Skip to content

TechRepublic

  • Top Products Lists
  • Developer
  • 5G
  • Security
  • Cloud
  • Artificial Intelligence
  • Tech & Work
  • Mobility
  • Big Data
  • Innovation
  • Cheat Sheets
  • TechRepublic Academy
  • CES
  • TechRepublic Premium
  • Top Products Lists
  • Developer
  • 5G
  • Security
  • Cloud
  • Artificial Intelligence
  • Tech & Work
  • Mobility
  • Big Data
  • Innovation
  • Cheat Sheets
  • TechRepublic Academy
  • CES
  • See All Topics
  • Sponsored
  • Newsletters
  • Forums
  • Resource Library
TechRepublic Premium
Join / Sign In
Hardware

The story of Mobile World Congress 2018, in 25 photos

By Jason Hiner February 28, 2018, 2:05 PM PST

Image
1
of 25

00-mwc18-gallery.jpg
00-mwc18-gallery.jpg
The story of Mobile World Congress 2018, in 25 photos

Barcelona hosted Mobile World Congress 2018

Barcelona hosted Mobile World Congress 2018

From smartphones as powerful as computers to mobile networks faster than Google Fiber, big ambitions characterized this year’s Mobile World Congress in Barcelona.

SEE: Cybersecurity in an IoT and mobile world (ZDNet special report) | Download the report as a PDF (TechRepublic)

Jason Hiner giving a tour of MWC 2018
Jason Hiner giving a tour of MWC 2018
The story of Mobile World Congress 2018, in 25 photos

Jason Hiner giving a tour of MWC 2018

Image: CBS Interactive

Jason Hiner giving a tour of MWC 2018

I gave tours of Mobile World Congress 2018, highlighting the best devices and the biggest trends. Now, here’s my photo tour for those who weren’t in Barcelona.

Image: CBS Interactive
Hall 3 was the center of MWC
Hall 3 was the center of MWC
The story of Mobile World Congress 2018, in 25 photos

Hall 3 was the center of the show

Image: Jason Hiner/TechRepublic

Hall 3 was the center of the show

Mobile World Congress 2018 took up all eight halls of the Fira Barcelona conference center, but the heart of it all was Hall 3 where all of the big tech vendors set up shop in booths nearly as large as the biggest ones at CES.

Image: Jason Hiner/TechRepublic
Galaxy S9 stole the show
Galaxy S9 stole the show
The story of Mobile World Congress 2018, in 25 photos

Galaxy S9 stole the show

Image: Jason Hiner/TechRepublic

Galaxy S9 stole the show

The night before Mobile World Congress 2018 opened, Samsung held a huge launch event for the Galaxy S9 in Barcelona. Predictably, that made the S9 the biggest buzz of the show.

Image: Jason Hiner/TechRepublic
Samsung rep demos S9 at MWC 2018
Samsung rep demos S9 at MWC 2018
The story of Mobile World Congress 2018, in 25 photos

Samsung rep demos S9 at MWC 2018

Image: Jason Hiner/TechRepublic

Samsung rep demos S9 at MWC 2018

Samsung reps had their hand full the first couple days of the show as attendees flooded the booth to the see the new Galaxy S9 and S9 Plus.

Image: Jason Hiner/TechRepublic
T-Mobile unveiled its 5G plans
T-Mobile unveiled its 5G plans
The story of Mobile World Congress 2018, in 25 photos

T-Mobile unveiled its 5G plans

Image: Jason Hiner/TechRepublic

T-Mobile unveiled its 5G plans

The biggest story of MWC 2018, by far, was 5G. T-Mobile promoted 5G in its typical flashy pink way. The carrier announced at the show that it would bring 5G to New York City, Los Angeles, Las Vegas, and Dallas, but it will wait until 2019 when the first 5G devices are ready.

Image: Jason Hiner/TechRepublic
Huawei showed off its 5G breakthrough
Huawei showed off its 5G breakthrough
The story of Mobile World Congress 2018, in 25 photos

Huawei showed off its 5G breakthrough

Image: Jason Hiner/TechRepublic

Huawei showed off its 5G breakthrough

Huawei touted its big 5G test last year, which included 2GB downloads–twice the speed of Google Fiber.

Image: Jason Hiner/TechRepublic
Ericsson announced indoor 5G cell
Ericsson announced indoor 5G cell
The story of Mobile World Congress 2018, in 25 photos

Ericsson announced indoor 5G cell

Image: Jason Hiner/TechRepublic

Ericsson announced indoor 5G cell

Ericsson made the biggest 5G equipment announcement of the show with its 5G Radio Dot, which can be used for 5G signals inside buildings.

SEE: Ericsson CEO says ‘5G is open for business’ at MWC 2018

Image: Jason Hiner/TechRepublic
Ericsson 5G Radio Dot
Ericsson 5G Radio Dot
The story of Mobile World Congress 2018, in 25 photos

Ericsson 5G Radio Dot

Image: Jason Hiner/TechRepublic

Ericsson 5G Radio Dot

Image: Jason Hiner/TechRepublic
KT bragged about its 5G at the Olympics
KT bragged about its 5G at the Olympics
The story of Mobile World Congress 2018, in 25 photos

KT bragged about its 5G at the Olympics

Image: Jason Hiner/TechRepublic

KT bragged about its 5G at the Olympics

KT showed off its success in bringing real-world 5G connections to life in Pyeongchang during the 2018 Winter Olympics.

Image: Jason Hiner/TechRepublic
5G deployment practices were a hot topic
5G deployment practices were a hot topic
The story of Mobile World Congress 2018, in 25 photos

5G deployment practices were a hot topic

Image: Jason Hiner/TechRepublic

5G deployment practices were a hot topic

There was lots of talk among the telecom vendors about how to bring 5G to life in the best ways–a good sign that 2018 is likely to see a race among the carriers.

SEE: Why 5G is coming to the US faster than expected

Image: Jason Hiner/TechRepublic
Cars are now the world's biggest mobile devices
Cars are now the world's biggest mobile devices
The story of Mobile World Congress 2018, in 25 photos

Cars are now the world's biggest mobile devices

Image: Jason Hiner/TechRepublic

Cars are now the world's biggest mobile devices

The next-generation Smartcar was one of the many automobiles being touted at MWC for their 5G, IoT, and AI features of the future.

Image: Jason Hiner/TechRepublic
Robots were another hot topic at MWC 2018
Robots were another hot topic at MWC 2018
The story of Mobile World Congress 2018, in 25 photos

Robots were another hot topic at MWC 2018

Image: Jason Hiner/TechRepublic

Robots were another hot topic at MWC 2018

Robots of all shapes and sizes were seen across Mobile World Congress 2018, but this one at NTT Docomo was among the more stylish.

Image: Jason Hiner/TechRepublic
All kids of robots were at MWC 2018
All kids of robots were at MWC 2018
The story of Mobile World Congress 2018, in 25 photos

All kinds of robots were at MWC 2018

Image: Jason Hiner/TechRepublic

All kinds of robots were at MWC 2018

Many of the robots at MWC weren’t humanoid at all, and there was talk that 5G could lower the cost of robots by handling more processing in the cloud so that not as much computing power will need to be built into the robots themselves.

SEE: How 5G will drive down the cost of robots

Image: Jason Hiner/TechRepublic
Drones were also everywhere at MWC 2018
Drones were also everywhere at MWC 2018
The story of Mobile World Congress 2018, in 25 photos

Drones were also everywhere at MWC 2018

Image: Jason Hiner/TechRepublic

Drones were also everywhere at MWC 2018

While there were lots of drones at MWC, this one that can carry a human passenger was the one a lot of people wanted to take a selfie with.

Image: Jason Hiner/TechRepublic
A laptop was a big hit, too
A laptop was a big hit, too
The story of Mobile World Congress 2018, in 25 photos

This laptop was a big hit, too

Image: Jason Hiner/TechRepublic

This laptop was a big hit, too

With its smartphone-like fingerprint scanner, razer thin bezel, and webcam that pops out of the keyboard, the Huawei MateBook X Pro looks like a worthy MacBook competitor.

Image: Jason Hiner/TechRepublic
The Huawei MateBook X Pro drew a crowd
The Huawei MateBook X Pro drew a crowd
The story of Mobile World Congress 2018, in 25 photos

The Huawei MateBook X Pro drew a crowd

Image: Jason Hiner/TechRepublic

The Huawei MateBook X Pro drew a crowd

Image: Jason Hiner/TechRepublic
The curiosity of MWC 2018 was Nokia's Banana Phone
The curiosity of MWC 2018 was Nokia's Banana Phone
The story of Mobile World Congress 2018, in 25 photos

The curiosity of MWC 2018 was Nokia's Banana Phone

Image: Jason Hiner/TechRepublic

The curiosity of MWC 2018 was Nokia's Banana Phone

Nokia’s 8110 4G will cost 79 euros, has up to 30 days battery life, is a slight step up from a feature phone, and works as a 4G hotspot.

SEE: Nokia’s retro phone obsession isn’t completely bananas (CNET)

Image: Jason Hiner/TechRepublic
The Nokia 8110 4G had its admirers
The Nokia 8110 4G had its admirers
The story of Mobile World Congress 2018, in 25 photos

The Nokia 8110 4G had its admirers

Image: Jason Hiner/TechRepublic

The Nokia 8110 4G had its admirers

Image: Jason Hiner/TechRepublic
Apple was at MWC 2018, in the SAP booth
Apple was at MWC 2018, in the SAP booth
The story of Mobile World Congress 2018, in 25 photos

Apple was at MWC 2018, in the SAP booth

Image: Jason Hiner/TechRepublic

Apple was at MWC 2018, in the SAP booth

One of the common questions at MWC was where’s Apple? The world’s largest tech company wasn’t there, of course, but it did have a prominent showing in the SAP booth.

Image: Jason Hiner/TechRepublic
Google Assistant walked the show floor
Google Assistant walked the show floor
The story of Mobile World Congress 2018, in 25 photos

Google Assistant walked the show floor

Image: Jason Hiner/TechRepublic

Google Assistant walked the show floor

I met the Google Assistant walking around the show floor. He may have been an Android though.

Image: Jason Hiner/TechRepublic
VR is still not meant to be done in public
VR is still not meant to be done in public
The story of Mobile World Congress 2018, in 25 photos

VR is still not meant to be done in public

Image: Jason Hiner/TechRepublic

VR is still not meant to be done in public

Putting VR headsets on grown-ups in groups at tech conferences is a very entertaining thing to watch, and not always in a good way.

Image: Jason Hiner/TechRepublic
The story of Mobile World Congress 2018, in 25 photos

Clear glass touchscreens arrived at MWC 2018

Image: Jason Hiner/TechRepublic

Clear glass touchscreens arrived at MWC 2018

Clear glass touchscreens made their appearance at several MWC booths, and this one in the T-Mobile booth was one of the largest and most impressive.

Image: Jason Hiner/TechRepublic
The story of Mobile World Congress 2018, in 25 photos

Even the robots were tired at the end of MWC 2018

Image: Jason Hiner/TechRepublic

Even the robots were tired at the end of MWC 2018

Image: Jason Hiner/TechRepublic
The story of Mobile World Congress 2018, in 25 photos

CBSi Tech has MWC 2018 covered

Image: Jason Hiner/TechRepublic

CBSi Tech has MWC 2018 covered

CBSi Tech (TechRepublic, ZDNet, and CNET) not only offered tours at MWC 2018, but we also covered it from every angle. So check out all three sites for lots of information on what we’re learned about the future of mobility, IoT, robotics, drones, 5G, AI, digital transformation, and more.

Also see

  • The Samsung Galaxy S9’s best hidden feature: The battery (TechRepublic)
  • 5G adoption: The first 3 industries that will be at the forefront (TechRepublic)
  • Tests show Samsung Galaxy S9 is stronger than S8, but still breaks on first drop (TechRepublic)
  • Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus: This is how much your new smartphone costs to build (ZDNet)
  • The 10 best smartphones of 2018 (shame about Huawei) (ZDNet)
  • Mobile device computing policy (Tech Pro Research)
Image: Jason Hiner/TechRepublic
  • Hardware
  • Mobility
  • Networking
  • Account Information

    Share with Your Friends

    The story of Mobile World Congress 2018, in 25 photos

    Your email has been sent

Share: The story of Mobile World Congress 2018, in 25 photos
Image of Jason Hiner
By Jason Hiner
Jason Hiner is Editorial Director of CNET and former Editor in Chief of TechRepublic. He's co-author of the book, Follow the Geeks.
  • Account Information

    Contact Jason Hiner

    Your message has been sent

  • |
  • See all of Jason's content

TechRepublic Premium

  • TechRepublic Premium

    Hiring kit: Automation specialist

    PURPOSE Recruiting an automation specialist with the right combination of technical expertise and experience will require a comprehensive screening process. This Hiring Kit from TechRepublic Premium provides a flexible framework your business can use to find, recruit and ultimately hire the right person for the job. From the hiring kit: DETERMINING FACTORS, DESIRABLE PERSONALITY TRAITS ...

    Published:  March 27, 2023, 12:00 PM EDT Modified:  March 28, 2023, 12:48 PM EDT Read More See more TechRepublic Premium
  • TechRepublic Premium

    Hiring kit: Cybersecurity engineer

    PURPOSE Recruiting a cybersecurity engineer with the right combination of technical and industry experience will require a comprehensive screening process. This hiring kit from TechRepublic Premium provides a flexible framework your business can use to find, recruit and ultimately hire the right person for the job. From the hiring kit: DETERMINING FACTORS, DESIRABLE PERSONALITY TRAITS ...

    Published:  March 27, 2023, 12:00 PM EDT Modified:  March 28, 2023, 12:18 PM EDT Read More See more TechRepublic Premium
  • TechRepublic Premium

    Hiring kit: Business information analyst

    PURPOSE A large segment of internal and external modern business now takes place on computers, tablets and other mobile devices. The information technology infrastructure that has sprung up around that business can be daunting in its scope. This Hiring Kit from TechRepublic Premium provides an adjustable framework your business can use to find, recruit and ...

    Published:  March 26, 2023, 12:00 PM EDT Modified:  March 28, 2023, 12:51 PM EDT Read More See more TechRepublic Premium
  • TechRepublic Premium

    Grant writing guide

    PURPOSE This grant writing guide from TechRepublic Premium will help you identify a grant that fits your idea, build a team to help you compile a proposal, and set a timeline to meet the application deadline. From the guide: BEFORE YOU START This list of steps will help the grant writing process go more smoothly. ...

    Published:  March 26, 2023, 12:00 PM EDT Modified:  March 27, 2023, 6:00 PM EDT Read More See more TechRepublic Premium

Services

  • About Us
  • Newsletters
  • RSS Feeds
  • Site Map
  • Site Help & Feedback
  • FAQ
  • Advertise
  • Do Not Sell My Information

Explore

  • Downloads
  • TechRepublic Forums
  • Meet the Team
  • TechRepublic Academy
  • TechRepublic Premium
  • Resource Library
  • Photos
  • Videos
  • TechRepublic
  • TechRepublic on Twitter
  • TechRepublic on Facebook
  • TechRepublic on LinkedIn
  • TechRepublic on Flipboard
© 2023 TechnologyAdvice. All rights reserved.
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use
  • Property of TechnologyAdvice