MWC 2023: The best we've seen at Mobile World Congress

As the pandemic starts becoming a thing of the past, tech conventions like CES and MWC are returning in full force. Mobile World Congress is a mobile-focused trade show that takes place every year in Barcelona, Spain. After a cancellation in 2020 and a diminished event in 2021, we had a full-size show in 2022, and MWC 2023 came even stronger.

We covered all the best products from MWC 2023, and we’re sure you’re also eager to learn more about the exciting announcements. Here’s a bit of everything there is to know about products and services announced at MWC 2023.

MWC 2023: 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 61,000 attendees in 2022 and an estimated 80,000 attendees in 2023, getting people from all over the world together. This includes all types of industry attendees, including “global mobile operators, device manufacturers, technology providers, vendors, content owners, or people interested in the future of tech.”
When is MWC 2023? MWC 2023 took place from Monday, February 27, to Thursday, March 2, 2023.
Where is MWC 2023? MWC 2023 took place in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain, primarily at the Fira Gran Via. Separate MWC announcements, keynotes, and product unveilings happened at various locations around Barcelona, though.
Is MWC 2023 open to the public? Unlike other major tech conventions, 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

We weren’t expecting to hear much from Google at MWC 2023, but it surprised us with a slew of new Android features. They are nine, in total. Read all about the new Android features announced at MWC 2023 here.

Some of the most interesting ones include noise cancellation in Google Meet, freehand PDF annotation in Drive, fast pairing between Chromebooks and earbuds, tap-to-pay animations In Google Wallet, and Google Keep access on Wear OS.

HONOR

HONOR announced the Magic 4 series at MWC 2022. Leaks and rumors started appearing around the web, making people believe we would soon see the new HONOR Magic 5 series. HONOR pretty much confirmed this in an MWC teaser, and they’ve announced a couple of additions to the Magic lineup.

The company has announced the HONOR Magic Vs and the Honor Magic 5 Pro. The Magic 5 Pro is a high-end device with a very enticing spec sheet and a €1,199 (~$1,266) MSRP. We had our hands-on time with the HONOR Magic Vs before the show, as ithad been available in China for some time, but at MWC 2023, HONOR announced its global release coming later this year for €1,599.

Of course, we’re not wasting any time here at Android Authority. We quickly put together a full review of the HONOR Magic Vs, so check it out to learn our thoughts on the device. We also know HONOR will be offering an improved software update policy. Both of these devices will get four major OS updates and five years of security patches.

HUAWEI

While we didn’t see new smartphones coming from HUAWEI during MWC 2022, it still brought plenty of fantastic tech to look at. We were expecting an even more impressive HUAWEI presence at MWC 2023. A HUAWEI spokesperson told Fierce Wireless “this will be HUAWEI’s largest year” at MWC 2023. The manufacturer plans to take over the entire Hall 1 of the Fira Gran Via.

There were rumors of the HUAWEI P60 series launching around March, so we were hoping to see it at MWC. Some believed the HUAWEI Mate X3 would also make it to Spain. Sadly, neither rumor turned out to be true. Instead, HUAWEI focused on connectivity, announcing network solutions like One 5G, 5.5G advancements, and more.

Here at Android Authority, we can’t leave you hanging with a bunch of (really good) intangible announcements, though. We got a sneak peek at the HUAWEI Watch GT Cyber, a smartwatch with an odd similarity to a G-Shock.

Motorola

Motorola didn’t have many products to show at MWC 2023, but there were a couple of interesting announcements. The main one is the Motorola Defy 2, a rugged phone that actually offers pretty good specs. It’s rare to see higher-end rugged phones. It also comes with two-way satellite messaging, for those times when you find yourself away from cell service.

The second announcement will likely be more interesting to most of you. The Motorola Defy Satellite Link is a small Bluetooth device that makes it possible for any Android or iOS device to connect to satellite services using the Bullit Satellite Messenger services.

If you were interested in seeing an actual device, we got the chance to check out a pretty exciting concept phone from Motorola. Check out our hands-on time with the Motorola Rizr. It’s a rollable phone!

Nokia

Nokia usually has a strong presence at MWC, and it’s definitely not absent this year. The company announced a few devices: the Nokia G22, Nokia C22, and Nokia C32. These are all budget phones with three-day battery life and modest specs, but the cameras are said to be relatively good.

Nokia has also announced a collaboration with iFixit. New phones are designed to be easier to fix at home using iFixit guides and parts. We actually tried fixing a Nokia G22 on the show floor, showing the process and results.

Additionally, the company unveiled a few accessories, including the Nokia Clarity Earbuds 2 Pro and a dual port charger. Nokia also had a new logo to show off after almost 60 years.

nubia/ZTE

We didn’t hear much from nubia and ZTE and their MWC 2023 attendance until right before the show, but the company was very open about its plans. It gave us teasers of the Neovision Glass, nubia Pad 3D tablet, a 5G router, and more.

We now know more from both ZTE and nubia. Of course, the company announced the nubia Pad 3D, which features Lightfield tech and “tremendous AI computing power” to use 3D applications. It comes with a capable 12.4-inch display running a 2.5K resolution, as well as symmetrical speakers with Dolby surround sound.

The Neovision Glass has a 120-inch virtual screen and a micro OLED display. It’s said to offer a comfortable and portable design, while also staying stylish.

ZTE also unveiled its 5G FWA Gen 5 router, which supports Wi-Fi 7 and can reach peak speeds of a blazing 21Gbps.

OPPO/OnePlus

OPPO has already launched the Find N2 Flip, and our review has been published. It’s a great phone, but it was nothing new for the show. The company mainly focused on showing it off and promoting it during MWC 2023. It looks really nice, and also performs well. It is powered with high-gain antennas and dual-band support.

OnePlus didn’t want to stay behind. We’ve already reviewed the OnePlus 11 and it is out, so there was not much to see at MWC, but the company showcased the OnePlus 45W Liquid Cooler, a wireless charging accessory with liquid cooling. It can essentially cool your device while charging it, allowing you to perform resource-intensive tasks without issues.

There’s also a OnePlus 11 Concept device, which offers built-in Active Cryoflux liquid cooling. It will likely never make it to market, but it’s cool to see nonetheless.

When we thought OnePlus was done for the show, the company kept us on our toes with a confirmation of a foldable device coming during the year’s second half. Not much is revealed, but we know it will be a high-end device with a “signature OnePlus fast and smooth experience.”

realme

realme was talking about the GT Neo 5 for some time before MWC; a smartphone spec’d with stunning 240W charging. This made us believe there was a chance it would launch at MWC. That said, the phone is already out in China.

Regardless, realme was at MWC 2023, and had something to show. The realme GT 3 is pretty much a global version of the China-only GT Neo 5. It’s a $649 device with pretty good specs, but its main feature is its amazingly fast charging speeds. This device can charge at 240W! Check out our hands-on coverage of the realme GT 3 for more details.

TECNO

TECNO was at MWC 2023 and didn’t keep secrets about what it was going to launch. We saw a teaser, taken straight from the official website, telling us we would see the TECNO PHANTOM V Fold launch.

Of course, we had to check out the PHANTOM V FOLD, but the Spark 10 Pro is also there. We were also excited to see the TECNO Chameleon technology, which will allow future smartphones to change colors at the user’s will.

TECNO also took the time top to announce the MegaBook S1, a pretty powerful laptop with a great design (that we’ve already seen before).

Samsung

The Samsung Galaxy S23 series was already out, and we had plenty of content on those devices before MWC even started. That said, Samsung was present at MWC 2023. We just didn’t see anything we hadn’t covered already. Last year the Korean manufacturer launched the Galaxy Book 2 line. We were expecting to maybe see the third iteration at MWC 2023, but Samsung announced the Galaxy Book 3 series at its last Unpacked event.

The Korean manufacturer focused on other industry advancements for MWC 2023, including its involvement in 5G acceleration, virtual reality, FinTech solutions, and more. Of course, it also showed off all its latest devices at the booth.

Xiaomi

Xiaomi had already launched the Xiaomi 13 series, but these phones were still exclusive to China. The company announced global availability at MWC 2023, with prices for the Xiaomi 13 starting at €999, while the Xiaomi 13 Pro will start at €1,299. The European launch is set for March 9.

If you’re a Xiaomi user, you might also want to check out the company’s plans to upgrade eligible devices to MIUI 14. You can also learn more about the new prototype AR glasses here. Additionally, the company revealed the Xiaomi Watch S1 Pro and Xiaomi Buds 4 Pro.

One of the most interesting products we got to see actually has nothing to do with mobile tech. The Xiaomi Electric Scooter 4 Ultra is an electric scooter with dual suspension. This means it will smooth our bumpy rides.

Our best MWC content

MWC is one of the most exciting yearly events for us, as it focuses on mobile technology above everything else. There is some fantastic tech to look at, and we want to ensure you stay in the loop. This year was as exciting as ever, so take a look at our hands-on posts, videos, shorts, and more.

First things first. You should check out our Best of MWC 2023 awards. It has a complete list of our very favorite products and services we got to check out at the Mobile World Congress. We also summarized everything in a video. Check it out below.

MWC 2023: Top announcements we saw at Mobile World Congress