Mobile World Congress 2026 Special
Barcelona surprised me. Here is what will change in your life
I was in Barcelona over the past few days, as always for Mobile World Congress 2026. Every year I expect something new, but this edition was different. It wasn't just about faster phones or larger screens. It was about objects that think, react, and assist. The boundary between technology and daily life has become almost invisible.
Here are the three things that struck me the most. Not because they are the most expensive or the most technical, but because I can already see them in people's drawers and on their desks within the next two years.
The phone that really folds
Honor brought the Magic V6 to Barcelona, a phone that folds in two like a book. When closed, it is 8.75 millimeters thin. Less than a centimeter. When opened, it has a screen almost as large as a tablet.
I know what you're thinking: "but does it break?". The answer is no. Honor has built a special steel hinge that withstands over 300,000 openings. We are talking about over 800 years of daily use. Furthermore, the battery is massive: 6,600 milliampere-hours, double that of an iPhone. You charge it once a day and sleep soundly.
Motorola did the same with its Razr Fold, featuring an incredibly bright internal screen, almost twice as bright as a television in full sunlight. Foldables are no longer toys for enthusiasts. They are becoming the format of the next smartphone.
The robot that looks at you and responds
Honor also brought something I didn't expect: a phone with a camera mounted on a small mechanical arm. The camera moves, follows us, and responds when greeted. I tried waving at it, and it responded in kind.
It’s not a joke and it’s not science fiction. It is a product that will arrive in stores by the end of 2026. Xiaomi went even further: at MWC they showed a humanoid robot—two legs, two arms—that walks and interacts. Next year, the same brand that sells us our phone could also sell us a home assistant.
I understand that it’s a bit scary. I saw that reaction in the people around me at the fair as well. But let me tell you one thing: when the first camera phone came out, many said it was useless. Today, that camera has become everything to us.
The charger you don't feel in your pocket
There is a problem that unites us all, in Switzerland as elsewhere: the smartphone battery that always dies at the wrong time. We know it. We live it every day. And those black bricks people carry in their bags? Practical, sure. But bulky, heavy, and one more thing to remember every time.
Xiaomi brought the most elegant answer I’ve seen so far to MWC: the UltraThin Magnetic Power Bank 5000. It snaps magnetically to the back of the iPhone like a second skin. Thickness: 6 millimeters. To be clear, it is thinner than the iPhone itself. It weighs 98 grams. You can carry it in your pocket without even noticing it.
It works with Apple's MagSafe system, which iPhones already use for wireless charging. You just place it on the back of the phone and it charges. No cables, no adapters. The price in Europe is around 60 francs, half of what Apple asks for its equivalent accessory.
What to keep in mind
MWC 2026 confirmed one thing for me: technology is ceasing to be a tool separate from life. It is entering into everyday gestures, habits, and the home. There is no need to understand how it works. It is enough to know what it does for us.
The next time someone tells you that technology is for young people, remind them that the folding phone was born for those who need a larger screen without carrying a tablet. And that 60-franc magnetic charger was also designed for those who forget to charge their phone before leaving the house.
More info on the official website: https://www.mwcbarcelona.com