MWC 2026: What to expect from the big show

Mobile World Congress is a mobile-focused trade show that takes place every year in Barcelona, Spain. In addition to smartphones, we also see plenty of tablets, wearables, audio products, and other gadgets on the show floor.

Of course, we’ll be in Barcelona to cover the event and all the associated happenings. Here’s what to expect from companies at MWC 2026.

MWC 2026: Important information

• What is MWC? MWC stands for Mobile World Congress. It’s the largest yearly mobile-focused convention in the world. It hosted over 109,000 attendees in 2025. These attendees include mobile network operators, device maufacturers, tech providers, vendors, and more.
• When is MWC 2026? MWC 2026 takes place from Monday, March 2, to Thursday, March 5.
• Where is MWC 2026? MWC 2026 takes place in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain, primarily at the Fira Gran Via convention halls. However, separate announcements and events also take place at other locations in the city.
• Is MWC 2026 open to the public? Unlike other major tech conventions, such as CES, MWC makes it pretty simple for people to attend. The event is open to the public as long as attendees pay for registration. You can find all the details here.

Google

Google is actually announcing its Pixel 10a smartphone almost two weeks before MWC kicks off. Meanwhile, the Pixel 11 phones are five to six months away from their expected launch window. In other words, don’t expect a Pixel launch in Barcelona.

If anything, Google tends to use MWC to make software announcements. The company showed off live video and screen-sharing for Gemini Live last year. It also used MWC 2024 to announce that Gemini was coming to Google Messages, passes/tickets/memberships were coming to Wear OS, and text summaries were coming to Android Auto.

HONOR

HONOR has already launched the Magic 8 Pro in global markets, but the company has a few more tricks up its sleeve. The company confirmed last month that its HONOR Robot Phone (seen above) and Magic V6 foldable phone would be shown off at MWC 2026.

The Robot Phone is a smartphone with a gimbal-mounted rear camera, enabling smoother video capture in theory. Meanwhile, the Magic V6 would be a follow-up to the impressive Magic V5 book-style foldable phone. Either way, this already looks like a better showing for HONOR than last year’s event.

Motorola

Motorola is almost always present in Barcelona, and we’re expecting the company to make an appearance in 2026 as well. We already know Motorola will launch a book-style foldable phone later this year, dubbed the Razr Fold. So maybe it will reveal a few more details ahead of a full reveal down the line.

It also seems like a safe bet that the company could showcase a couple of technology concepts at MWC 2026. The firm revealed the Motorola Rizr vertical rollable concept in 2023 (seen above), as well as the Adaptive Display Concept in 2024. The latter was effectively a phone that wraps around your wrist.

Motorola parent company Lenovo will also be at MWC 2026, although it hasn’t revealed further details. It used last year’s event to demonstrate a Z-folding laptop, as well as a concept smart ring that works with a laptop.

Nothing

Nothing has started teasing the Nothing Phone 4a series, and one leak suggests the phones could launch in early March. In fact, the leaker suggested a March 5 launch date, which would be the last day of MWC. This wouldn’t be a complete surprise, as Nothing officially launched the Nothing Phone 3a series around MWC 2025, and these devices were shown off on the show floor. Don’t expect a Nothing Phone 4, though. The company recently confirmed that it has no plans to launch a new flagship phone in 2026.

OPPO/OnePlus

There’s bad news if you were hoping to see OnePlus announcements at MWC 2026. The company confirmed to Android Authority that it won’t be attending the expo. As for OPPO, the company is apparently working on the Find N6 foldable phone and the Find X9 Ultra smartphone. However, we’re not expecting OPPO to actually launch these products in Barcelona.

Qualcomm

Qualcomm doesn’t usually reveal major smartphone processors in Barcelona. Instead, the company has used the last few MWC events to announce new flagship modems. The firm announced its X80 modem at MWC 2024 and the X85 modem at last year’s event. It therefore stands to reason that its next-gen modem might be revealed at MWC 2026.

Samsung

Samsung will launch the Galaxy S26 series on February 25, so there’s a good chance these phones will be on display in Barcelona. Otherwise, the company typically skips MWC for product launches these days. But we hope the company shows off its Android XR glasses. We’re also expecting Samsung Display to show off a variety of display concepts, much like its dual-folding flip phone and foldable handheld seen last year.

TCL

TCL will be attending MWC 2026, but it hasn’t actually hinted at any plans just yet. We’re guessing that the company will announce more NXTPAPER phones or tablets in Spain. The company also has a slew of smart glasses under its RayNeo brand, so expect to see these products on the show floor as well. And who knows, maybe we’ll see its first Android XR products in some capacity?

TECNO

TECNO is another long-time MWC attendee, and it’s already previewed its lineup for MWC 2026. For starters, the company’s camera-focused Camon 50 phones will be unveiled in Barcelona. These phones will have an Essential Space-like feature and a host of other AI additions. TECNO will also unveil the POVA 8 series, hinting at distinctive designs and long battery life. Finally, the firm says you should expect ecosystem products (e.g., computers and smartwatches) and unspecified concepts.

Xiaomi

Xiaomi has used the last few MWCs to launch its flagship phones in global markets. The company typically launches these devices a day or two before the expo actually kicks off. It launched the Xiaomi 15 and Xiaomi 15 Ultra last year, along with a host of ecosystem products.

As for MWC 2026? We’re expecting Xiaomi to launch the Xiaomi 17, Xiaomi 17 Ultra, and possibly the Xiaomi 17 Pro phones on the day. The firm also offers plenty of ecosystem products, so don’t be surprised to see new wearables, tablets, and/or audio gadgets.

Another hot topic last year was a curious snap-on camera concept. Will we see this add-on camera becoming a commercial reality in 2026? We’ll have to wait and see.

ZTE/Nubia

ZTE has confirmed its presence at MWC 2026. The firm said that it will unveil “cutting-edge solutions and products, highlighting AI-native connectivity, efficient and low-carbon computing infrastructure, and innovative smart home and personal devices.”

For what it’s worth, the company showed off devices like the Nubia Focus 2 and the Nubia GT Neo 3 series (seen above) last year. The former device had a rotating rear camera ring for some satisfying camera zoom controls, while the latter phones are among the few budget offerings with shoulder buttons. Here’s hoping the intriguing Nubia Fold gets a wider release in Barcelona.