From companion robots to smart displays, new things seen at MWC

At the Mobile World Congress 2026 in Barcelona the smartphone remains center stage, but he is no longer the only protagonist. From the Catalan fair emerges a market that tries to overcome the telephone as an isolated object to transform it into the node of a broader ecosystem, made up of artificial intelligence, wearables, PCs, tablets, earphones, connected cars and intelligent home devices.

The common thread of the 2026 edition is precisely this: AI is no longer described only as an additional function, but as the engine that connects productsservices and different use scenarios. In Barcelona we saw a technology that aims to become more concrete, less demo-like and more integrated into daily life.

The screen that rests your eyes

Among the strongest themes of the MWC was that of displays. TCL presented the new generation of Nxtpaper, bringing its eye-care technology to AMOLED panels for the first time. The goal is to combine the visual impact of premium displays with a more comfortable experience for the eyesthanks to anti-reflective treatment, adaptive reading, reduction of blue light and a yield that recalls that of paper.

In a market where the user passes more and more hours in front of the screenvisual comfort thus tries to become a competitive element as much as brightness or resolution.

The smartphone becomes professional

On the creativity front, however, manufacturers are increasingly insisting on transforming the smartphone into an almost professional tool. Vivo has put the new X300 Ultra at the center, pushing especially on the video side: 4K shooting at 120 fps on multiple focal lengths, log recording, controls inspired by cameras and an ecosystem of accessories designed for creators. The game of mobile photography is also played on the ability to make cinema-level videos.

A similar strategy is seen in Oppo, which at MWC announced the global debut of the Find X9 Ultra, for the first time with Europe included in the first launch phase. The company openly focuses on imaging, presenting the device as the most advanced photography system ever made from the Chinese company for a smartphone and thus strengthening the challenge in the highest end of the market

Home, car and smartphone all connected

Artificial intelligence, however, was the real common lexicon of the fair. Xiaomi showed his vision of an ecosystem “Human × Car × Home”, in which AI connects smartphones, smart home, large appliances and electric mobility. The idea is to bring artificial intelligence off the screen, making it work across devices and real environments.

Huawei has also moved in the same direction, focusing on an interconnected smart living. In Barcelona he exhibited a portfolio that brings together smartphones, PCs, tablets, smartwatches and earphones, held together by the idea of ​​a fluid experience between productivity, creativity, health and entertainment. In the messages of the Chinese group, the concept of multi-device comes back strongly with the value that lies in the way in which the various devices communicate with each other.

On the “native” AI side, Zte stood out with nubia M153, a smartphone designed to deeply integrate the Doubao AI assistant, with the promise of execute complex commands in natural language and manage tasks that cross multiple applications.

The cuddly robot to keep you company

Next to him was iMoochi, sort of Interactive AI companion which shows how producers are also experimenting with new formats of emotional relationship between user and technology. The thought is above all aimed at the elderly, who are increasingly alone, increasingly in need of assistance in managing small daily tasks and less and less willing to learn how to use new apps.

Also from Nubia/Zte has also arrived Neo 5 GT, aimed in particular at the gaming public. The distinctive feature is very concrete: it is presented as the only one in its category integrate an active cooling fanalong with dedicated triggers, AI features for gaming and a high refresh rate display. It is a useful example to understand the state of the market: while everyone talks about AI, the race for performance, thermal dissipation and autonomy also remains central

Motorola instead pushed on multiple levels. On the one hand it has expanded its portfolio with the new razr folda folding book that marks a further step in the evolution of the brand in the field of flexible form factors. On the other hand, it has combined the phones with audio accessories, enterprise services, security functions and a story increasingly oriented towards the lifestyle dimension, also through the new House of Moto Indigo color identity and the link with the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

The folding issue

The issue of leaflets, moreover, continues to be one of the major issues in the sector. From the interviews collected by AGI, a belief emerges that is now shared by the main producers: foldable is no longer perceived as an experiment, but as a segment that is consolidating in the premium sector.

Samsung openly speaks of a stable and rapidly growing category, underlining how foldables are emerging from the novelty phase to become a concrete choice for demanding users.

Honor describes foldables as the natural bridge between smartphones and tabletsincreasingly appreciated by professionals and creators for multitasking and productivity

Motorola, for its part, says foldable has the potential to become the new high-end standard within a few years as price, perceived durability and overall quality continue to improve.

Lenovo also used MWC to push this idea of ​​adaptive, widespread technology. Alongside traditional PCs, he showed modular concepts, 3D laptops without glasses, a foldable gaming device and above all Lenovo Qira, a personal environmental intelligence platform designed to work across PCs, tablets, smartphones and wearables. The idea is that the era of AI will not be defined by a single device, but by intelligent systems capable of continuously accompanying the user.

The good news

Putting it all together, MWC 2026 therefore represents a new phase for consumer electronics. The sector continues to look for the next successful smartphone, but more and more often that phone serves above all to tell stories the transition towards integrated ecosystemsthe maturation of leaflets, the rush to professional photos and videos, the return of design as a competitive lever and above all the desire to make artificial intelligence less abstract and more useful.

The result is a fair where the novelty is not just the most powerful device, but the attempt to change the way people live with technology. A connected, intelligent and increasingly personalized environment. This, more than any single launch, is the real news coming out of Barcelona.