Observations on the First Day of MWC26: The Crowded Telecom Exhibition Is Filled with the Flavor of AI

CES is responsible for making grand promises, while MWC is responsible for turning them into reality. Welcome to Barcelona.

From March 2nd to 5th local time, leaders in the global technology and telecommunications industries have returned to Barcelona, Spain, to jointly plan, discuss, and shape the future of connectivity technologies.

Since its establishment in Barcelona in 2007, MWC (Mobile World Congress) has been steadily developing. It not only meets the needs of the world's top telecommunications industry exhibitions but also keeps pace with the times in recent years, fully embracing cutting - edge technology application fields such as AI and robotics.

Although the approaches are different, similar to CES 2026, the stage of MWC26 is also hosting a comprehensive and all - encompassing showcase of cutting - edge technology applications such as AI. The theme of the MWC26 exhibition is concise: The IQ Era, which can be translated into Chinese as "The New Era of Intelligence".

The six major topics of MWC26 revolve around AI technology applications.

At this new stage of MWC's third - decade development, relying on the large technology - user base in the European market, MWC aims to establish a new display window driven by the dual engines of "telecommunications + AI" technology applications.

As the longest - standing, most in - depth, and most professional new media covering technology exhibitions in China, Lei Technology has sent reporting teams to Barcelona for on - site full - coverage reporting of MWC (Mobile World Congress) for many consecutive years, and this year is no exception.

Different from previous MWC events, MWC26 has left a deep impression on the members of the Lei Technology reporting team even before it officially started.

On the way from China to Barcelona, a large number of Chinese exhibitors, businesspeople, and media personnel, including the Lei Technology reporting team, have to transfer flights via the three major intercontinental aviation hubs in the Middle East (Dubai and Abu Dhabi in the UAE, and Doha in Qatar). The recently "rapidly deteriorating" situation in West Asia and the Middle East has become the biggest variable outside the MWC this year.

Fortunately, the Lei Technology reporting team set off early and was able to arrive in Barcelona safely on the eve of the MWC26 opening. However, many exhibitors, businesspeople, and media personnel may not be so "lucky", and it may even affect the arrival of exhibition booth equipment. We sincerely hope that the situation will cool down as soon as possible and that the world will become more peaceful.

Filmed on - site by Lei Technology at MWC26

At the new beginning of MWC's third - decade development, the Lei Technology reporting team is reporting on this year's MWC in Barcelona with unprecedented intensity. At the same time, they are continuously sending back professional, in - depth, and three - dimensional on - site reports of MWC26. As usual, we will present the "First - day Observation" of the annual MWC opening on schedule.

AI is everywhere! Domestic mobile phone imaging is getting cooler and cooler

On the morning of March 2nd local time, when the Lei Technology MWC26 reporting team entered the main exhibition hall, Fira Gran Via, they felt the excitement of this year's Barcelona exhibition. There was a long queue at the entrance. Data shows that MWC26 has attracted more than 2,900 exhibitors and approximately 109,000 professional visitors from 219 countries and regions around the world.

As in previous years, the outer facades of the main exhibition hall of MWC this year are still "guarded" by Huawei and Xiaomi on the left and right. However, the "competition" among domestic mobile phones inside the exhibition hall is more intense and spectacular than ever in recent years. Especially, the "new models" have completely broken away from the previous conservative styling and functional design patterns.

Filmed on - site by Lei Technology at MWC26

Compared with the mature mobile phone products brought by top - tier manufacturers such as Huawei and Xiaomi, the latest mobile phone technologies and products displayed by domestic manufacturers such as Honor and Transsion are undoubtedly more bold and even avant - garde.

Honor has rented five booths in Hall 3 of the MWC main exhibition hall this year. While expanding its booth space, it has also launched the ROBOT Phone, which can be regarded as "redefining the AI mobile phone", and new products such as the Magic V6.

Although the ROBOT Phone, Magic V6, etc. had a special press conference and new product display before the opening of MWC26, on the opening day, the Honor booth still attracted a large number of people.

Filmed on - site by Lei Technology at MWC26

As the most eye - catching new phone of Honor and the entire exhibition, the ROBOT Phone looks no different from an ordinary phone from the front. However, when you turn it over, there are big surprises. You can see an extremely large camera module and a robotic - arm camera "curled up" inside the module. Its size is almost as large as the DJI Pocket 3 in my hand.

According to the on - site staff's demonstration, when the Honor ROBOT Phone faces a constantly moving "dancer", this "huge camera" will automatically follow the person and always keep them in the center of the frame. Not to mention mobile phones, many professional vlog devices can't do this.

Filmed on - site by Lei Technology at MWC26

Vivo has also come up with innovative ideas for mobile phone cameras. At MWC26, Vivo brought its annual imaging flagship, the X300 Ultra, aiming to further break through the upper limit of the video shooting ability of mobile devices after introducing more powerful "external support".

The Vivo X300 Ultra is the world's first to feature a 400mm Vivo Zeiss teleconverter and a new professional photography handle. That's not all. Vivo has also brought a Vivo SmallRig expansion kit for making professional - grade videos for the X300 Ultra.

Filmed on - site by Lei Technology at MWC26

In the evolution of mobile phone camera module technology, Shengtai Optoelectronics brought the world's first ALoM mobile phone camera module to MWC26, achieving a balance among "performance, size, and cost" and providing a new solution for the imaging upgrade of mobile terminals.

The staff of Shengtai Optoelectronics introduced that ALoM, which stands for All Lenses on Mirror, refers to a periscope - style camera structure design in which all lens groups (All Lenses) are directly stacked on a mirror (Mirror).

ALoM mobile phone camera module

Compared with traditional periscope - style cameras, the ALoM module uses an innovative flat mirror to replace the complex prism structure, greatly simplifying the production difficulty. Its length is directly shortened by 22%, helping mobile phones achieve a slimmer and lighter body design. On the premise of ensuring high - quality optical performance, the cost is significantly reduced, offering extreme cost - effectiveness. At the same time, the innovative design of the circular opening allows the product to be widely adapted to various types of terminals such as straight - screen mobile phones, foldable phones, tablets, and in - vehicle devices.

Back to Honor. The avant - garde camera device not only provides new upgrades and new gameplay for Honor's new phones in terms of imaging functions but also injects a new style into the ROBOT Phone. Based on this new style, Honor is also working hard to develop more new interactions unique to the ROBOT Phone.

The staff introduced to me that the camera of the ROBOT Phone can be combined with Honor's "AI intelligent agent brain" to bring a new and unique interaction method: after a certain function is activated, the camera will generate corresponding dialogues in real - time according to the external scene, giving the phone real "eyes". This camera can even follow the changes in external music, enter the rhythm - based movement mode, and "dance", allowing the audience to feel the extremely high sensitivity of the gimbal.

Filmed on - site by Lei Technology at MWC26

The new design of the Honor ROBOT Phone, combined with the application of cutting - edge new technologies such as artificial intelligence and embodied intelligence, allows smartphones to instantly transform into "pocket robots". At the same time, it provides a new solution for the homogeneous competition in mobile phone imaging in the era of AI and robotics. It is expected that the Honor ROBOT Phone will be launched in the Chinese market in the second half of this year, which is in line with the concept of "technological application products can be implemented" that MWC has always emphasized.

The appearance of the ROBOT Phone has greater industry significance in that it breaks the restrictions of AI mobile phones on the application level. Why should the shape of AI mobile phones be so regular? After mobile phones start to become robotic, they actually provide a new stage for the application of AI technology and more possibilities for scenario implementation.

Filmed on - site by Lei Technology at MWC26

Another phone with a cool design is the new "modular" phone launched by Transsion.

By re - inventing the traditional concept of "modular" phones and combining it with a ultra - thin body design, Transsion has created a new modular phone based on "magnetic interconnection technology".

The Transsion phone using "modular magnetic interconnection technology" has a body thickness of only 4.9mm. It can be externally connected to modules such as power banks and game controllers via Bluetooth communication, and to modules such as telephoto lenses and action cameras via Wi - Fi or millimeter - wave communication.

Filmed on - site by Lei Technology at MWC26

In terms of mobile phone display technology, TCL CSOT has launched a new - generation NXTPAPER technology based on AMOLED, extending this paper - like eye - protecting display technology to the OLED panels of mobile terminals such as smartphones.

In smart terminal devices, the new - generation NXTPAPER technology combines AG anti - glare with AMOLED for the first time. It minimizes ambient light reflection and glare through a nano - matrix, creating a viewing experience close to real paper while keeping the screen content clearly visible.

Filmed on - site by Lei Technology at MWC26

As a "pioneer" in the field of AI mobile phones, the first AI - native mobile phone M153 (i.e., Doubao AI Phone) under ZTE Nubia made its overseas debut at the MWC26 stage.

ZTE stated that the participation of the Doubao AI Phone in MWC does not involve overseas market sales plans, but is only for technical exchanges and to showcase the "system - level" integration results of AI technology and smartphones.

Chinese robots are making a group appearance, with different paths for Zhipu and Unitree

At MWC25, the huge crowd gathered around the small booth of Unitree Robotics made the Lei Technology MWC reporting team realize the great curiosity and attention of European businesspeople towards China's "mysterious" new hardware and its technology.

In 2026, from CES to the Spring Festival Gala and then to MWC, Chinese robots have made a group appearance, changing the situation where Unitree Robotics was the only standout last year.