Event Overview
With over 101,000 attendees, 2,700 exhibitors, sponsors, and partners, representing 205 countries and territories, as well as a remarkable 26% increase in attendance from adjacent industries, this year’s Mobile World Congress surpassed expectations in scale and international participation.
Let’s delve into the highlights and key takeaways from MWC 2024, where the future of mobile technology unfolded in vibrant displays and compelling discussions.
AI
The main agenda for the event was, of course, AI in all its forms. From robotic assistants to large displays adorned with AI-generated images – artificial intelligence took center stage.
With one of the core themes being Humanising AI, MWC hosted speaker events covering the topics of generative AI, AI ethics, affordability of AI technologies, their effect on customer experience, security, and climate action.
Some of the key innovations came in the form of AI-powered smartphones (e.g. Samsung Electronics’ first on-device AI smartphone, the Galaxy S24), AI-assisted Open RAN (headlined by Fujitsu, Samsung, Rakuten Symphony, and Mavenir), and Mobile Edge Computing.
That said, artificial intelligence was far from the only point of focus.
Telecom & Connectivity
The overwhelming presence of Telecommunications shouldn’t be surprising, considering the event’s origins. But the number of Telecom companies and solutions was staggering regardless.
With businesses that specialise in connectivity hardware (5G, 4G, eSIM), system development, infrastructure solutions, BSS and OSS applications, and even VAS & mobile marketing services, Telecom was easily the biggest industry this year.
Going hand in hand with Telecom and Connectivity, IoT was also extremely popular. This covered a wide range of applications, from 5G Non-Terrestrial Networks (Skylo showcasing its capabilities as a commercial NTN provider) to sensors targeting logistics and supply chains.
Healthcare
Another interesting trend was the presence of Healthcare startups, namely at one of MWC’s signature stands, 4YFN. The latter aims to highlight innovative startups from across the globe and give the audience a peek into the world of tech 4 years from now (hence the name).
There, the prominence of Telemedicine, smart tracker applications, as well AR and AI-powered medical tech was hard to overlook. Boehringer Ingelheim (a German pharmaceutical company) presented their hub for the development of innovative software solutions in medicine and pharmaceutics.
In addition, MWC 2024 held a total of 19 presentations related to the main developments in the industry, highlighting potential solutions for prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of diseases.
Automotive
Automotive was a bit lacking this year, especially compared to the last, when Volkswagen Group and Cariad presented their app store collaboration. This time around, almost no major automakers were to be seen. Though, Tier-1 suppliers were still present (Harman, Aptive, 4Screen, and others).
As far as other vehicle types are concerned, Airbus still held a stand this year and Alef presented its flying car concept, which functions as a regular passenger car while being capable of vertical takeoff and forward flight.
The key trends for vehicle solutions overall can be boiled down to increased connectivity with 5G and eSIM implementation, wireless data carriers, and smart mobility in general.
Country Pavilions
As per tradition, MWC 2024 featured a vibrant array of regional pavilions, with impressive stands from France, Catalonia, Spain, separate state pavilions from the US, Lithuania, Canada, Germany, Bavaria, Austria, the UK, and many more countries offering insights into their innovation ecosystems.
South Korea’s expansive showcase was a sight to behold, while Japan’s blend of tradition and innovation captivated attendees with breakthroughs in robotics and AI. Colombia’s colourful pavilion was also rather memorable, reflecting the country’s rising emergence in the tech landscape.
It’s worth noting a greater number of visitors and companies from the Middle East compared to previous years. In particular, Saudi Arabia’s smart city collaboration with Tonomus (NEOM): the country is actively working on the development of a fully connected city, and Tonomus plays an important role in organising its infrastructure.
The Estonian National Stand
Bamboo Group was featured as part of the Estonian National Stand alongside Cybernetica AS, Fleet Complete Eesti OÜ, Top Connect OÜ, SK ID Solutions AS, Omnicomm OÜ, Boku Network Services OÜ, Admirals Group AS, B.EST Solutions Estonia OÜ, Mobi Lab OÜ, AdoptoMedia OÜ, Intertrust Technologies Estonia OÜ, and 1oT OÜ.
Most of the Estonian companies present this year were focused on solutions in the realm of Telecom, Finance, fleet management, and digital identity. Furthermore, it was the second year in a row to feature a separate e-residency stand, pointing to Estonia’s greater emphasis on business-friendly digital ID.
Bamboo Group at MWC 2024
IVO was the star of the show at Bamboo Group’s booth.
With AI being one of the core themes of MWC 2024, the in-vehicle onboarding app was more relevant than ever. The technology powers the solution’s voice assistant, which provides contextual explanations of the vehicle’s functionality and answers the driver’s questions regarding it.
The Bamboo Group team showcased a demo of the AI-powered app using an infotainment system emulator. Built on AAOS, the demo:
- allowed users to complete the main step-by-step car guide;
- simulated reactions to various signals and road situations, showcasing how it would work in tandem with ADAS features;
- demonstrated the work of the voice assistant, which could respond to questions such as “Hey IVO, how does parking assist work?”
The demo has attracted journalists from several major automotive publications. Deutsche Welle, German Public Radio Network ARD, Wards Intelligence, AI in Automotive Podcast, and Car Design Research have all held arranged interviews with the team.
Other than that, the team met up with numerous other exhibitors, including productive meetings with Harman Automotive and Airbus. They also had the pleasure of talking to Joynext, Workz, 1KAI, Aramco, among many others.
Conclusion
In conclusion, MWC 2024 proved to be a momentous event, surpassing expectations in scale and international participation. From the forefront of artificial intelligence to the vast landscape of telecommunications and connectivity solutions, the 2024 edition of Mobile World Congress was yet another memorable showcase of innovations shaping the current mobile landscape.
