Each year, the mobile and wireless industries descend upon Barcelona to showcase their latest innovations. And this year has proven no different.
Mobile World Congress (MWC) kicked off from Barcelona on Monday with many major announcements from Samsung, Motorola, and other tech giants. As one might expect, artificial intelligence featured prominently at the show, as big and small companies shared their view on how it could significantly impact the mobile industry going forward.
Notably absent was Apple, a company that arguably dominates the mobile industry but has long snubbed Mobile World Congress in favor of its own gatherings. And while we got a Samsung announcement at the show, most of the Korean tech giant's biggest unveilings come at Unpacked events.
Regardless, day one of the Mobile World Congress has proven quite eventful. So read more about the show and what companies announced on Monday.
Samsung Galaxy Ring Has Arrived
After many rumors and a few teases from Samsung, the tech giant unveiled the Galaxy Ring at Mobile World Congress. The Galaxy Ring is a wearable ring that can track sleep, movement, heart rate, and more, Samsung said. It's also expected to feature Bluetooth technology, allowing users to remotely control devices around the home.
There had been some concerns about size compatibility with the Galaxy Ring, but Samsung has confirmed the Galaxy Ring will be available in sizes 5 to 13. Samsung hasn't announced pricing or a launch date.
An Eye on AI
Artificial intelligence (AI) was all the talk at the Mobile World Congress Day One keynote.
Dell said it's partnering with major telecom providers to help them improve their networks using Dell's AI. While it's not immediately clear precisely how Dell will help network operators, the company did say that its efforts will aim at the massive trove of data telecoms deals with daily.
On the AI front, Microsoft announced a new AI Access Principles program that will aim to get AI to users, partners, and other companies as quickly - and ethically - as possible.
Meanwhile, ServiceNow said that it's expanding the availability of its Nvidia-powered AI tools to telecoms by launching a new customer service tool called Now Assist for Telecommunications Service Management. ServiceNow said the tool will improve customer service efficiency and added that it plans to launch more AI tools for telecom providers over time.
A Bendable Motorola Concept
Motorola showcased a bendable smartphone and smartwatch concept at MWC with a 6.9-inch flexible display. The device can be used as an Android handset out of the box or curved and attached to a band to be worn as a smartwatch. It can even be folded into a stand or bent at the top and bottom to form a tent.
For now, the technology is a concept and may or may not come to Motorola phones in the future. It's also unclear how much it would cost if and when it launches publicly.
Lenovo Looks into the Future
Lenovo wowed Mobile World Congress attendees with a futuristic ThinkBook Transparent Display Laptop concept. The device features a 17.3-inch transparent display with up to 55 percent transparency. Interestingly, the laptop ditches a traditional keyboard in favor of a decidedly futuristic option with virtual keys. And since the transparent display works both ways, you can see the screen both from the front and back. It's unclear if Lenovo will ever launch the device, but it's certainly neat to look at in the meantime.
Samsung Goes Curvy
Like its competitor Motorola, Samsung also unveiled a device that could double as a smartphone or smartwatch. However, Samsung's device was able to get a bit more curve to it, allowing it to wrap around the wrist more effectively than Motorola's option.
Samsung's concept, the Cling Band, is also designed to fit easily around a bunch of wrist sizes, so it should work well for most users looking for a comfortable fit. However, like Motorola's concept wearable, we don't know yet if Samsung will ever launch the Cling Bad.
OnePlus Gets Wearable
Chinese smartphone company OnePlus made its presence felt at this year's Mobile World Congress with the unveiling of a new wearable called the OnePlus Watch 2. The device features a large AMOLED display and dual-frequency GPS to help users more easily track and navigate to locations. OnePlus said the device offers battery life that can last more than a few days, depending on use, but it lacks heart monitoring features.
Xiaomi Hits the Road
Last year, Xiaomi announced plans to enter the car business with a line of electric vehicles. At the Mobile World Congress on Monday, the company showcased its upcoming SU7 electric vehicle for the first time. We don't know much about the SU7 until Xiaomi showcases more of its features later this year, but it looks pretty stylish and may look nice on the road.
About the author: Don Reisinger is a longtime freelance writer who has written on topics as far-ranging as technology and business to science topics. His work has appeared in a variety of publications, including Fortune, Inc., The New York Times, Business Insider, Tom's Guide, and many others. Follow him at https://muckrack.com/donreisinger and https://twitter.com/donreisinger
