The Mobile World Congress (MWC) is the most important annual event in the mobile technology and connectivity sector. Held in Barcelona, this congress brings together industry leaders, innovators, and enthusiasts to present and discuss the latest technological trends and advancements. In its 2025 edition, which took place from March 3 to 6 at the Fira Gran Via, MWC reached a record attendance with 109,000 participants from 205 countries, matching prepandemic figures of 2019. Additionally, there were 2,900 exhibiting companies and the announcement of the exhibition center expansion for 2027, which will allow for more exhibitors and attendees in future editions.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) was the central theme of this edition, permeating the new devices presented, connectivity solutions, business applications, and disruptive gadgets. There was everything from humanoid robots to remote driving and strategic alliances. Here is a summary of the best of MWC 2025.
The Pixel 9 Pro, which received the award for “Smartphone of the Year” at the MWC 2025, stood out not only for its refined design but also for the full integration of Google’s AI Gemini. This model incorporates substantial improvements in computational photography, capable of performing intelligent real-time editing, removing unwanted objects, or adjusting lighting and colors with a single touch. Moreover, its next-generation Tensor processor optimizes battery consumption and powers advanced AI features directly from the device, without the need for a cloud connection.
AI Gemini, in turn, received the “Revolutionary Innovation in Devices” award. As we explained in other articles, Gemini is an integrated artificial intelligence suite that offers personalized proactive assistants that learn directly from the user’s routines. This translates into hyper-personalized recommendations, real-time translation during calls, or even predictive alerts based on usage patterns.
Although slightly overshadowed by AI, the launches of smartphones and mobile gadgets continued to be a highlight at MWC 2025. Various manufacturers took advantage of the fair to unveil their flagship products and novelties. The Chinese company Xiaomi presented its new Xiaomi 15 family, the next generation of flagship phones.
Emerging brands also shone: realme showcased its Realme 14 Pro series, while Carl Pei’s startup, Nothing, finally announced their much-anticipated Phone (3a) and Phone (3a) Pro, aiming to conquer the premium mid-range segment. Even traditional manufacturers like TCL launched half a dozen smartphones, and ZTE surprised with a high-performance gaming mobile along with a “flip” foldable smartphone that competes with the trend of flexible screens. The presence of so many models underscores that, although the disruptive “magic” is less than in past years, the mobile market continues to evolve with better cameras, more advanced screens, and innovative designs.
Within this segment, Xiaomi stood out with its revolutionary Modular Optical System, developed in collaboration with Leica. This technology allows a smartphone to be transformed into a professional camera, adding a detachable 35mm f/1.4 lens, connectable via Xiaomi LaserLink Communication. This system uses a laser-guided magnetic link, ensuring stability and optical precision.
The compatible device is the Xiaomi 15 Ultra Modular Edition, a smartphone with a one-inch sensor optimized to take full advantage of this optical module. With this innovation, Xiaomi blurs the line between mobile devices and high-end cameras, attracting content creators and professional photographers.
Samsung also drew attention with the new Galaxy S25 Edge, a smartphone incorporating advanced AI functions such as live translation, AI-powered automatic photo editing, and a predictive assistant, which recommends apps, settings, or reminders according to the context.
The Galaxy S25 Edge also includes the AI Boost Engine, a system that analyzes daily use to optimize performance and battery life. Samsung has confirmed that this AI, already present in more than 200 million Galaxy devices, is part of an ecosystem that will evolve to integrate home automation, health, and intelligent mobility.
Another standout smartphone of this edition was the HMD Fusion X1, developed by HMD Global and Xplora, which focuses on the digital well-being of young people. It includes advanced parental controls that allow for limiting the use of social networks and browsers, blocking specific apps outside permitted hours.
Design is another strong point: inspired by the image and colors of F.C. Barcelona, the device aims to attract teenagers, but with a positive focus on responsible technology use. Additionally, the Fusion X1 includes a function called Wellness Score, which measures the balance between screen time and healthy activities such as exercise or rest.
In addition to phones, the ecosystem of mobile devices showcased a wide variety. Huawei, for instance, displayed its new FreeBuds FreeArc earphones, the brand’s first with an open-ear design and over-ear hooks, aimed at combining comfort with high-quality audio. The same company also presented its triple-folding phone Mate X3 (Mate XT). Even ingenious solutions for specific niches emerged, such as the telephone assistant for seniors from the Spanish company SPC, which helps remind them to take their medicines.
In the realm of laptops (which also had their place at the conference), Lenovo showcased a battalion of innovative laptops, notably the ThinkBook Flip, a laptop with a 360º flexible screen, and the Yoga Solar PC, which incorporates solar panels to power its battery, demonstrating the growing focus on sustainability.
Meanwhile, Samsung presented a foldable console with a flexible AMOLED screen, capable of converting into a mini laptop with an external keyboard.
Among the most striking gadgets was also the Newnal AI Phone, which creates a dynamic digital profile of the user to drive an ultra-personalized AI assistant.
Robotics had a prominent space at MWC 2025, with the Unitree G1 taking center stage. This humanoid robot, designed for customer service and logistics tasks, demonstrated its ability to perform precise movements, interact verbally with fluency, and even recognize basic emotions in human facial expressions.
Another impactful demonstration was remote driving, where a vehicle in Finland was operated from Barcelona using an advanced 5G network. This technology could be applied in risk situations, such as transportation in disaster areas, or to optimize logistics fleets in real-time.
In the corporate realm, Telefónica closed key agreements with companies such as Google, Amazon, TikTok and Cabify to develop solutions based on the Open Gateway framework. This platform allows developers direct access to network functions (such as location, identity verification, or quality of service) through open APIs.
For example, Cabify will be able to improve real-time geolocation, while TikTok will be able to dynamically adjust video quality according to network stability. These alliances, which already add up to more than 50 global agreements, consolidate Telefónica’s strategy to become a technology facilitator, not just a network operator.
One of the big surprises of MWC was the presentation of Threema, a Swiss messaging service positioning itself as a secure alternative to WhatsApp in corporate environments. Its proposal removes the use of phone numbers and stores all data exclusively on users’ devices, avoiding any form of tracking.
Additionally, Threema Work was presented as a business solution with encrypted chats, secure file transfer, and a strong focus on compliance and GDPR, which has caught the attention of sensitive sectors such as finance and healthcare.
That concludes our summary. Have you followed the event? Do you think any presentation is missing? Leave us a comment 👇
Photo: MWC Website
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