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in Mobile World CongressEach booth promises the future. If you believe everything on offer, we’ll all lead Wild supercar concepts And watch Humanoid robots doing backflips. At an event full of exciting gadgets and cool concepts, it’s easy to forget that most of what shines on the show floor isn’t worth your time — and won’t stick around in your wallet.
As the show calms down, CNET’s field editorial team puts their heads together to identify the products that really matter. It’s not easy to separate real innovation from expensive daydreams.
All of the products listed below deserve a spotlight, either by offering something unique or by pushing the boundaries of what we expect from a device. Let’s dive in, but first, a few honorable mentions that we felt were worthy of your attention.
Honorable mentions
MWC introduced some serious tech concepts this year, and while these gadgets won’t hit shelves tomorrow, they represent an exciting glimpse into a future we can’t wait to touch.
First up is Xiaomi Vision GT supercar. Designed to be a driveable vehicle for the racing game Gran Turismo, Xiaomi has already built a model for its stage. Needless to say, they look wild.
We loved it too Tecno modular phone conceptwith one unit adding a large image sensor and a huge zoom lens, essentially turning it into a full camera.
Finally, Lenovo Legion Go concept. This portable gaming device features a Nintendo Switch-style set of handles and, surprisingly, has a massive 11.6-inch screen in the middle. So, sure, you can game while holding the massive screen for a fully immersive playtime, or you can fold the screen back on itself and game at a more reasonable 7.7-inch screen size. It’s fun and quirky and I’d be shocked if it went on sale.
Each iMoochi has OLED displays for its eyes that can blink, wink and be expressive. But when charging it, the eye displays a battery charging icon.
ZTE Imochi
It may be strange to start with a nice ball AI-powered fluffbut this robotic pet companion stole our hearts.
“I was greeted by a display of cuddly, big-eyed little furry creatures called iMoochi,” explains CNET’s Patrick Holland. “But this isn’t your typical Lapopo (or cheat). It’s an intelligent, AI-powered pet that responds to people with movements, sounds, and expressions.”
These types of intelligent pets are increasingly being used for health and therapy purposes, as well as being a friendly and cuddly companion in the home. iMoochi can listen to you while you talk to it, using AI to “understand” what you mean, although it won’t talk back to you. However, their expressions and movements are similar to what happens when you talk to your cat. I mean, your pet definitely knows what you mean and loves you just as much, right?
Perhaps best of all are the various outfits ZTE has produced for the creatures, including mini dresses and bodysuits. The wardrobe is absolutely gorgeous. Sadly for us, iMoochi will only be available in Japan.
Look at that delightful little camera sticking out of the phone. It’s wonderful in a way.
Honor robot phone
Honor automatic phone It essentially combines two existing devices: an Android phone and a DJI Osmo Pocket 3. In doing so, it becomes greater than the sum of its parts.
Packing a powerful gimbal-mounted camera unit into the phone’s space offers mobile creators a way to shoot professional video on the go without carrying heavy bags of gear.
Partnering with cinema company Arri on the camera, Honor says the Robot Phone will “bring a truly cinematic aesthetic to smartphone photography”. As a content creator on YouTubeI’m excited to see how this can help me produce better content more efficiently. I’ll definitely be using it for real when it goes into production later this year.
Watch this: Honor’s robot phone is the first of its kind, integrating robotics into a smartphone
Foldable phones always result in excited faces.
Motorola Razr Fold
Motorola didn’t launch its new book-shaped foldable phone at MWC, but it used the show as an opportunity to give the press an early look before it launches in North America this summer.
Abrar Al-Hiti from CNET raved about the experience, commenting, “The Razr Fold strikes me as being the Goldilocks of foldable devices; it’s just a little thicker than foldables.” Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 and Honor Magic V6but thinner than Google Pixel 10 Pro Fold“.
We’re all eager to see what the Razr Fold’s final form will look like, but what we’ve seen so far looks promising. With specifications that include a large 6,000mAh battery, a 6.8-inch external display and an 8.1-inch internal display, it will almost certainly be up there with some of the best foldable phones out there when it goes on sale.
Leitzphone is a thing of photographic beauty.
Leica Litzphone from Xiaomi
If you have Read my reviewsYou could probably guess my personal choice from the show. It adds up to being the best camera phone I’ve ever used.
Leica and Leitzphone from Xiaomi It really impressed me, especially the quality of its rear cameras. I have taken Thousands of photos with her During my testing so far. It’s incredible how close I came to hitting the types of shots I expected from me $8,000 point and shoot Leica Q3 43.
This phone has some amazing photography technology, including a large LOFIC image sensor that enables better dynamic range in a single image. There are amazing Leica color profiles you can use when taking photos. There’s also a physical wheel around the cameras that you can turn to control settings like zoom, exposure, or even manual focus.
At £1,700 (about $2,300), this gem isn’t cheap at all. But it pushes the limits of what a phone’s camera can do in ways no other phone has.
The Honor Magic V6 looks great in this red vegan leather version.
Honor Magic V6
What immediately caught my attention about Magic V6 It was unbelievable how thin he was. With a circumference of just 8.75mm when closed, it’s roughly the profile of the iPhone 17 Pro Max. Its size becomes only 4.1 mm when you open it and reveal its enormous internal screen. It’s a masterclass in engineering, proving how quickly you can eliminate the bulk of foldable devices to finally achieve a pocket-friendly look.
Aside from the slim ergonomics, the aesthetics are equally stunning. The dark red vegan leather finish is as excellent to the touch as it is to the eye. Under the hood, it’s a proven powerhouse, powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Elite processor to deliver industry-leading performance. Combined with a massive 6,000 mAh silicon-carbon battery, Honor positions this as a marathon runner in a category typically known for endurance compromises.
It is a rare combination of cutting-edge technology and ultra-thin construction.
Patrick Holland loves buttons,
He clicks on the communicator
the He clicks on the communicator It was first shown off at CES earlier this year, but the company boasted a fully working version at MWC this year. If this reminds you of an old BlackBerry phone, it’s no coincidence – the Communicator was designed by a former BlackBerry designer.
“It’s not about trying to be nostalgic, but instead reimagining what a BlackBerry or Palm Pre could be if it were made today,” explains CNET’s Patrick Holland. He describes it as “an easy-to-use Android smartphone that has all the popular features that companies have removed over the past decade.”
Use your Echo and imagine a compact design, a physical keyboard with many buttons, a notification alert light, a headphone jack, a physical SIM card tray, and microSD card support.
I’ve loved BlackBerry phones for years now: the Priv was a surprising favorite of mine, though the Passport was weird and hard to like. While many of today’s smartphones aim to cram in as much ultra-modern technology as possible, it’s refreshing to see a company bold enough to take a more retro approach.
Watch this: Xiaomi’s wildest MWC yet: from the Leica Leitzphone to its new Hypercar concept!