The giant MWC mobile phone show in Barcelona is back at its best, and kicks off next week
(Image credit: Fira Barcelona)
MWC 2024 will open its doors next week - so what are we expecting to see? MWC is one of the biggest shows on planet when it comes to mobile phones, and usually it is a place where a myriad of new handsets get launched, all wanting to top the best camera phone list.
The good news is that the exhibition is back and live and at full strength in its traditional February slot - following three years of disruption from Covid-19 in 2020, 2021 and 2022. In 2023, the show was pretty much back to normal - and we are hoping it will be bigger and better than ever.
There are lots of new products already scheduled to launch at the show - and no doubt there will be some surprise announcements too.
What is MWC 2024?
MWC stands for Mobile Word Congress - and is organized by the GSMA, the global industry association, first formed in 1995 to promote 2G GSM digital phones. The show was first held in 1987, and in 2023 attracted over 88,000 to the Fira Barcelona Gran Via exhibition halls in Barcelona, Spain. There are now additional MWC spin-off shows in Shanghai, Kigali and Los Angeles.
When is MWC 2024?
It takes place in Barcelona from Monday February 26 to Thursday February 29. The halls are open to visitors from 8.30am to 7pm on the first three days, and from 8.30am to 4pm on the final day.
But there will be lots of speeches from leading industry figures. Many of the sessions will be centered on the themes of the 5G and 6G, the Internet of Things, and, of course, AI. As ever, the keynotes and industry sessions will discuss how cellular technology can be used in much, much more than just our phones.
And we will be bringing you all the news, as and if it happens…
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What we expect at MWC 2024
Thanks to the rumor mill and the inevitable teasers from the key manufacturers, we already had a pretty good idea what some of the highlights will be at this year's expo. As ever Apple and Samsung are the most notable handset manufacturers who do not reveal new products at MWC.
Below are some of the things we know about, and are excited about, coming at MWC 2024 - and we will be regularly updating this as we hear and see more of what is being announced.
Xiaomi at MWC 2024
Xiaomi 14 Ultra (Image credit: Xiaomi)
By the time MWC begins, Xiaomi would have announced full details of its 14 Series family of phones - but the Chinese company will give the new handsets a European launch on the first day of the show.
The Xiaomi 14 Ultra is the most exciting of the set - and we have seen a number of its key features being teased. It again has a Leica main camera but this uses a newer Sony sensor, and is coupled with a faster lens. Also on board there are two telephoto zooms - one being dedicated to portraits, and the other being a 5x periscope. Available in black or white, a novel feature is that it has an artificial leather back panel - so hopefully won't slip off a table as easily as most new phones! See our full news story
Energizer at MWC 2024
(Image credit: Energizer)
Best know for its batteries, Energizer sells a range of budget-priced phones. The company is teasing something special, however, for MWC 2024. The Energizer P28K boasts to have the most powerful built-in battery of any phone in the world - with a phenomenal 28,000mAh capacity. See our full story
Motorola at MWC
(Image credit: Lenovo)
MWC has become synonymous with showing us wacky concept devices - and this year, we will be paying special attention to Motorola in this regard. Last October, at Lenovo Tech World, it showed us its bendable phone. Using its Adaptive Display, the device can literally be curled up - so that it can be worn on your wrist like a smartwatch, or be propped up in a way that means so it can stand on its own for handsfree voice calls. It feels like this tech is a long way in the future - or pure fable - but we love the idea.
Honor at MWC2024
Honor has its press conference on the day before the show starts - and here the company will reveal its Magic6 Series of phones - including its photo-centric Magic6 Pro flagship. We'll also see the official European launch of the Honor Magic V2. We are also told that it will have a second phone designed in collaboration with Porsche.
Nothing at MWC2024
Nothing has its press conference pencilled in for February 27 - and we hope that at last they will finally announce the launch of its long-teased Nothing Phone 2a handset. This is billed as a budget-priced alternative to the Nothing Phone (2), and the original Nothing Phone (1).
Chris George has worked on Digital Camera World since its launch in 2017. He has been writing about photography, mobile phones, video making and technology for over 30 years – and has edited numerous magazines including PhotoPlus, N-Photo, Digital Camera, Video Camera, and Professional Photography.
His first serious camera was the iconic Olympus OM10, with which he won the title of Young Photographer of the Year - long before the advent of autofocus and memory cards. Today he uses a Nikon D800, a Fujifilm X-T1, a Sony A7, and his iPhone 15 Pro Max.
He has written about technology for countless publications and websites including The Sunday Times Magazine, The Daily Telegraph, Dorling Kindersley, What Cellphone, T3 and Techradar.
