The time has come to say goodbye to Barcelona as we wrap up our time here at Mobile World Congress (MWC). Although it’s hard to believe that the show is already over, MWC 2019 managed to deliver a slew of showstoppers that captured our attention. Here are some of my main takeaways from the event:
Foldable Phones Are the Future
MWC is an opportunity for telecommunications companies, chipmakers, and smartphone firms to show off their latest and greatest innovations, and they sure delivered this year. One particular device that had the show floor buzzing was the Huawei Mate X, a 5G-enabled smartphone that folds out to become an 8-inch tablet. Additionally, Samsung revealed its plans to hold a press event in early April for its foldable smartphone, the Galaxy Fold. Unlike Huawei’s Mate X, the Galaxy Fold bends so that it encloses like a book. Although neither of these devices are available at to the public yet, they’ve definitely made a bold statement when it comes to smartphone design.
Smart Home Technology Goes Mobile
Google is one company taking advantage of smartphone enhancements by putting its Google Assistant into the Android texting app. Assistant for Android Messages allows slices of Google search results to be laid out for users based on their text messages. For example, if one user texted another asking to grab some lunch, a bubble would pop up authorizing Assistant to share suggestions for nearby restaurant locations. While Assistant for Android currently only works for movies and restaurants, we can imagine how this technology could expand to other facets of consumer lives. This addition also demonstrates how AI is slowly but surely making its way onto almost every high-end phone through its apps and other tools.
Enhancing the Gaming Experience with 5G, VR, and AR
Not to be shown up, gaming developers also made a statement by using 5G technology to bring gamers into a more immersed gaming environment. Mobile game developer Niantic, creator of Pokémon Go and the upcoming Harry Potter: Wizards Uniteapp, is already working on games that will require a 5G upgrade. One such prototype the company showcased, codenamed Neon, allows multiple people in the same place to play an augmented reality (AR) game at the same time. Each players’ phone shows them the game’s graphics superimposed on the real world and allows the players to shoot each other, duck and dodge, and pick up virtual items, all in real-time.
Niantic wasn’t the only one looking to expand the gaming experience with the help of 5G. At the Intel and Nokia booths, Sony set up an Oculus Rift VR game inspired by Marvel and Sony’s upcoming film Spider-Man: Far From Home. Thanks to the low latency and real-time responsiveness of 5G, one player in the Nokia booth was able to race the other player in the Intel booth as if they were swinging through spiderwebs in Manhattan. Players were able to experience how the next-generation of wireless technology will allow them to participate in a highly immersive gaming experience.
Bringing 4G and 5G to the Automotive Industry
Gaming isn’t the only industry that’s getting a facelift from 5G. At the show, Qualcomm announced two new additions to their automotive platform: the Qualcomm Snapdragon Automotive 4G and 5G Platforms. One of the main features of these platforms is vehicle-to-everything communication, or C-V2X, which allows a car to communicate with other vehicles on the road, roadside infrastructure, and more. In addition, the platforms offer a high-precision, multi-frequency global navigation satellite system, which will help enable self-driving implementations. The platforms also include features like multi-gigabit cloud connectivity, high bandwidth low latency teleoperations support, and precise positioning for lane-level navigation accuracy. These advancements in connectivity will potentially help future vehicles to improve safety, communications, and overall in-car experience for consumers.
Securing Consumers On-the-Go
The advancements in mobile connectivity have already made a huge impact on consumer lifestyles, especially given the widespread adoption of IoT devices and smart gadgets. But the rise in popularity of these devices has also caught the interest of malicious actors looking to access users’ networks. According to our latest Mobile Threat Report, cybercriminals look to trusted devices to gain access to other devices on the user’s home network. For example, McAfee researchers recently discovered a vulnerability within a Mr. Coffee brand coffee maker that could allow a malicious actor to access the user’s home network. In addition, they also uncovered a new vulnerability within BoxLock smart padlocks that could enable cybercriminals to unlock the devices within a matter of seconds.
And while consumers must take necessary security steps to combat vulnerabilities such as these, we at McAfee are also doing our part of help users everywhere remain secure. For instance, we’ve recently extended our partnerships with both Samsung and Türk Telekom in order to overcome some of these cybersecurity challenges. Together, we’re working to secure consumers from cyberthreats on Samsung Galaxy S10 smartphones and provide McAfee Safe Family protection for Türk Telekom’s fixed and mobile broadband customers.
While the likes of 5G, bendable smartphones, and VR took this year’s tradeshow by storm, it’s important for consumers to keep the cybersecurity implications of these advancements in mind. As the sun sets on our time here in Barcelona, we will keep working to safeguard every aspect of the consumer lifestyle so they can embrace improvements in mobile connectivity with confidence.
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