MWC (Mobile World Congress) has come and gone yet again, and over the course of the four-day conference we’ve seen new mobile trends bubble up and a few older ones resurface. From waterproof phones to TV display tech designed for mobile, it’s clear that the mobile industry is looking ahead to how they can improve consumers’ interactions with their favorite handheld devices. And since I got to see all the innovation first hand, here are a few key takeaways from the event I’d like to share with you:
Getting Camera Ready
We all love photos, especially a good selfie. And manufacturers know this trend will continue to hold, so they’re making sure that consumers are going to get the photography quality they want. This goes for Android, Sony, LG– all are tailoring their devices to create a better photo-taking experience and enable consumers to share their lives with friends and family across social media. Just remember, be careful what you post, and what you include in that post, as cybercriminals have gotten creative in the past when it comes to capturing data from photos.
Step Aside Smartwatches, Smartphones are Getting the Love Again
It looks like the smartwatch craze has finally begun to wind down. Neither CES or MWC offered much in the category, which means attention has been turned back to good old smartphones and the improvements made by vendors. Throughout my time at MWC, it became clear that waterproof phones will soon become the standard, with the pinnacle being Apple’s iPhone 7. According to Digital Trends, a full 95% of all phones that cost more than $600 now have some form of water protection. Even cheaper devices are starting to jump on the water-resistance bandwagon. So, you may soon have a little more freedom and a little less worry in the back of your mind when you decide to bring your devices out and about with you.
People are Focusing on Security in the Home
We know that connected devices have become part of the way we live our lives, and that means an integral part of our homes too. That was the message we brought to the table at this year’s MWC. Throughout the conference, we demoed our new product, McAfee Secure Home Platform, which is designed to help protect your network in the connected home. With IoT on the rise, and more devices tapping into one home network, we collaborated with ARRIS and now Humax to provide increased security by embedding McAfee Secure Home Platform in their gateways.
All in all, MWC 2017 proved that innovation in the mobile space isn’t slowing down, and that goes for both mobile devices and the technology designed to protect them. It’s clear that both mobile and cybersecurity vendors are adapting to the needs of people like you and me, to make sure everyone is staying connected in a safe and smart way.
And, of course, stay on top of the latest consumer and mobile security threats by following me and @McAfee_Home on Twitter, and ‘Like’ us on Facebook.