World’s biggest tech gathering kicks off

Mar 1, 2023

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From the newest smartphones to autonomous robots, MWC is back in full swing seeing 75,000 attendees from across the globe.

Google’s Android showcases its Home functionality at MWC. PHOTO: Kyle Venktess/IOL Tech

MOBILE World Congress (MWC) 2023, the largest tech gathering of industry heavyweights, is currently underway in Barcelona, Spain – a platform for electronics manufacturers to boast their latest innovations and products.

From the newest smartphones to autonomous robots, MWC, which until the current event, was watered down by the Covid-19 pandemic, is back in full swing seeing 75,000 attendees from across the globe to witness the latest in mobile-related technologies.

The conference is held annually by the GSM Association, an organisation representing the interests of mobile network operators around the world, comprising over 750 mobile operators and 400 companies in the wider mobile ecosystem.

“Put your explorer hat on and allow your imagination to run wild with all of the possibilities that lie ahead. Whether you’re a mobile operator, a start-up, a large traffic originator or a public sector body, there has never been a more exciting and rewarding time to be involved in this industry,” said Mats Granryd, Director General of the GSMA, in his welcoming keynote.

While the conference plays host to popular mobile technologies expected to be released by major manufacturers throughout this year, it also showcases what can be expected in the years to come.

Top industry role-players include Google’s Android, Chinese smartphone makers Oppo and Huawei and South Korean electronics giant Samsung – to mention just a few of the exhibitors displaying their latest technology.

While the annual conference bookmarks one of the most significant and diverse events on the tech calendar, themes running among the latest technologies being showcased were around sustainability, 5G, the upcoming virtual world, the Metaverse and advances in Virtual Reality.

One of the highlights witnessed on day one of MWC 2023 was the launch by the GSMA of a new industry-wide initiative called the GSMA Open Gateway.

The initiative was launched with the support of 21 mobile operators globally, including the local mobile operator, MTN. The Open Gateway is an Application Programmable Interfaces (APIs) framework that provides developers with universal access to operator networks.

GSMA Board Chairman and Chairman, José María Álvarez-Pallete López, & CEO of Telefónica, said that the Open Gateway would enable single points of access to ultra-broadband networks and provide a catalyst for immersive technologies and Web3, giving them the ability to fulfil their potential and reach critical mass.

GSMA Open Gateway has already started to harmonise the industry around open APIs, with many demonstrations available at the conference. These include technologies that enable immersive concert experiences, using APIs for device location, carrier billing and authentication, live jam sessions with musicians around the world and immersive gaming, and high-definition video.

IOL Tech