Mobile World Congress 2017, Barcelona
Mobile World Congress has evolved to be so much more than a simple product showcase. MWC has become a chapter in the smartphone industry calendar, and with more and more involvement from agencies and advertisers alike, it’s clear that the ‘tipping point’ has well and truly arrived. With more searches now performed daily on mobile than desktop, and the still yet untapped pool of Voice Search on mobile and connected devices, MWC17 was filled with tech that were gateways to global trends.
Some trends broke through the noise. 5G was everywhere, but for the non-tech minded, this may not mean much until they see it in application. Cars being parked in a smartphone arena, left a few thinking they’d arrived at the wrong Congress. And for those of us who revel in nostalgia, retro is back in full force — with the trusty Nokia 3310 coming back to our pockets.
Simon Rotbart, SEO Consultant, iProspect France, gives us his round up of the three takeaways you need to know
What is 5G and why is it everywhere?
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One of the main things to see at MWC was definitely the ubiquitous 5G presence at every turn. (5G by the way, is the term used to describe the next-generation of mobile networks beyond the 4G LTE mobile networks of today). For the time being, most of the experiments are on car connectivity and the communications across V2V (car to car), V2I (car to infrastructure) and V2X technology. As a simple testament to the craze, the number of static cars on display throughout the arena became the center point for all things 5G. It’s clear that 5G also represents a pivotal time for specific developments in term of mobile web formats, such as games and new ad formats that brands should be excited to capitalize on.
CONNECTED OBJECTS, NOKIA & 3310
One of the MWC’s most awaited reveals was finally made public. On one side we witnessed the disappearance of one of the French flagships of connected objects — Whithings, in favor of Nokia. Less than a year after its acquisition, the young French start-up from the French tech-company disappears and its products will now be marketed under the Nokia brand.
However, this was not the most anticipated announcement within the world of Nokia, but actually the announcement of the 3310. We had the chance to try it for a few minutes, and it must be said that the result is a bit confusing.
Even with changeable cases that arouse the nostalgia of the “good old days”, the user interface is quite difficult to handle. The result lends more to a hybrid smart/ordinary cellphone which would be more compatible to users who do not want to spend all their time on their phone, but are hesitant to lose all that modern smartphones have to offer. With a 50€ retail price however, I’m sure this product will find its clients.
WE SEE YOU V.R
Along with the main mobile announcements, virtual reality remained one of the main stars at MWC, especially within the HTC corner, which presented the HTC Vive extensions for a much more immersive experience. We were able to test the helmet with an immersive game and the result is very compelling in a crowded marketplace, and it’s clear advertisers will be quick to jump on this technology once it rolls out.
-ENDS-
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Originally published at www.iprospect.com.
