Between February 26th and 29th, Barcelona will once again be the epicenter of the telecommunications industry, becoming the global capital of connectivity. The most influential leaders and thinkers in the sector will gather at Fira de Barcelona for the new edition of the Mobile World Congress (MWC) 2024, where around 1,100 speakers will debate the future of connectivity in front of 95,000 attendees.
What can we expect from this year’s event, where the lines of the digital landscape that awaits the future are anticipated? According to experts, beyond Alef Aeronautics’ flying car or the winning boat of the last America’s Cup in sailing, which will be on display at the Gran Via Fira de Barcelona, here are some of the highlights we can expect in the new edition of MWC 2024:
- Latest trends in mobile technology. Despite nearly half of the MWC attendees coming from companies outside the mobile industry, it continues to be the place to explore the latest trends in mobile devices. “We will see devices with higher screen resolutions, smaller chip manufacturers competing with Qualcomm, foldable screens…” comments César Córcoles, professor of the Department of Computer Science, Multimedia and Telecommunications at UOC and member of the Technology Enhanced Knowledge and Interaction Group (TEKING) research group.
Furthermore, the industry continues to show advancements in virtual reality, augmented reality, and mixed reality “which in many cases depend on chips from Qualcomm and similar companies to function, and that’s what will be discussed,” says Córcoles. He also notes that Apple’s recent release of the Vision Pro glasses is a big push for the world of virtual and augmented reality, “and maybe this year will be when attractive commercial uses for these types of devices appear, although we haven’t seen them yet.”
Additionally, the UOC professor believes that one of the main topics in this sector will revolve around how artificial intelligence (AI) is being integrated into devices. “Companies like Samsung have already announced AI capabilities in their photo and search applications, and more manufacturers will continue to do so,” he states. Similarly, processor companies are increasingly incorporating generative AI capabilities to avoid accessing the cloud and to gain some privacy.
- Minimizing the risks of generative AI. Over the past year, generative AI has raised certain fears among the public, including the fear of being replaced in the workforce by this technology. In César Córcoles’ opinion, the industry that sees AI as a field for continued device sales must do something to address these fears, both for ethical and moral reasons and for commercial reasons.
“Currently, manufacturers need to start providing guarantees that the AI they’re offering will assist us rather than replace us, in addition to reducing the possibility of spreading fake news, and a lot of work is being done in this area,” he states. “AI has a lot of potential and the goal is to reduce cases of malicious use and minimize risks for people. It’s good news that these discussions are taking place, although they may be a bit late, because these risks are still very present,” he adds.
- 5G Connectivity and… 6G? Every year, the MWC industry advances connectivity standards. Up until 4G, each mobile generation had a significant impact, with new features allowing for greater mobile functionality. “We were increasingly forced to use these technologies, and therefore, the telecom operators made a huge investment in products made by manufacturers because it was profitable,” explains the UOC professor.
However, while upgrading from a 3G to a 4G mobile automatically made the smartphone much more useful, allowing, for example, street downloads of large files or watching live streamed videos almost as if connected to home wifi, with 5G, the use cases are reduced.
“Few people have switched from a 4G to a 5G phone and noticed a significant difference. And if we don’t find new uses for 5G, do we really need to switch to 6G?” reflects the UOC professor, explaining that although the industry claims that 6G will reduce the energy consumption of mobile networks, it also implies an environmental cost related to deploying new infrastructure worldwide. “Are we sure that the pace at which we deploy these new technologies really makes them cost-effective and a good environmental investment? That’s the question being raised.”
- Connecting industries across all sectors. Another major theme at MWC will focus on how connected technologies are changing manufacturing, smart mobility, fintech, mobile commerce, and even entertainment and leisure. As César Córcoles recalls, “the tech industry is now a factor that can be linked to any business, and integrating mobile connectivity into their devices will allow for efficiency and improved functionality.”
Source: UOC
César Córcoles Professor of the Department of Computer Science, Multimedia and Telecommunications at UOC