The Mobile World Congress in Barcelona showcases the latest telecoms technology, attracting 2200 companies and thousands of visitors eager to get a glimpse of the future in Europe’s largest annual mobile technology trade show.
Companies came to show the potential of immersive technology and exhibited multiple applications of the Internet of Things combined with 5G networks.
Samsung attracted participants by packing an amusement park in a reduced space using its latest Gear VR headset which allows users to experience the thrills of roller coaster rides and flight simulators, amongst other things.
5G was a hot topic, stealing the spotlight with latency-free connection and high-speed data transfer.
“We’re going to see this enormous race, almost a bit of a kind of global arms race to get 5G out there first. The Chinese want to be first, the Japanese want to be first, the Koreans want to be first, the Europeans want to be first. And in North America, a massive push from Verizon and other companies is starting with 5G in the home. It won’t be something you walk around with. It’s going to be a bit of a while before you see 5G on your smartphone, but by 2019, 2020, there will definitely be devices out there,” Ben Wood, chief analyst at CCS Insight said.
Experts say that 5G combined with the Internet of Things could have many applications in daily life.
“What we do here is we show how connectivity is changing the face of business and consumer goods today. What we are showing here is how connectivity has evolved in smartphones and tablets, now the connectivity into cars, industrials, consumers, wearables, all sort of things are now being connected and you get to try to experience it here at the show,” GSMA Programme Managing Director Andrew Parker said.
“There’s a number of medical applications for mobile, for example diabetic monitors for people who have problems with blood sugar levels. Now we have monitors which monitor their blood levels 24 hours a day through mobiles monitors on the person,” Parker added, saying technology could improve patient treatment and provide more accurate predictions related to their health.
GSMA also showcased technology that could be used to monitor wildlife, giving real time data of the location and characteristics of tagged animals.
The Mobile World Congress runs from February 27 to March 2.
(REUTERS)
