations for uninterrupted playback across greater distances (think multiple rooms or floors). The Buds 5 Pro, priced at $199, leverage this tech alongside AI-driven noise cancellation that adapts to environmental changes in real time. Qualcomm also teased partnerships with Lenovo and Honor for laptops and wearables, hinting at a broader ecosystem push. For audiophiles and multitaskers, this marks a leap forward in wireless sound quality, unveiled to a captivated MWC audience. Samsung didn't hold back either, unveiling refreshed models in its Galaxy A series: the A56, A36, and A26. The Galaxy A56 leads the pack with a 6.7-inch Full HD display boasting a 120Hz refresh rate, a versatile camera setup (50MP main, 12MP ultra-wide, 5MP macro), and a 5000mAh battery with 45W fast charging. Priced at $499, it strikes an appealing balance of performance and affordability, targeting a broad audience. The A36 ($399) and A26 ($299) offer slightly toned-down specs but retain key features like Full HD 120Hz displays and triple-camera systems (50MP main, 8MP ultra-wide, 5MP macro). These models reinforce Samsung's commitment to delivering value-driven options without sacrificing modern essentials. TCL introduced the RayNeo X3 Pro smart glasses. A significant upgrade from the X2 Pro, this model weighs under 3 ounces and sports a sleeker, less conspicuous design. Its micro-LED waveguides deliver a vibrant full-color display with 2,500 nits of brightness, powered by Qualcomm's Snapdragon AR1 Gen 1 chipset. Features like real-time translation, object recognition, and an AI assistant enhance its utility. However, battery life remains a weak point -- features disable below 10% charge, and the low-battery warning kicks in after just 10 minutes of use in some scenarios. Set to launch mid-2025 for under $2,000, it's a compelling step forward for AR wearables, though it's not without limitations. Honor debuted the Magic Watch 5 Ultra. Combining a stylish design with advanced health tracking -- including ECG functionality, sleep monitoring, and activity metrics -- it promises an impressive 15-day battery life. Unveiled alongside Honor's "Alpha Plan" AI ecosystem announcement, this smartwatch caters to both everyday users and fitness enthusiasts, standing out in a crowded market. MWC 2025's opening day struck a balance between bold concepts and market-ready innovations. Solar power, modular cameras, and AI integration emerged as defining trends, hinting at the near future of mobile technology. Lenovo, Xiaomi, Samsung, TCL, and Honor showcased devices that push boundaries while affordable options like the Galaxy A series keep tech accessible. With two more days to go (until March 6, 2025), the event promises even more surprises. Stay tuned!

MWC 2025: All the news from Samsung, Nothing, Lenovo, Xiaomi and more

Mobile World Congress is taking place in Barcelona this week, offering manufacturers an opportunity to show off new gear without needing to hold their own splashy event. So far, we've learned about some new laptops and phones, as well as upcoming AI updates to Android and an internet connectivity announcement from Meta. Here's a look at everything announced at Mobile World Congress that caught our eye. We'll update this story throughout the week. Among the bigger-name manufacturers, Lenovo has arguably had the busiest MWC so far. The company has revealed a whole bunch of laptops, including upgraded ThinkPads and several intriguing concept models. The ThinkPad T14s 2-in-1 has a design that's more aligned with the convertible format of the Yoga lineup than a typical ThinkPad. The 14-inch machine can be equipped with a 400-nit WUXGA touch display. Other ThinkPads are getting spec upgrades, while Lenovo claims the new ThinkPad X13 Gen 6 has "one of the lightest ThinkPad designs ever." The company has a fresh slate of laptops with generative AI capabilities as well. Some of Lenovo's concepts have certainly caught our attention. It's a bummer that the company doesn't currently plan to turn the Yoga Solar PC Concept into a commercial device. Thanks to the solar cells on the casing, the laptop can soak up enough energy from the sun in 20 minutes to play an hour of videos. As little as 0.3 watts of light is enough to juice up the battery. While solar-powered laptops aren't exactly new, the Yoga Solar PC feels polished. Here's hoping Lenovo does more with the notion in the future. In addition, Lenovo showed off some conceptual display accessories for a ThinkBook laptop. There's an eight-inch screen that attaches to the side magnetically to help you, for instance, keep up with notifications and widgets. The Magic Bay Dual Display Concept adds a 13.3-inch panel to either side of the main display. There's also a slim second display that's designed to sit above your laptop screen and provide quick access to things like the time, weather, notifications, a focus mode timer, an AI assistant and notifications. On top of all of that, Lenovo offered a look at a new prototype laptop with a flexible display. Building on the tech the company used in the ThinkBook Plus Gen 6 Rollable, the ThinkBook codename Flip AI PC Proof of concept (to give its full name) has a fold-out screen. This allows Lenovo to double the panel's size from 13 inches to 18.1 inches. The ThinkBook Rollable's display, on the other hand, can extend to 16.7 inches. Again, Lenovo doesn't currently plan to release a commercial version of this fold-out laptop, but it's an interesting idea. The main MWC news from Samsung this year is the company's latest midrange and budget phones. The Galaxy A56 has a larger screen than its predecessor at 6.7 inches, but it's thinner too at 7.44mm vs. 8.2mm. There's now a small bump where the volume and power buttons are -- a tweak that we feel makes the A56 easier to handle. Samsung has switched up the camera array in the A56. On the front, there's a lower-res 12MP lens. On the other side, you'll find an upgraded 12MP ultrawide, 50MP main sensor and a 5MP macro lens. The A56 has a bunch of AI-powered camera and image editing features, such as enhanced subject detection in portrait mode and an object eraser. Pre-orders are open in the UK for the Galaxy A56, which costs $499/£499. It will hit the UK on March 19, but folks in the US will have to wait until "later this year" for it. Samsung also revealed the Galaxy A36 5G and Galaxy A26 5G. Both devices have a 120Hz, 6.7-inch display with brightness of up to 1,200 nits. They also share an IP67 rating and 5,000mAh battery with the A56. However, the base models of each only have 6GB of RAM (compared with the A56's 12GB). In addition, the A36 has the Snapdragon 6 Gen 3 processor instead of the Exynos 1580 that the A56 boasts, while the A26 has a Exynos 1380 chipset. Unfortunately, Xiaomi doesn't have plans to bring a handset it showed off at MWC to the US. That's a real pity, because no other companies are selling phones quite like the Xiaomi 15 Ultra in the country these days. Xiaomi teamed up with Leica to make a smartphone that leans heavily into photography. The camera array includes a 1-inch 50-megapixel Sony main sensor, an f/2.2 50MP ultrawide cam, a 50MP midrange lens with a 70mm focal length and a 200MP periscope array with a 100mm focal length -- that equates to a 4.7x optical zoom. Some preset Leica filters help to tie the two brands' knowhow together. That's not all that might be interesting to mobile snappers. Xiaomi's separate Photography kit includes an add-on camera grip with a physical shutter button, an adjustable dial and dedicated video button. You'll have the option to attach a standard 67mm filter adapter to a case as well -- in other words, some of the equipment you might use on a dedicated camera is compatible with the Ultra 15 as part of this setup. Moreover, the Ultra 15 has a 6.7-inch AMOLED display with 120Hz refresh rate and up to 3,200 nits of brightness to help you get a good look at your captures. Plus, unlike some other Chinese phones (like Huawei's), Xiaomi supports Google services in HyperOS 2, which is an Android skin. The Ultra 15 starts at about €1,499 (around $1,572). Speaking of Android, Google announced two new AI-powered features for the operating system at MWC. The Live Video function, which Google first previewed at I/O 2024, allows you to share what your phone's camera sees with Gemini so you can ask the chatbot questions about the footage. The new screensharing function works in a similar way. You can ask Gemini questions about whatever's on your phone or tablet's display. If they work as well as advertised, these features could be a boon for accessibility. Google will first offer them to Gemini Advanced subscribers starting later this month. Those with a $20 per month Google One AI Premium membership, which is included with some Verizon plans, have access to Gemini Advanced. Samsung wasn't the only smartphone maker of note to show off two new mid-range devices at MWC. Nothing debuted its Phone 3a Pro and Phone 3a at the event -- even though it has yet to unleash the Phone 3. The 3a Pro has a beefier camera module (quite literally as the device is about 10 grams heavier than the 3a). It contains a 50MP telephoto sensor with a 3x optical zoom; a 50MP primary sensor with f/1.88 lens and dual-pixel phase detection auto-focus (PDAF); and an ultrawide 8MP sensor with a 120-degree field of view. The handset has a telemacro mode too. As for the 3a, that boasts a main 50MP camera with single-pixel PDAF, but the other two sensors are the same as on the 3a Pro. The cameras are the main difference between the two phones, which both have a 6.77-inch AMOLED LTPS display with a 120Hz refresh rate and up to 1,300 nits of brightness. The phones have a 5,000mAh battery with support for 50W fast charging, and they run on a Snapdragon 7s Gen 3 chipset. The devices have Nothing's multipurpose Essential Key, a physical button that can take screenshots and help you record voice notes. The phones also have some generative AI features, such as the ability to transcribe said voice notes and describe what's in screenshots and photos. As usual, Nothing is initially offering these devices in the US through a beta program. Phone 3a pre-orders are open now and the $379 handset ships on March 11. That's the date when pre-orders for the Phone 3a Pro go live. The $459 phone can be in your hands on March 25. There was more news out of MWC beyond new gear and OS updates. Meta and the Internet Society announced a partnership to bolster affordable internet connectivity around the globe. They're jointly putting $30 million into the initiative over the next five years. A major aim of the project is to help build out infrastructure in areas where commercial providers have yet to do so. The Connectivity Co-Funding Initiative will also back training programs, community-centered solutions for underserved areas and locally owned networks. The Internet Society is hoping to find more partners to help with the project.

MWC 2025: The Coolest Things We've Seen So Far

My title is Senior Features Writer, which is a license to write about absolutely anything if I can connect it to technology (I can). I've been at PCMag since 2011 and have covered the surveillance state, vaccination cards, ghost guns, voting, ISIS, art, fashion, film, design, gender bias, and more. You might have seen me on TV talking about these topics or heard me on your commute home on the radio or a podcast. Or maybe you've just seen my Bernie meme. It's nearing the end of the first official day at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona. Our analysts are exploring the show's 2.5 million+ square feet to bring you news of what to expect on the mobile market in the year ahead. As expected, there's AI everywhere. But there are also some surprises, like solar-powered laptops and walkie-talkie glasses. Here are some of the most intriguing things we've spotted on the trade show floor so far -- with more to come. Concept Computers Lenovo's ThinkBook presents as the most basic office-issued laptop there is and yet the company delivers innovation inside time and again. The Lenovo ThinkBook 16p is a good business laptop but it's now an innovative one with new accessories that attach through Magic Bay, a proprietary connector built into the lid. You can add a small auxiliary vertical screen, two full side screens, or glasses-free 3D that works through a snap-on 3D camera that tracks the user's position. The Lenovo ThinkBook Flip AI PC converts from a two-sided screen to a skyscraper of a screen. It was a little delicate when our lead hardware analyst Matthew Buzzi checked it out but it's a prototype, not a product that's ready to ship. Also still a concept is the Lenovo Yoga Solar PC, which turns sunlight into battery life. The sleek-looking lid is made up of 84 small solar cells. There's a solar tracking system designed to not just measure current and voltage, but also to maximize the efficiency of the gathered energy. Phones Samsung introduced AI into some of its most affordable phones: the Galaxy A26 ($299.99) and the Galaxy A36 ($399.99). AI adds features like Circle to Search, a gesture-based way to search anything on your screen from Google, and Best Face, a way to make sure everyone looks good in group shots. The A26 will be available on March 26 and the A36 on March 28. For a bit more, the Galaxy A56 ($499.99) is a more powerful, feature-rich phone that is primed to go up against Apple's iPhone 16e. It will be released later this year. Xiaomi used MWC to show off its newest flagship phone, the 15 Ultra. It makes a play for photographers with a four-camera system co-developed by Leica that has a 200MP periscope lens for extreme zooming. Like pretty much everything else at MWC, it has AI; specifically a writing assistant, translation, voice search, and all of Google's photo features. The Xiaomi 15 Ultra will be on sale for about $1,300 in China soon, but its availability in other markets is still up in the air. As useful as screens are, paper is easier on the eyes. It's with that in mind that TCL created the 60 XE Nxtpaper Phone. Nxtpaper technology makes for a paper-like experience, and a special monochrome mode is meant for when you want to give your eyes even more rest. The screen is matte but colors still look good on it. The 60 XE Nxtpaper Phone will go on sale in Canada first, followed by the US, for about $225. The fusion of the HMD Fusion X1 is that it's a phone for both parents and kids. It lets tweens and teens have their own phone but offers peace of mind for parents with continuous location tracking, app limitations, low-battery warnings, and parental access for $5 a month. Pricing has not been announced but the phone will be released next month. Smart Glasses Smart glasses have not caught on in any real way with the public, but that has not stopped their proliferation as a product. One of the latest entries is the TCL RayNeo X3 Pro Smart Glasses. Aside from the rather wide arms of the glasses, they look like pretty much any ordinary pair, though they take photos or videos, play music, and help with navigation. The BleeqUp Ranger Glasses, by contrast, are a lot more conspicuous on the street though they look perfectly average for cycling (their intended purpose). They take pictures, record video, and play audio, as well as act as a walkie-talkie. The BleeqUp Ranger is available for $500 on Kickstarter and is expected to ship in May. Headsets What would a consumer electronics show be without another attempt to get us to strap on a headset? The Samsung Project Moohan XR Headset is set to compete with the Apple Vision Pro. In Samsung's words, this "ground-breaking device marks a significant step toward more context-aware and personalized experiences that enhance everyday life in incredibly immersive ways." In practical terms, you'll feel like you're on the field while you watch football. How it works and when you'll actually be able to buy it are mysteries. PCMag was not allowed to interact with the device in any way and Samsung did not share any specs, details, pricing, or availability. Robots One of the many issues with AI is that we don't always know when it's in use, but that is not the case with Etisalat's humanoid robot. It made its debut at last year's MWC in a very skeletal form, but this year it took on a slightly more lifelike form; it can now observe and comment on its surroundings. PCMag's Eric Zeman also spotted the Ducati AI Robot, which speeds up autonomous robots to over 200mph as they race around tracks to gather track data for the Ducati Lenovo superbike team.

MWC 2025: Here are our absolute winners! - Phandroid

MWC is the second largest tech event of the year following CES. It tends to be more mobile focused, so this year we managed to take a look at a bunch of new smartphones and accessories that could change the game. There were many devices to choose from, but here are some of our favorites at MWC 2025 that we think are absolute winners. Nubia's Focus 2 Ultra is a smartphone designed with an emphasis on photography. It features a periscope telephoto lens, AI-driven computational photography, and a variable aperture system. The device includes a custom-built image processing engine to improve image clarity and detail. Other specifications include a 6.8-inch AMOLED 120Hz display and a Snapdragon 8 Elite processor. The coolest feature has to be the rotating ring on the back of the phone that allows users to control the zoom and aperture, a much cooler implementation compared to the Apple Camera Control button. Realme introduced a prototype smartphone with a modular camera system that allows users to swap out lenses. Using magnetic lens attachment technology, the system supports telephoto, macro, and ultra-wide lenses. This design is still in the concept phase, but it suggests a shift toward more flexible mobile photography solutions. We've seen other companies attempt something similar, like Sony. It's a cool idea even though it might have a rather niche audience. The Honor Magic 7 Pro is a flagship smartphone featuring an under-display front camera, a quad-curved 6.8-inch 1280 x 2800 OLED panel, and a Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset. It runs on MagicOS 9.0, which includes AI optimizations for battery life, photography, and performance. The device competes with other premium smartphones in terms of design and specifications. The Honor Pad V9 is a tablet with an 11.5-inch 144Hz OLED display, a Mediatek Dimensity 8350 chipset, and IMAX-enhanced stereo speakers. It includes multitasking features designed for productivity and supports a new-generation Honor stylus. The tablet is positioned as an alternative to high-end tablets from other manufacturers. Infinix presented a smartphone concept that integrates ultra-thin solar cells into its back panel. The goal is to supplement battery life by harnessing solar energy, not just from the sun, but also from ambient lighting, which could be useful in areas with limited access to power. This technology is still in development, and its effectiveness in real-world usage remains to be seen. This year seems to be the year of slim phone. At MWC 2025, TECNO unveiled its latest concept smartphone, the TECNO Spark Slim, which is a slimmer iteration of its Spark series of phones. It measures 5.75mm thin, but somehow manages to pack a 5,200mAh battery. It also boasts a 6.78-inch display with a speedy 144Hz refresh rate. The Xiaomi 15 Ultra includes a 1-inch Sony LYT-900 sensor, custom Leica optics, and a Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset. Xiaomi has also introduced HyperOS, which focuses on customization and system optimization. The phone features a titanium alloy frame, 90W wired charging, and 80W wireless charging. The Xiaomi Buds 5 Pro are wireless earbuds with dual dynamic drivers, Active Noise Cancellation (ANC), and support for AI-powered translation and transcription. They support Snapdragon Sound and Qualcomm aptX Lossless technology. The earbuds offer 40-hour battery life and multi-device pairing. Lenovo introduced a concept laptop with thin-film solar panels integrated into the chassis. The panels allow the device to charge using natural light, potentially reducing reliance on power outlets. As a concept, it is unclear when or if this technology will be available in consumer products, but it's still pretty cool since it would allow users to not have to worry too much about dying laptop batteries. The TCL RayNeo X3 Pro Smart Glasses feature a microLED-based transparent display, hand-gesture recognition, and smartphone integration. They provide real-time translation, navigation assistance, and notifications. The glasses aim to improve augmented reality (AR) usability in everyday applications. The BleeqUp Ranger Smart Glasses are designed for outdoor use, with features including real-time fitness tracking, AI-powered route guidance, and voice-controlled navigation. The device is weatherproof and includes built-in LTE connectivity, targeting users who need hands-free digital assistance during outdoor activities. The SATTELAI Pet Tracker is a satellite-connected GPS device designed for pet tracking. Unlike Bluetooth-based trackers, it works in areas without cellular coverage. It offers real-time tracking, health monitoring, and AI-powered movement analysis. The Nothing Phone 3a Pro follows the brand's transparent design approach while incorporating a Snapdragon 7s Gen 3 chip, Nothing OS 3.0 with AI optimizations, and a 120Hz OLED display. The Glyph interface has been updated with customizable LED notifications and interaction gestures. The phone continues Nothing's approach of offering a minimal software experience.

MWC 2025: Everything announced in Barcelona so far

Lenovo, Samsung, Xiaomi and Google are among the companies making announcements. Mobile World Congress is taking place in Barcelona this week, offering manufacturers an opportunity to show off new gear without needing to hold their own splashy event. So far, we've learned about some new laptops and phones, as well as upcoming AI updates to Android. Here's a look at that caught our eye. We'll update this story throughout the week. Among the bigger-name manufacturers, Lenovo has arguably had the busiest MWC so far. The company has revealed a whole bunch of laptops, including and several intriguing concept models. The ThinkPad T14s 2-in-1 has a design that's more aligned with the convertible format of the Yoga lineup than a typical ThinkPad. The 14-inch machine can be equipped with a 400-nit WUXGA touch display. Other ThinkPads are getting spec upgrades, while Lenovo claims the new ThinkPad X13 Gen 6 has "one of the lightest ThinkPad designs ever." The company has a fresh slate of as well. Some of Lenovo's concepts have certainly caught our attention. It's a bummer that the company doesn't currently plan to turn the into a commercial device. Thanks to the solar cells on the casing, the laptop can soak up enough energy from the sun in 20 minutes to play an hour of videos. As little as 0.3 watts of light is enough to juice up the battery. While solar-powered laptops aren't exactly new, the Yoga Solar PC feels polished. Here's hoping Lenovo does more with the notion in the future. In addition, Lenovo showed off some for a ThinkBook laptop. There's an eight-inch screen that attaches to the side magnetically to help you, for instance, keep up with notifications and widgets. The Magic Bay Dual Display Concept adds a 13.3-inch panel to either side of the main display. There's also a slim second display that's designed to sit above your laptop screen and provide quick access to things like the time, weather, notifications, a focus mode timer, an AI assistant and notifications. On top of all of that, Lenovo offered a look at a new prototype laptop with a flexible display. Building on the tech the company used in the ThinkBook Plus Gen 6 Rollable, the (to give its full name) has a fold-out screen. This allows Lenovo to double the panel's size from 13 inches to 18.1 inches. The ThinkBook Rollable's display, on the other hand, can extend to 16.7 inches. Again, Lenovo doesn't currently plan to release a commercial version of this fold-out laptop, but it's an interesting idea. The main MWC news from Samsung this year is the . The Galaxy A56 has a larger screen than its predecessor at 6.7 inches, but it's thinner too at 7.44mm vs. 8.2mm. There's now a small bump where the volume and power buttons are -- a tweak that we feel makes the A56 easier to handle. Samsung has switched up the camera array in the A56. On the front, there's a lower-res 12MP lens. On the other side, you'll find an upgraded 12MP ultrawide, 50MP main sensor and a 5MP macro lens. The A56 has a bunch of AI-powered camera and image editing features, such as enhanced subject detection in portrait mode and an object eraser. Pre-orders are open in the UK for the Galaxy A56, which costs $499/£499. It will hit the UK on March 19, but folks in the US will have to wait until "later this year" for it. Samsung also revealed the Galaxy A36 5G and Galaxy A26 5G. Both devices have a 120Hz, 6.7-inch display with brightness of up to 1,200 nits. They also share an IP67 rating and 5,000mAh battery with the A56. However, the base models of each only have 6GB of RAM (compared with the A56's 12GB). In addition, the A36 has the Snapdragon 6 Gen 3 processor instead of the Exynos 1580 that the A56 boasts, while the A26 has a Exynos 1380 chipset. Unfortunately, Xiaomi doesn't have plans to bring a handset it showed off at MWC to the US. That's a real pity, because no other companies are selling phones quite like the in the country these days. Xiaomi teamed up with Leica to make a smartphone that leans heavily into photography. The camera array includes a 1-inch 50-megapixel Sony main sensor, an f/2.2 50MP ultrawide cam, a 50MP midrange lens with a 70mm focal length and a 200MP periscope array with a 100mm focal length -- that equates to a 4.7x optical zoom. Some preset Leica filters help to tie the two brands' knowhow together. That's not all that might be interesting to mobile snappers. Xiaomi's separate Photography kit includes an add-on camera grip with a physical shutter button, an adjustable dial and dedicated video button. You'll have the option to attach a standard 67mm filter adapter to a case as well -- in other words, some of the equipment you might use on a dedicated camera is compatible with the Ultra 15 as part of this setup. Moreover, the Ultra 15 has a 6.7-inch AMOLED display with 120Hz refresh rate and up to 3,200 nits of brightness to help you get a good look at your captures. Plus, unlike some other Chinese phones (like Huawei's), Xiaomi supports Google services in HyperOS 2, which is an Android skin. The Ultra 15 starts at about €1,499 (around $1,572). Speaking of Android, Google announced . The Live Video function, which Google first previewed at I/O 2024, allows you to share what your phone's camera sees with Gemini so you can ask the chatbot questions about the footage. The new screensharing function works in a similar way. You can ask Gemini questions about whatever's on your phone or tablet's display. If they work as well as advertised, these features could be a boon for accessibility. Google will first offer them to Gemini Advanced subscribers starting later this month. Those with a $20 per month membership, which is included with , have access to Gemini Advanced.

MWC 2025: All the Strange, Bizarre and Wonderful Gadgets and Concepts

Expertise Smartphones | Smartwatches | Tablets | Telecom industry | Mobile semiconductors | Mobile gaming Every year at Mobile World Congress we see cool new tech-on-the-go, and at MWC 2025 this includes a number of funky gadgets that stretch the meaning of the phrase "mobile tech." MWC 2025 has its collection of weird phones, but they're generally variations on the standardized flat rectangle. Other gadgets are more free-form, and those we've seen at the show span a range of categories, from smart rings to street wear to, um, projectors that fit in your pocket. Like the phones at the show, some of the more outlandish gadgets are concept devices meant to be proof-of-concept gadgets rather than prototypes ahead of later production. Some of these gadgets are coming soon, some might never reach store shelves, but they all push the industry to re-examine what's possible for the tech we carry and wear. Here are our favorite gadgets and concepts from MWC 2025. Mobile-accessories company Anker has a host of conventional products, from battery packs to earbuds. But the company's solar and energy branch, Anker Solix, has something else at MWC: a jacket covered with solar cells that features a cable to charge your device as you wear the coat like some sort of techno-futurist Jedi. Yes, the long strips of solar panels running down the sleeves and back of the jacket, along with the blue LED light ringing the hood, would make you look like a character straight out of Cyberpunk 2077. But who cares what anyone else thinks when you're charging your device from a 30-watt USB-C cable? Compared with us, you truly would be from the future. We've seen a good amount of smart rings, like the Oura Ring 4 and Samsung Galaxy Ring, which mostly track health and fitness as support or even outright replacement for a smartwatch. Not so with Lenovo's concept AI smart ring, which lets users control a 3D laptop. The concept ring works with Lenovo's ThinkBook 3D Laptop (also currently a concept device), which has a directional 3D backlight which allows 2D and 3D content to appear simultaneously on the screen. You can manipulate that content with Lenovo's concept AI smart ring through a series of controls: double tap it with your thumb to go forward, single tap to go back, or swipe to navigate around. The ring even detects motion when it isn't tapped, like touching your thumb and forefinger (similar to the Apple Watch Ultra 2's Double Tap feature). At MWC 2025, CNET's Katie Collins was able to control 3D models of a T. Rex using the ring, which was a cool demonstration of the power accessories have when linked up to nearby laptops -- though with both being concept devices, we'll have to wait and see when the technology makes it into market-ready products. Tired of your small phone screen? Have a blank wall handy? You could be enjoying movies, TV shows and games using the Aurzen Zip Projector, a pocketable projector little larger than clamshell foldable phones like the Galaxy Z Flip 6 or Motorola Razr. It's even got a pair of 1-watt speakers to boot. At three inches on each side and an inch thick, the Zip Projector is compact, weighing about as much as an iPhone 16 Pro Max (around 227 grams). When folded up it looks like an old Nintendo DS, and it unfolds on two hinges to angle its lens wherever you point, projecting content through an HDMI dongle to a picture up to 80 inches in size. While its maximum 720p resolution might look a little fuzzy at full size, Aurzen hopes to bump it up to 1080p in its next version. HMD showed off its Amped Earbuds, which weren't too special aside from some futuristic design. But the earbuds case, a palm-sized metal-wrapped wedge, takes the cake: it doubles as a 16,000mAh battery that can reverse wireless charge your phone. For comparison's sake, that capacity could fully recharge your standard iPhone 16 about three times. Neat and practical, assuming you have the space for the most oversized earbuds case you'll ever see. Google and Samsung's long-teased high-end XR headset was revealed last December, and now it's shown off to the public. Codenamed Project Moohan, the VR and AR headset runs Android XR operating system and supports standard Google Play apps as well as Google Gemini. We still don't have more specs info, let alone a price or release date, but Google and Samsung do seem comfortable enough with their new headset to take it on tour and show it off to the public for the very first time. For more products and gadgets from MWC, check out our Mobile World Congress liveblog.

What to expect at MWC 2025: Best phones I'm anticipating from Xiaomi, Honor, Samsung, more

Mobile World Congress will kick off in just a few days, but some of the biggest phone makers have already hinted at what's to come in Barcelona. Mobile World Congress (MWC) is shaping up to be an exciting one this year. Off the heels of Samsung and OnePlus' recent smartphone launches, the Barcelona trade show will shine a brighter spotlight on the trends and innovations we'll see in 2025. As always, leading global brands, including Xiaomi, Honor, and Huawei, will be present -- and they'll likely occupy a large part of the show floor. Google and Samsung are also expected to have a presence, but the chances of any major announcements are slim. And there's almost always a showstopper that no one sees coming. Also: This 5-year tech industry forecast predicts some surprising winners - and losers At MWC 2025, expect to see all of that, both in market-ready products and concepts that, while unconventional, may be just buzz-worthy enough to influence future business decisions. Here's a run-down of what's coming at this year's trade show. This year's MWC will occur from March 3 to March 6, but manufacturers typically make announcements as early as the weekend before, so you'll likely hear more about the event starting tomorrow. While the trade show was built around members of the press, analysts, business partners, and brands, anyone can access the show floor by purchasing a ticket, which costs about $1,028. The Android maker typically doesn't launch any new hardware at MWC. Instead, it often reserves the alleyways between show floors to demonstrate its latest software tools and partners -- you could say it's one big metaphor for how intertwined Google's services are with everything else at MWC. Also: The best Android phones to buy in 2025 This year's demos will likely center around AI, cloud computing, and other productivity tools. With the Formula 1 season kicking off soon, I also wouldn't be surprised if there's a McLaren F1 car, which bears Chrome branding, parked at the lot. Samsung made the biggest flex at MWC last year when it showcased the then-unreleased Galaxy Ring to the public. This year, the company has the opportunity to pull off something even bigger with the Galaxy S25 Edge, which was only teased during the January Unpacked event. While recent rumors point to an April launch date for Samsung's slimmest phone yet, I wouldn't rule out the possibility of it making an early appearance. The mobile enthusiasts will be ready. London-based tech company Nothing hasn't been shy about keeping its upcoming phone release, the 3a series, under wraps; it's essentially unveiled the full design, camera capabilities, new AI features, and unboxing experience on social media ahead of the March 4 launch, leaving little to the imagination. Also: I'd ditch my Pixel 9 Pro for the next Nothing phone, so long as it prioritizes these features That said, if our experiences testing Nothing products are any indication, the devil is in the details with the new Nothing Phone 3a and 3a Pro, especially when it comes to the software experience. We'll learn more about the new phones very soon. At a time when the US smartphone market has seemingly settled into safe play and iterative changes targeted toward the four-to-five-year-old upgrader, manufacturers overseas, like Xiaomi, are continuing to push the envelope, whether it's through 200-megapixel periscopic lenses or AI capabilities centered around on-device computing versus hybrid or full-on, cloud-based processes. At MWC 2025, Xiaomi is expected to launch the 15 Ultra, the successor to one of the most capable camera phones we tested last year, alongside other products in its mobile portfolio. The Xiaomi 15 Ultra technically launched in China already, but the global release may see some changes to its specifications, as often happens with these cycles, making the new phone just as noteworthy. Going into MWC, Honor has been teasing what it calls the Alpha Plan, an initiative that leverages AI to create useful features like deepfake detection, AI upscaling for images, and supposedly seamless connectivity with Apple products. Also: Oppo's new foldable phone is one of the thinnest I've seen - and I hope OnePlus and Samsung follow suit We've seen a recent push for better interoperability across Android and iOS/MacOS devices, like with the Oppo Find N5, so it wouldn't be surprising if Honor is working on something similar. That's to say, I'm very excited to see exactly how reliable these new software features are, knowing how difficult it can be to dial into Apple's operating systems. When I was at MWC a year ago, I had the chance to wear Motorola's ambitiously clumsy bendable smartphone. It was the most advanced slap bracelet that everyone in the room knew would never hit the market. But the experience of testing it -- and the boldness of the company -- made the concept device a memorable one. Here's hoping Motorola has another trick up its sleeves for Barcelona this week. While TCL has been a longstanding contender in the budget smartphone space, I'd argue that its Nxtpaper technology, which emphasizes vision health and reducing eye strain, is the best value proposition of the mobile lineup. The company unveiled the TCL 60 XE Nxtpaper and Tab 11 Nxtpaper at CES in January, and it'll likely showcase similar models at MWC. While MWC doesn't start until Monday, March 3rd, expect a rollout of news and products as early as this weekend, as companies like Honor and Xiaomi are slated to deliver keynotes on Sunday. ZDNET's team of mobile experts will be on the ground, going hands-on with everything new and reporting on the innovations and concepts that will likely shape the smartphones we use in the future.

MWC 2025 Day 2 -- here's the top 5 new gadgets you need to see

2025's Mobile World Congress (MWC) had an amazing first day, and day 2 revealed plenty of exciting new gadgets. For instance, we saw a handheld projector that folds, a 3D laptops and possibly the thinnest phone ever made. With a few days of the event left, there's still plenty on the horizon. Make sure you check out our MWC Live Blog for all the latest news as we hear it. Here are the top 5 pieces of hardware and software that we saw on the second day of MWC. One of the big focuses for many phone manufacturers is just how thin can a smartphone realistically be. For instance, we've heard a lot of rumors about the iPhone 17 Air being the thinnest iPhone ever. We've also seen the Galaxy S25 Edge during this event that is touted as the skinniest Samsung phone. However, Chinese phone maker Tecno might have shown them all up with its Spark Slim concept phone which, with a thickness of 0.23 inches, is the slimmest smartphone we've ever seen. The Spark Slim has more going for it than just being thin. The phone has a 6.78-inch AMOLED screen with 144Hz refresh rate and two 50MP cameras on the back. All of this is powered by a 5,200 mAh battery, larger than the Galaxy S25 Ultra, which can be charged at up to 45W. Sadly, this is just a proof of concept for the time being, but Tecno hopes there's enough demand for the Spark Slim to make it worth releasing a production version. A lot of the stuff at MWC is quite repetitive. Grand promises about AI, products that have been repeated and cloned to death, and stuff that's so niche it's not actually interesting. But the Aurzen Zip is so interesting and different that you can't help but pay attention. The Zip is a portable projector with a tri-fold design. This means that it can unfold and act as its own stand, and combined with its compact size means it's the perfect projector for traveling. The picture auto-adjusts to the surface and can be as large as 80 inches. It's also completely wireless, and can connect to your devices with ease -- by either wireless casting or via a wireless HDMI dongle. Sadly, the resolution is limited to 720p, and the battery only lasts 90 minutes. So you better not pause that movie too much. Prices start at $299, and the projector should be shipping next month. Lenovo is looking is looking to change how we see and interact with displays completely. At MWC 2025 Lenovo revealed its ThinkBook 3D laptop concept with a 3.2K display that can swap between 3D and 2D without needing glasses. This isn't an entirely new concept. After all, Acer announced a glasses-free 3D laptop last year. However, the real game changer is how the laptop interacts with the Lenovo AI ring concept. According to our own Darragh Murphy, the combination allows for gesture-based controls, meaning you could work on 3D models without ever touching the computer. Currently, this is only a concept, but we hope Lenovo makes it a reality. There's something to be said for affordable laptops, but there's no doubt that they can disappoint in certain areas. However, the second day of MWC 2025 saw Lenovo show off the IdeaPad Slim 3x and it has changed our minds on what we expect from a budget laptop. In his hands-on review, Jason England praised the IdeaPad's design, the performance of the Snapdragon X CPU and the price, which will only be $649. Not only that, the laptop also comes with a full SD card reader and the latest WI-FI 7.. However, as with any cheaper device, there are some downsides. In this case, the display can be a bit dim. We can't wait until the laptop releases later this month so we can put it through its paces. However, considering the initial experience, the IdeaPad Slim 3x could be one of the best laptops of 2025. MWC 2025 has seen the reveal of the world's first argentic AI in a web browser, the Opera Browser Operator. It's reportedly both faster and safer than programs like OpenAI Operator and Rabbit R1's LAM Playground. Jason England took the time to lay out how the browser works, and it's simple and easy to understand. Opera's Browser Operator can handle complex tasks quickly and efficiently. For instance, when requesting to buy football tickets, the Operator keeps the price in mind, the location of the seating and the availability of tickets. Opera's AI is also dazzlingly fast, offering interactions every 4-6 seconds compared to 8-10 seconds for its rivals. Currently, Browser Operator is available as a preview. However, we would expect it to appear as part of an AI feature drop in the near future.

What to Expect at Mobile World Congress 2025 (Hint: A Lot of AI)

I'm a Mobile Analyst at PCMag, which means I cover wireless phones, plans, tablets, ereaders, and a whole lot more. I've always loved technology and have been forming opinions on consumer electronics since childhood. Prior to joining PCMag, I covered TVs and home entertainment at CNET, served as the tech and electronics reviews fellow at Insider, and began my career by writing laptop reviews as an intern at Tom's Hardware. I am also a professional actor with credits in theater, film, and television. Mobile World Congress, the largest phone trade show of the year, takes place March 3-6 in Barcelona, Spain, where leading cellphone manufacturers, network operators, component suppliers, and others will showcase their latest offerings. Last year, the show hosted over 2,700 exhibitors and 101,000+ attendees. The GSMA, which holds the event, says 2025 will be even bigger. In addition to fresh hardware, we'll see the latest developments in the software that powers them. Translation: Expect lots of AI. PCMag will be on the ground in Barcelona to bring you all of the latest news and announcements. Here are some of the highlights we expect. AI Takes a Firm Hold We believe that one of the biggest focuses of the show this year will be tighter AI integration across more aspects of mobility. Keynote speakers, including Peter Sarlin, the co-founder and CVP of AMD Silo AI; Arthur Mensch, the co-founder and CEO of Mistral AI; and Aravind Srinivas, the CEO and co-founder of Perplexity AI, are prepared to discuss AI's progress in depth. Most of the public-facing AI tools available today come from Google's Gemini software and Samsung's Galaxy AI. Though Apple Intelligence is another fledgling AI for consumers, the company rarely participates in MWC and isn't expected at the show. Google has partnered with numerous manufacturers attending the event to give them access to its AI tools, but we don't know exactly what type of announcements the company has planned. Samsung is expected to showcase its recently launched Galaxy S25 series alongside earbuds, wearables, and other mobile devices from its catalog. The Hardware Launches to Watch While AI is expected to take center stage, we still expect a few notable hardware launches. British company Nothing is expected to launch its 3(a) smartphone and perhaps the 3(a) Pro at its March 4 event. There aren't many details about the 3(a)'s processors, screen, or cameras, but its unique design will likely draw crowds. Nothing has sold some of its phones in the US, though it sometimes requires people to register as developers. Chinese manufacturer Xiaomi is expected to unveil its latest flagship phone, the Xiaomi 15 Ultra. The company debuted the 14 Ultra at the show last year, and this year's model is rumored to have cameras even more impressive than its predessor's. Unfortunately, Xiaomi doesn't sell many of its phones outside of its home market in China. HMD Global is hosting an event on March 2, where it is expected to reveal the new flip phone that it has teased on X in recent weeks. We don't know much about it just yet, but we're looking forward to learning more. Honor's March 2 event appears to focus on AI. It plans to reveal what it calls the Honor Alpha Plan and accompanying AI initiatives. Whether or not new hardware joins Honor's AI strategy on stage isn't clear. Another Chinese manufacturer, Oppo, is expected to showcase its foldable Find N5 phone, one of the world's thinnest. Realme will debut its color-changing 14 Pro series phone and possibly more, and ZTE plans to launch new products on March 3. PCMag will be there to keep you updated with all the latest news throughout the show, so check back often to learn what direction the mobile industry will take over the next year.

MWC 2025: All the Phones, Wearables, Robots and AI Live From Barcelona

Mobile World Congress, the annual conference all about phones and mobile gadgets, is here and should be one of the most exciting tech events of 2025. MWC runs March 3-6, and CNET is covering it on the ground in Barcelona, checking out all the new product launches and finding breakthroughs that will define phone and mobile tech through the next year and beyond. We'll be looking for Chinese phone makers such as Xiaomi, Honor and Oppo to dominate MWC. But we expect smaller players such as HMD and Nothing to unveil new phones and gadgets. There'll likely be some interesting wearables, including smartwatches and AR glasses, with bonus laptops and earbuds. We might even learn more about Samsung's Android XR headset nicknamed Project Moohan. We also expect to see AI everywhere, just like CES, mostly flavored by Google's Gemini, with a sprinkle of interesting features from the phone makers on top.

MWC 2025 Live Blog: Phones, Wearables, Robots and AI Live From Barcelona

Mobile World Congress, the annual conference all about phones and mobile gadgets, is here and should be one of the most exciting tech events of 2025. MWC runs March 3-6, and CNET is covering it on the ground in Barcelona, checking out all the new product launches and finding breakthroughs that will define phone and mobile tech through the next year and beyond. We'll be looking for Chinese phone makers such as Xiaomi, Honor and Oppo to dominate MWC. But we expect smaller players such as HMD and Nothing to unveil new phones and gadgets. There'll likely be some interesting wearables, including smartwatches and AR glasses, with bonus laptops and earbuds. We might even learn more about Samsung's Android XR headset nicknamed Project Moohan. We also expect to see AI everywhere, just like CES, mostly flavored by Google's Gemini, with a sprinkle of interesting features from the phone makers on top.

Best AI Announcements at MWC 2025: Gemini Live, AI Phone, Browser Operator & More

MWC 2025 is currently underway in Barcelona, and we have compiled the most exciting AI announcements. This year, beyond smartphones, leading software and hardware companies have showcased several AI-powered products and services. After all, we are living in the AI age and companies are pushing the boundaries to bring fresh innovations. So, without further ado, let's check out the best AI announcements at MWC 2025 from Google, Perplexity, Xiaomi, Lenovo, and more. The first major AI announcement at MWC 2025 is by Google. Project Astra was first announced at I/O 2024 in May last year. Following that, in December, Google revealed that Project Astra is being improved and will be integrated into the Gemini app. Finally, at MWC 2025, Google is demonstrating Project Astra for the first time to attendees. Baked into the Gemini app, you can share your screen and camera for live interaction with the AI. Google says live video and screen-sharing capabilities will roll out to Gemini Advanced subscribers later this month. It will initially be available on Android smartphones. Note that, OpenAI has already launched live video and screen-sharing on ChatGPT, so Google is already late in this regard. Another major AI announcement at MWC 2025 came from T-Mobile's parent company, Deutsche Telekom and Perplexity. Both companies have partnered to create an 'AI Phone,' which will be powered by Perplexity's AI Assistant, among other things. The AI Phone will offer 'Magenta AI,' which will include Perplexity AI Assistant, ElevenLabs, Picsart, Google Cloud AI, and more. You can interact with the phone using just voice and make reservations at restaurants, book flights, do shopping, and more. Deutsche Telekom is planning to launch the phone in the second half of this year, and it will cost below $1000 in the European market. After Google and Samsung, Xiaomi joined the AI race and announced HyperAI at MWC 2025. HyperAI is a suite of Generative AI features and services that can help you generate, summarize, and proofread text; it can generate subtitles using AI while playing videos; generate AI art, and more. In addition, HyperAI can add a cinematic look to videos shot using Xiaomi smartphones. Then there is AI search using natural language, AI Gallery, and AI Dynamic wallpapers. Basically, Xiaomi has gone all-in on AI-powered features for its premium smartphones. Xiaomi says HyperAI is currently available on the Xiaomi 15 series, and the Xiaomi 14 series will get it by April. At MWC 2025, Honor announced its Alpha Plan in partnership with Google and Qualcomm to develop an open AI ecosystem. The plan is to close the gap between human and AI interaction. Honor says it's going to invest a whopping $10 billion in the next five years to build the AI ecosystem. Honor is planning three stages for AI deployment -- Agentic AI, Physical AI, and AGI. Currently, the focus is on Agentic AI to create a "GUI-based mobile agent". It can book a table in restaurants, perform regular tasks on your smartphone, add tasks to your calendar, and more. Basically, in 2025, Honor expects to release AI agents on its smartphones. While OpenAI has already launched its Operator AI agent, Opera, a browser company has announced the first agentic Browser Operator at MWC 2025. The Browser Operator in Opera can perform tasks for you on the web. You can explain in natural language what you want to accomplish and Browser Operator sets out to complete the task for you. For example, you can ask it to buy tennis socks from Nike or buy tickets for a match. Basically, it can perform actions in the Opera browser, and you can focus on other meaningful things. The interesting part is that Opera's AI agent processes data locally on the device. OpenAI's Operator AI agent, on the other hand, runs in a cloud browser. Opera says Browser Operator is currently in preview and it will be available in Opera in the near future. At the ongoing MWC 2025, Lenovo showcased an AI Display monitor that comes with a built-in NPU (Neural Processing Unit). Yes, you read that right. The NPU can perform up to 32 trillion operations per second (TOPS). It's a curved monitor that can help older computers run LLMs locally. Apart from that, Lenovo demonstrated an AI Stick that you can plug into your existing monitor and make it an NPU-equipped PC. Qualcomm announced its X85 5G modem at MWC 2025, featuring an improved AI processor. The company has been using AI to improve data speeds and coverage for quite some time on its modems. The latest X85 5G modem brings a 30% faster AI processor. It's used in AI-powered Data Traffic Engine which reduces latency and improves efficiency of the modem. Apart from that, the AI feature can improve voice calls and make gaming smoother as well. Motorola's Smart Connect app is a fantastic utility to bridge the gap between your Android phone and Windows PC. And now at MWC 2025, Motorola announced a plethora of AI features coming to the Smart Connect app. You can talk to Moto AI on your smartphone and ask it to stream your phone's content to your laptop or smart TV. Next, you can search for documents and files using natural language prompts. You no longer need to remember the exact file name to locate the item. So these are the top AI announcements made at MWC 2025 by major companies. Of all the demos, I am highly excited for Project Astra, which is finally coming to Android phones later this month. By the way, which is your favorite AI feature announced at MWC? Let us know in the comments below.

Here's the new AI tech unveiled at Mobile World Congress

Here is Euronews Next's round-up of some of the tech displayed at the Mobile World Congress this week in Barcelona. The annual Mobile World Congress (MWC) is off and running in Barcelona this week, an event that organisers say brings together "tens of thousands" of leaders from the world of connectivity under one roof. Each year it's a chance to see what's next for mobile phones, laptops, and consumer tech, with a particular focus on artificial intelligence (AI) this time around. Here's a round-up of some of the new technologies found on the floor so far this year. Germany's Deutsche Telekom announced this week that it is launching a Perplexity chatbot-powered AI phone. The phone, which will be released sometime this year, will run "Magenta AI," which will give users access to a pack of AI tools including Perplexity Assistant, Google Cloud AI, ElevenLabs, and Picsart. The company wrote in a press release that the phone will be able to order a taxi, reserve a table, translate in real time, and respond to a user's questions. The AI assistant will act as a "virtual butler" that can write emails, start phone calls, play music, summarise texts, and add events automatically to a calendar. For those who don't want to buy a new phone, Deutsche Telekom said some AI capabilities will be available in an app starting this summer. Google is in Barcelona testing two new AI features coming to Android phones later this month, the companysaid. AGemini Live demo shows a user asking the AI to suggest a colour for a vase based on the surrounding room's decor and style. Another shows a user sharing their screen with Gemini Live to ask their AI assistant foroutfit suggestions that would go with a pair of jeans they would like to buy. Gemini Advanced subscribers will be the first ones to get access to these capabilities this month, Google said. A few mobile phones at MWC had a higher focus on professional-grade photography. The Nubia Focus 2Ultra, one of the latest designs from China's ZTE, has what they call an AI Photography System that "lets you take high-quality photos anytime and anywhere," the company wrote. The phone's unique rotating dial at the back lets users choose between five focal lengths that will help them take wide-angle, street photos, portraits, and long-focus shots. It also includes AI features like an eraser that lets users edit their shots. Rival Chinese company Xiaomi and Germany's Leica Camera released the 15 Ultramodel, another photography-heavy phone at MWC. The phone offers "all focal lengths" with its Leica Summilux optical lens and gives users the option to shoot video in 4K resolution. Also part of ZTE's display at MWC is the nubia Neo 3series, a number of phones that are built specifically for gamers. While not focused on phones, the Chinese company Lenovo unveiled potential AI-powered laptops at MWC this year. Among the showing is the Yoga Solar PC, a proof of conceptlaptop with a solar panel built into the cover that could power itself for up to one hour of video streaming when left in direct sunlight for just 20 minutes. A proof of concept demonstrates the feasibility of a specific idea or design. The laptop would also keep track of the panel's current and voltage and automatically adjusts the settings to maximise how the laptop can save energy, regardless of the light intensity in any workspace.