MWC 2023: Rise of Chinese dominance, drop in smartphone oomph make Barcelona just another tech event

However, the MWC has started to feel a little different recently with big Chinese smartphone manufacturers increasing their presence in a bid to project themselves as truly global players. OnePlus, Xiaomi, Oppo, Honor and Realme are expected to either announce their flagship products or showcase concept devices this time too.

“In the vacuum left by the collapse of Huawei’s market share in the consumer space and now that Samsung has already announced its new flagship Galaxy S23, I’d expect many Chinese smartphone brands such as Oppo and Realme to communicate massively on their latest innovations,” said Thomas Husson, Vice President and Principal Analyst at research firm Forrester. For Husson, not only does Europe continue to be a lucrative market for Chinese handset players but it also adds international appeal to brands like OnePlus who are eyeing the US as their next big market.

While Mobile World Congress is still a major trade show, more phone companies now launch their biggest products through dedicated events. Apple doesn’t participate in MWC, while Samsung likes to hold its flagship lineup at its Unpacked events in multiple instalments. Surprisingly, even Oppo recently used its own event in London to launch the Find N2 Flip foldable smartphone, just days ahead of this year’s MWC which was earlier preferred because of the captive audience it offers.

Analysts say the collapse of Nokia, LG and Huawei on the global mobile phone market has impacted the value MWC used to hold in the past. “MWC is still the major congress for the industry, it is incredibly valuable for the people that work in mobile. However, it is losing relevance for consumer products,” admits Dario Betti, CEO of Mobile Ecosystem Forum. “Major brands are finding that announcing at MWC is risky, as many new phones are released at the time. And with a mature market and form factors, it becomes even harder to stand out.”

But this year’s Mobile World Congress comes at a time when smartphone sales have been historically low due to significantly dampened consumer demand, inflation and economic uncertainties. Smartphone shipments have dropped nearly 20 per cent year over year during the recent holiday period, with research firm IDC calling it the “largest-ever decline in a single quarter.”

Smartphones are no more innovative than they used to be and that’s been the case with every manufacturer. Newer phones are mere iterative updates, than genuinely exciting. This has also started to reflect in the way MWC is now being seen by regular attendees and insiders, with many saying that the annual mobile trade show lacks the buzz it once was known for.

“We’re expecting companies at the MWC to focus more on using existing technology to drive growth and profitability rather than rushing to implement the latest and greatest new ideas,” said CCS Insight Chief Analyst Ben Wood. He says this year’s MWC will have a more evolutionary tone rather than major ground-breaking announcements of disruptive new technology.

But if the recent trends continue, MWC appears to look more like “another” tech event than the platform that promised consumers with the first look at truly exciting smartphones and concept devices.

What to expect at MWC 2023

At MWC 2023, three of the biggest smartphone brands – Xiaomi, Realme and Honor – are expecting to launch phones that have already been launched in China. Xiaomi is bringing the Xiaomi 13 Series, which was released in China two months ago, to the Mobile World Congress.

Meanwhile, Realme GT3, which was recently launched in China as the GT Neo 5, will see an international release at MWC. Huawei spin-off brand Honor, too, is taking the same route by launching the Magic VS at MWC, a foldable phone it released in China last November. Other players such as Motorola, TCL and HMD Global’s Nokia have either scaled down their presence in recent years or showcased regular phones.

Still, for many brands, MWC remains the biggest week of the year in tech. For example, OnePlus will be showcasing its concept smartphone at MWC, and going by the teaser, it has light strips on the back. “Smartphones are less sexy if you are looking for innovation, the main elements will be more foldable phones, especially in mid-range devices,” said Betti, who expects foldable phones will make a slash at MWC.

The writer is in Barcelona attending the Mobile World Congress at the invitation of OnePlus India. He can be reached at anuj.bhatia@indianexpress.com.