As we do every year, barring an epidemic, the AG4Tech team converged on Barcelona with thousands of others from the global tech community for the 2023 Mobile World Congress trade show. Here are the ten that stuck out to us as MWC 2023 Best in Show Award recipients.
MWC is known for introducing a slew of new cellphones, but there’s plenty more to see from the world’s leading technology firms, ranging from computers to wearables, iPads to satellites (see the Motorola Defy, below).
Despite the fact that Samsung released its Galaxy S23 series ahead of the show this year, there have been plenty of major launches from rival Android companies, announcements from others, and a slew of new products to get our heads around.
Honor Magic Vs
Honor did not unveil the Magic Vs at this year’s MWC. Its demonstration was centered on the more powerful but less thrilling Magic 5 Pro. But it was at this point that we learned for certain that the folding phone will be released in the UK and Europe, and at a price that rivals Samsung’s: €1,599 (approximately £1420 / $1700).
With a slender frame and a hinge that can close all the way without a gap, this phone has a tactile refinement that even Samsung’s hardware lacks. It’s supported by an amazing triple rear camera and the powerful Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 processor, so it’s no slouch in terms of speed.
We continue to believe that Samsung’s slick software gives the Z Fold 4 a small advantage over Honor’s hardware, but this is tight competition – and the Korean company’s first true competitor in the global market.
Motorola ‘Rizr’ rollable concept phone
Before you get too enthusiastic, the Rizr cannot be purchased. As Motorola representatives were quick to point out, that isn’t even its official name: this is an unnamed prototype device, but evidence that rollables are still on the way and vying for the foldable phone market (and laptop, with a Lenovo rollable laptop on show at the same time)
The Rizr, named after the company’s noughties series of slider phones, has a squat, 5in display that can be extended to a full 6.5in screen in a more traditional shape. You can activate it directly, but it will also activate immediately when you access the keyboard or view a video in landscape mode.
What has won us over is how thoroughly Motorola has thought this through – literally from every aspect. When folded down, the additional screen arcs around the back of the phone to serve as an always-on display or camera viewfinder, and it can even roll inwards to show the phone’s concealed selfie camera and microphone.
Xiaomi 13 Pro
The Xiaomi 13 Pro is the company’s main phone for 2023, at least until the rumored 13 Ultra comes later this year.
Hardware-wise, it’s a complete knockout, with outstanding Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 speed, a breathtaking 120Hz display, and significantly better battery life among the highlights. There is a significant camera bump, but the three 50Mp back lenses are excellent, and the 32Mp selfie camera isn’t terrible either.
The IP68 dust and water protection classification is also returned after a one-year hiatus, along with an appealing new ceramic back.
Apart from the expensive price (from £1,099/€1,299 – approximately $1320), the only limitation is software. MIUI isn’t the finest or most intuitive Android interpretation, but it’s still very useful and has a lot of features.
If that isn’t a deal stopper for you, the Xiaomi 13 Pro’s stellar technology means it can compete with the finest flagship phones on the market. However, you may want to try the less expensive standard 13.
Lenovo ThinkPad Z13 Gen 2
The Lenovo ThinkPad Z13 sticks out in a world where so many laptops appear the same. Along with the standard silver aluminum finish, there is also the choice for a distinctive flax fibre coating – a cloth created from the stems of a flax seed plant.
It’s regarded as a more ecologically friendly option to plastic or metal, though not in its present configuration on the Z13. There is still a metal lid beneath the flax fibre for the time being, but it is anticipated that more of the chassis will be able to convert to it in the future.
So, as it stands, the ThinkPad Z13 is a potent laptop with a stylish design, and it’s difficult to stick out in the Windows laptop market these days. AMD’s newest Ryzen 7000 CPUs power a 13-inch (IPS or OLED) monitor, as well as up to 2TB of SSD storage and a Full HD webcam.
There is also a 4G option, though it will cost more than the anticipated beginning price of around €1,800 excluding VAT (around £1600 exc VAT / $1920), according to Lenovo.
Tecno Phantom V Fold
The Tecno Phantom V Fold is the company’s first foldable smartphone. It won’t be going to Europe or North America, but we wish it would.
This book-style foldable not only considerably undercuts competitors in price (from $1,099 – around £915), but it also has a “almost imperceptible” crease down the center.
It’s still visible, but it doesn’t interfere with the superb 7.85in, 2K internal monitor. The 6.42in cover screen is nearly as excellent (both are adaptive 120Hz), allowing you to capture photos with the triple back cameras with ease.
The 50Mp main, 50Mp 2x telephoto, and 13Mp ultrawide lenses all work well in strong light, but Tecno’s primary emphasis is low light. This features night settings for portrait shots as well as 4K footage.
Performance is superb thanks to MediaTek’s flagship Dimensity 9000+ processor, and Tecno’s Android skin includes a slew of software features tailored to foldables.
The Phantom V Fold may not be accessible where you live (at least not yet), but don’t pass it up.
Motorola Defy Satellite Link
This tiny adapter is both inconspicuous and significant. While Qualcomm was promoting its new Snapdragon Satellite technology at MWC, the UK’s Bullitt Group was demonstrating its own comparable smarts in this Motorola-branded Bluetooth device.
The Motorola Defy can link to any iPhone or Android phone and, using the Bullitt messaging software, transmit and receive SMS when there is no cellular coverage anywhere in the world.
It costs only $99 (approximately £83), and entry to the program starts at $4.99 per month (approximately £4). It is completely lawful and will be available for purchase later this year.
The emergency satellite messaging function on Apple’s iPhone 14 is presently limited to a few nations. Qualcomm’s satellite technology could wind up in flagship phones by the end of the year, and Bullitt Group also developed the CAT S75 smartphone, which includes the satellite link technology – no need for the Defy.
However, the Motorola Defy availability as a low-cost satellite accessory for messaging friends, family, and emergency services feels like a silent discovery.
Xiaomi Wireless AR Glass Discovery Edition
Xiaomi wouldn’t give many media access to its new amazing but clunky-named Xiaomi Wireless AR Glass Discovery Edition, but we saw enough of it at MWC to give it an honor.
For several years, tech companies have hyped augmented reality (AR). The concept (as seen in many sci-fi movies) is that you can wear spectacles that enable you to see what’s in front of you while also displaying messages, map graphics, or a 3D model of your next couch to see how it works with the look of your living room.
The answer is in the moniker with Xiaomi. These are wireless AR glasses, which eliminate the need for many wearable spectacles to be linked to a Computer or comparable power source. These are compatible with Qualcomm’s Snapdragon Spaces AR technology, which is formally supported by the OnePlus 11 and will soon be available on other high-end Android devices.
We witnessed a demonstration of the glasses in motion with a lady engaged in a Space Invaders-style game. Although it was not at the console level, we can see how apps are finally being created, with ecosystem partners such as Qualcomm and app makers collaborating to make AR goods a reality rather than an idea. It also helps that the Xiaomi design is relatively sleek and at least attempts to resemble sunglasses – this isn’t Google Glass.
The glasses have an electrochromic color change pass-through that allows them to change opacity, allowing you to completely view or shut out the world around you based on the app.
The Xiaomi Wireless AR Glass, more than any other AR spectacles, demonstrate that mainstream AR is on the way.
Realme GT 3
Until now, insanely rapid charging has been the domain of prototype phones. The Realme GT 3 will be available in May or June of this year, with 240W charging that can charge the battery from empty to full in under 10 minutes.
The phone is basically a worldwide rebranding of the Chinese-only Realme GT Neo 5, which was released just a few weeks before MWC.
We are concerned about the long-term battery life of a phone that charges so quickly – heat stress on batteries is a major concern – but Realme has confirmed that the phone has a vapor cooling system and claims that it will last 1600 charging cycles while retaining more than 80% of the original battery capacity.
The GT3 also has an RGB-lit rectangle that illuminates different colors for different alerts, which is a pleasant addition to the overall design. It also has a Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 CPU and an OLED monitor with a 144Hz refresh rate, which is an amazing specification for $649.
Nokia G22
Nokia introduced three affordable phones at MWC, but the Nokia G22 stole the show. It is intended for do-it-yourself repairs and enables you to change the battery, display, and other components if they fail.
HMD, the company that leases the Nokia name for phones, accomplished this by altering the design for faster and easier access. It, for example, replaced the adhesive on the rear with plastic grips to enable users to easily take it off and on again, and it included easily accessible fasteners for changing sensitive components.
During a meeting, a Nokia representative stated that the battery could be changed in under five minutes and that changing the display would take only 20 minutes. Customers can save money by not hiring someone, and eventually save their pockets (and the world) by keeping gadgets for extended periods of time.
Although Fairphone was the first to do so, having another phone maker on board with at-home fixing is encouraging. It reaffirms Nokia’s dedication to being environmentally mindful with its goods and services, which is refreshing in a world of continuous phone releases.
OnePlus Pad
The OnePlus Pad appears to be a reasonably high-end gadget with the potential to be a viable competitor to the iPad Air.
The tablet, which comes in a striking ‘Halo Green’ aluminium alloy finish, is lightweight and slim despite having a large and brilliant 11.6in monitor with a 144Hz refresh rate and Dolby Vision compatibility. This is combined with powerful quad speakers that enable Dolby Atmos.
It supports 67W rapid charging to recharge its large 9510mAh battery, which should provide 12.4 hours of continuous video playing. OnePlus also demonstrated a similar stylus and keypad, both of which had a high-end feel, but these will be optional accessories.
The OnePlus Pad will be available for pre-order in April. While no price has been revealed, the company is known for providing a lot of bang for your money with its smartphones, so we’re expecting for the same with the tablet.
