MWC2016 Held: Slogan is "Mobile is Everything"

The Mobile World Congress (MWC), the world's largest exhibition in the mobile field, was held in Barcelona, Spain, from February 22 to 25. This year's event, the largest ever, featured approximately 2,200 exhibitors in nine indoor exhibition halls and 12 outdoor venues. Attendance exceeded 100,000 people from 204 countries and regions around the world.

The conference, which formed the core of the event, featured a total of 374 speakers, including leaders from a wide range of fields such as Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg, BuzzFeed CEO Jonah Peretti, Ford CEO Mark Fields, and WPP CEO Martin Sorrell. In addition, the annual Global Mobile Awards recognized more than 40 game-changing services and technologies.

According to Ad Age, many advertising professionals and major advertisers participated. The Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) and the digital marketing conference dmexco each held day-long panel discussions, and lively debates on hot topics in the advertising industry, such as ad blocking and the potential of mobile advertising, took place throughout the event. In the ad tech sector, numerous companies, including SSPs (Supply-Side Platforms) like PubMatic and xAd, as well as AOL and Google, showcased cutting-edge technologies. Pete Blackshaw, Nestlé's Global Head of Digital and Social, stated, "We saw the potential for dramatic improvement in post-click engagement."

While the technologies showcased at the exhibition lacked novelty, many were focused on practical implementation. For visiting companies, it served as an opportunity to identify technologies that could be incorporated into their businesses immediately. In the now familiar IoT space, exhibits included "smart vending machines" using facial recognition for ad targeting and collaborations blending fashion with electronic payments, such as embedding payment chips in clothing. In the automotive sector, U.S. companies like Ford highlighted the convergence of mobility and connectivity alongside autonomous driving technologies.

For mobile devices, arguably the main attraction at MWC, companies like Samsung, LG, Huawei, and Sony each unveiled the latest models of their flagship brands. LG announced a "modular" device where parts can be attached or detached to expand features like cameras or audio capabilities. This focus on peripherals was notable, reflecting the growing saturation of the smartphone market.

And the biggest focus this year was undoubtedly VR (Virtual Reality). Devices like Samsung's Gear VR, which allows anyone to easily create VR content, Sony's PlayStation VR, and HTC's Vive suggested new ways for businesses and consumers to connect. Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg, who predicted in his keynote that "after video, VR will become the next social platform," appeared at Samsung's event wearing an HMD (head-mounted display) alongside the audience, highlighting the partnership between Samsung and Facebook in the VR space. There was also a moment where Facebook and the live video streaming app "Periscope" each asserted their respective advantages.

While not a novel technology, Near Field Communication (NFC) generated significant buzz. Black Show expressed optimism, stating, "It's evolving remarkably. A world where information appears just by touching a product is finally becoming a reality. This represents a major opportunity for companies."

Kentaro Yoshida of Dentsu Inc. Marketing Solutions Division, who has been observing the event since 2011, commented on this year's MWC: "I felt the biggest shift yet. We've entered an era demanding evolution from communications for handsets like smartphones to communications for IoT, involving every industry, including advertising. This isn't just about faster speeds from 4G or LTE. It was particularly striking to see European telecom operators, who had previously been hesitant to invest in new standards, now actively pursuing next-generation initiatives, viewing 5G as a growth area generating new revenue. Overall, it became clear that companies involved in communications and cloud services have begun working towards optimizing the IoT environment. It's no exaggeration to say the energy level was higher than ever before."

Source: Ad Age

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