Technology

Here’s what tech giants are betting on next — from robot dogs to smartphones you can wear on your wrist

Here's what tech giants are betting on next — from robot dogs to smartphones you can wear on your wrist

Mobile World Congress 2024, the world’s biggest mobile trade show, had a lot of future-looking tech on display.

Arjun Kharpal | CNBC

The Mobile World Congress, the world’s largest mobile show, is a place where device makers show off some of their latest innovations.

And there was quite a lot on display in Barcelona, Spain, this year.

Artificial intelligence took center stage, but there was also plenty of experimentation with different types of screens and first looks at some devices from some of the world’s biggest tech firms.

Motorola phone that wraps around wrist

Motorola showed off a concept smartphone that has the ability to bend along the spine-like hinge, including wrapping around your wrist.

Motorola’s “adaptive display concept” smartphone can wrap around a user’s wrist. The phone can generate a background to match what a user is wearing.

Arjun Kharpal | CNBC

The “adaptive display concept” smartphone from the brand, which is owned by China’s Lenovo,  has an interface that changes depending on how it bends.

It even has a feature to generate a background to match your outfit.

Lenovo’s see-through laptop

Lenovo’s concept laptop has a see-through screen.

Arjun Kharpal | CNBC

Expandable smartphone

The Tecno Phantom Ultimate has a display with an expandable screen.

Forget foldables. It’s now about rollables, according to one company.

Tecno, a brand under Chinese firm Transsion, showed off the Phantom Ultimate, a phone with an expandable screen.

The screen expands horizontally after it a user presses the button on the top of the device.

Humane AI Pin

Humane’s AI Pin is equipped with a voice assistant and camera.

Arjun Kharpal | CNBC

OPPO augmented reality glasses

The Oppo Air Glass 3 is a prototype set of augmented reality glasses with a voice assistant.

Oppo

Oppo debuted a set of augmented reality glasses it calls the Air Glass 3.

The glasses are equipped with an AI assistant you can talk to.

AR gaming headset

CNBC’s Arjun Kharpal tests out Tecno’s augmented reality gaming headset.

Arjun Kharpal | CNBC

Tecno showed off an augmented reality glasses product with a video game controller attached.

It allows a user to play games on a big screen by wearing the glasses.

The processing power for the whole system is housed inside the gaming controller.

Xiaomi phone that turns into a proper camera

The Xiaomi 14 Ultra has a “photography kit” that can be purchased additionally to the phone.

Arjun Kharpal | CNBC

Xiaomi has spent years talking up its smartphones’ camera capabilities.

This year, the company took it one step further when it announced that it is selling a professional photography kit with its flagship Xiaomi 14 smartphone.

This is a kit that attached to the smartphone and turns it into something akin to a DSLR camera.

Samsung Galaxy Ring

Samsung showed off the Galaxy Ring at the Mobile World Congress 2024 in Barcelona.

Arjun Kharpal | CNBC

Samsung introduced its Galaxy Ring this week.

It’s the South Korean tech giant’s first foray into smart rings.

It is equipped with sensors that can track things like heart rate and aspects of your sleep.

Samsung said that this, combined with its smartwatch and phone, can give users some insightful health readings.

The company is looking to launch it in the second half of 2024.

Robot dog

The Tecno Dynamic 1 has a design inspired by a German Shepherd, according to the Chinese company.

Arjun Kharpal | CNBC

Chinese firm Tecno showed off a robot dog.

Called the Tecno Dynamic 1, it has a design inspired by a German Shepherd, according to the company.

In a demo, the dog danced to a beat, jumped around and shook hands with a person.

Other companies like Xiaomi are also developing robot dogs.

Xiaomi SU7

The Xiaomi SU7 on display at the Mobile World Congress 2024.

Arjun Kharpal | CNBC

Xiaomi debuted its first ever electric vehicle, the SU7, in Europe this week. The car is not yet on sale and it’s unclear if Xiaomi will sell the car in Europe. But the Chinese tech company is keen to flaunt its progress and entrance into the highly competitive EV space. The car took center stage at Xiaomi’s display at MWC.