Visiting the MWC 2023 with the Itequia team
This year, in the Itequia team, we have been lucky enough to be able to attend an event as big as the Mobile World Congress 2023. And we can anticipate that the experience of attending can be overwhelming since it is one of the largest and busiest in the technology industry and brings together a wide variety of large, medium, and small companies.
the MWC 2023 in data
Before starting our review of the event, I think it is interesting to review some data from MWC 2023, to get an idea of the magnitude of the event:
| +88.5K | 50% | 2400 | 202 |
| Assistants | Management positions or higher | Exhibitors | Countries |
Our time at MWC 2023
Before arriving at the venue, you can already get an idea of the magnitude and importance of the event, just by seeing the number of people who move on their way to the place. Upon arriving and entering the fairgrounds, we find ourselves surrounded by thousands of stands from different companies displayed in different pavilions, from technology giants to new Startups presenting their latest innovations in mobile devices, applications, software, and services.
There is a lot to see, so we recommend that you plan which Stands to visit and which talks and conferences to attend based on your interests and concerns.
We find it interesting to say that while Mobile World Congress is also a great place to network and make professional connections, we have not focused much on this aspect.
But, there are many opportunities to meet people from different companies and countries, so on the next occasion, we would not hesitate to attend networking events and share knowledge and concerns with other attendees.
The best Keynotes of MWC 2023
In our planning we have decided to attend various sessions on topics that we have found most interesting and innovative, therefore, as soon as we arrive we go to the pavilion where the first one will take place, which talks about emerging technologies that will shape the future.
This was a session where Startups, industry companies, technology centers, and investors participated, all of them explored what is coming in technology that will change our world and shape a better future of digital life. Like, for example, the transformation of the music industry, the dawn of a new physical cyber internet, and NFTs.
At the end of this first session, we went to the next one, an interesting panel on Product Led Growth, in which the experts Rob Cassedy (CEO, Wallapop), Bernat Farrero (Co-Founder and Co-CEO, Factorial), and Darío Villena (Investment Director, Kapita) discussed how focusing on product rather than user acquisition can drive business growth.
Learning about the importance of creating high-quality products that solve real problems for users and how this can increase customer retention and engagement.
Next, we attended a very interesting panel on the future of artificial intelligence in business, where the experts, Elena Sinel (Founder and CEO, of Teens in AI), Neema Balolebwami Nelly (Founder & CEO, EMEA Venture Builder), and Justin Reilly (CEO, Wavelo) spoke about how AI is transforming business and society today.
A super interesting session on the potential of AI to automate repetitive tasks, increase efficiency and improve decision-making in companies.
Exploring the MWC 2023 Stands
After a morning full of interesting sessions, we take a break to eat and rest before going back to the mess. With the energy restored, it was time to explore the thousands of Booths that make up MWC 2023.
As we have already commented previously, the event has an immense variety of options distributed among the different pavilions.
From Startups promoting their technology, such as Pico, which provides complete and fully developed XR (Extended Reality) solutions, which we were able to test there, to tech giants, such as Microsoft, showing their latest advances in telecommunications.
SK Telecom had a huge booth showing their advancements both in the Metaverse and in the area of telecommunications and they demoed the use of these advances in today’s world.
On the other hand, Samsung had several stands to separate the different technological branches in which it works, we were able to see its progress in mobile technology but also its foray into the inclusion of its products in cars.
You can learn more details about the news presented by Samsung here.
Finally, we think it is important to remember that the Mobile World Congress is a very crowded event and there can be long queues and waiting in some places, so it is advisable to wear comfortable clothes and shoes and be prepared to spend long hours walking and standing.
And finally, but no less important, it is highly recommended to make sure that the sessions or conferences that interest us are open to the public or require pre-registration since we can be surprised and miss some of the sessions that we want to enjoy.
Which sessions were most interesting to us?
Product Led Growth: When a Product Sells by Itself
A very interesting session, because they showed us another paradigm of how to run a company and how it fits in with the current business model.
A Responsible Look into AI
Another of the talks that we found most interesting and innovative, was in which they talked about the implications and responsibilities of what all the new emerging AI technologies will bring with them.
Upscaling User Engagement Through Immersive Technologies
A super interesting session in which they spoke and exposed the potential of new immersive technologies, in various environments, to improve and create more attractive experiences for end users and how they are interacting with digital content.
What novelties have stood out in the MWC 2023?
GSMA Open Gateway
The GSMA Open Gateway is super interesting as it represents a paradigm shift in the way the telecommunications industry designs and offers services in a world of APIs.
It is a project sponsored by the GSMA which is intended to transform communication networks into open platforms.
Evolution of folding and roll-up mobiles
This seemed interesting to us because even though folding screens are already known, their evolution has been increasing for some time and apart, and currently, roll-up screens are beginning to appear, which in some cases allow screens to be displayed that can be used on both sides.
Virtual reality glasses.
This was the edition of virtual reality glasses, with various functionalities from different brands such as Xiaomi, Huawei, and TCL.
Some of its most notable uses are, for example, real-time translation when you are conversing with someone, or viewing images in your field of vision without taking up all the space.
Immersive experiences through the Metaverse
And it is that, without a doubt, the Metaverse was one of the great protagonists of MWC 2023. There were very fun and different experiences, such as being able to fly over the metaverse in a helicopter at the SK Telecom stand.
In short, attending Mobile World Congress can be an exciting and overwhelming experience. It is very important to plan and stay focused on your goals to get the most out of the event, but also to remember to rest and recharge to fully enjoy all it has to offer.