Two years ago, MWC was still looking inwards within the telecom world. This has changed, and the event has now lifted its head out of the sand, with more innovators and more disruption visible at the show than ever before.
Here’s a few of the key things we noticed.
Android mania
Android is everywhere. It's a phenomenal success from a pure numbers perspective, but the Android ecosystem is fragmenting fast, and the dynamics around the OS may make it hard to differentiate sustainably.
The mega telecom shake up
As mobile has converged with practically all other industries, innovation and disruption has become rife in the telecom field. Startups and digital innovators from the US are changing the telecom map forever. The traditional telecom players are also changing shape quickly: in short, the industry has never moved this fast before, and it's a life-and-death fight even for the biggest players.
The changing landscape
The physical map of the event has changed a lot. It's more disorienting than in the past, and is a reflection of the fast-changing landscape in the industry. The operators are searching for their soul and have less visibility at the show than in previous years.
The rush for mobile web and HTML5
Facebook's announcement about doubling down on mobile web was significant, and got a lot of people talking. Mozilla's HTML5 phone platform is very interesting, and Telefonica is using HTML5 to push the smartphone price point far below where it's been in the past.
We’re finally living in the post-PC world
The fact that Microsoft's Windows 8 was unveiled at MWC is a significant symbolic sign of how the digital world has changed. It may be only a matter of time before Apple fuses iOS with OSX, and Microsoft will have to try to get a first-mover advantage in the fast emerging post-PC world.
Samsung bets on the pen?
In past years Samsung used to differentiate with big thin screens, but everyone seems to have them now, so Samsung needed a new peg to hang their differentiation on. Betting on the pen is bold and counter to trends, but unfortunately our verdict is that it feels more like a gimmick or marketing tactic than a really promising new development. The pen-based devices feel a little too much like compromises.
Nokia is back
Nobody would have predicted that the best device of the show would be a Symbian device. The combination of PureView technology and the 41M pixel imaging puts Nokia well ahead of the pack in the imaging category. The four Windows Phone models and the growing
S40-based Asha range give them a broad set of competitive products, and their content story (music and books) is also getting more solid. But Nokia have a long road ahead to defend volumes at the low-end, and to build meaningful volumes at the high-end.
And the rest…
In past years there's been a clear focus on smartphones for the well-heeled young and middle aged, but this race has now become broader and various companies are trying to address the needs of more diverse segments.
Rumours that Facebook is building a mobile ad platform could be a turning point for the industry, as it shows their commitment to the mobile web rather than apps. Facebook did announce that it is partnering with mobile operators across the globe to introduce streamlined billing practices, enabling users to charge mobile transactions to their monthly wireless bill.
It was significant that Duracell had a huge booth in Hall 8 promoting wireless charging. The fact that they are pushing their new Powermat product directly demonstrates the impact of mobile devices on our lives, and how they have become an integral extension of how we communicate and conduct our daily lives.
Cross-platform fluidity is a real need, and experiences that connect devices in proximity were very visible. Lots of solutions were in evidence for connecting technology with cars, while connected screens in the home also featured heavily.
The shift is from technology to experience
The name: 'Mobile World Congress' signals very clearly that this show is all about mobile, and that it's the premier show in the world. However, technology differentiation does not really feel sustainable or meaningful anymore, the shift is from technology to experience. Mainstream companies are therefore adopting consumer focused differentiation strategies as well as mobile first strategies.
We are starting to live in a post-PC world, MWC is now an obvious 'must do' event for an increasing number of organisations.
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