What we’ve learned from Mobile World Congress 2016

By Gadjo Cardenas Sevilla

The take away from MWC was that phones are great as standalone devices and pocket computers, they can be awesome when you extend their functionality with great accessories and ecosystems.

This year’s Mobile World Congress in Barcelona brought the focus back on smartphones with various new flagship models sporting the latest processors, the latest display technology, improved cameras and software as well as better battery life, water resistance features and premium materials.

Where are the wearables?

While MWC is mostly a mobile show, there was a lot of attention paid to accessories and ecosystems but nary a mention of smart watches or wearables. It seems the interest for these devices has slowed after last year’s frenzy and this may be because of a number of reasons. The Apple Watch seems to be the dominant smart watch even if Apple hasn’t revealed sales numbers, analysts like IDC have estimated, 11.6 million Apple Watches sold in calendar 2015. Android Wear devices, which are based on Google’s operating system seem as fragmented as Android phones with various manufacturers offering one off features and a lack of standardization in functionality across the line.

Still, it is surprising that we didn’t see more wearable announcements at the show, specially given that smart watches have out shipped traditional Swiss watches for the first time.

Accessories, ecosystems and VR

The take away from MWC was that phones are great as standalone devices and pocket computers, they can be awesome when you extend their functionality with great accessories and ecosystems.

LG demonstrated this with their LG G5 flagship which, is an impressive device on its own, really shines as a tool with the addition of various modules and accessories. LG has addressed the inherent limitation of smartphones which are phenomenal multifunctional devices that are constrained by their thin size and enclosures. By enabling users to add camera and audio modules (along with replaceable batteries), LG can create more interest in specific functionalities within their devices.

Samsung also looked at accessories to play a major role in the success of its Galaxy S7 devices. The company no longer owns the market in large devices and the curved display gimmick has been played out (even If the new devices have better software to support it) so the next step is to leverage VR, create standalone cameras for shooting panoramic movies as well as battery cases and wireless charging docks.

HTC, in a way, was ahead of its time. Its RE Camera launched two years ago. While not a 360’ or VR camera, it did extend the functionality of their (and other) phones while freeing up the phone’s resources. The company’s HTC Vive VR headset is an expensive example of a first-mover product that has already generated a lot of buzz.

VR is buzzy

The idea of VR and its applications is really catching on. While the better examples of the technology are still expensive, limited and far from complete, we can expect every major technology company to be working on something VR related.

MWC 2016 has shown that the bar can still be raised in mobile and smartphones and while these devices continue to become more powerful, better connected and multifunctional, companies can grow their markets by extending experiences through accessories and services that can help people consume as well as create the next generation of content.