MWC 2019: industry analysis 28 Feb 2019 | Newsline Staff

Back from Mobile World Congress in , our experts share their views on what the tech-fest means for advertisers

Laricea Roman, Head of Digital Media, The Specialist Works

Mobile World Congress has reminded me of the ever increasing ambience of tech. It’s become embedded in every aspect of our life - from phones to cars and kitchen devices.

It’s making our lives better. launched Hololens 2 at the show, a device that simulates a virtual operation before the real one so doctors can test how the patient would react. Mixed Reality will get more embedded in our daily lives.

I loved the delivery of on-device AI, which means no more internet connections or cloud requests and results in better privacy, less latency and the ability to access the world in a blink of an eye.

The Streamed Supermarket from is a good example of this; it allows you to walk in, buy what you need and get charged later - all based on cameras and on-device AI.

On device AI will make it harder for brands to target accurately on mobile, and inventory will become more limited as smartphone producers give consumers the option to block ad requests and mobile IDFAs requests.

I don’t like the foldable phones trend. I can’t see any major benefit for these except the mind-blowing price and uncomfortable design. It seems like smartphone producers are desperate to launch something different just for the sake of it against the backdrop of dwindling sales.

Michael Todd, head of advertising industry relations, EMEA

Mobile World Congress has brought multiple hardware announcements, including foldable phones and gesture-controlled devices, speculation around and a conspicuous lack of smartwatches. On the surface, not a lot of ground for advertiser speculation.

But MWC is still a fantastic insight into what’s next in mobile tech - and what’s next in mobile is next in advertising. Take the widening competitive space around smartphones – this will mean top of the range smartphones become accessible to even more people, and with the speed these machines afford, the expectations around speed of service, UX and mobile site speed will inevitably increase.

Understanding that every point on the purchase journey needs to be fast enough to hold attention will become ever more crucial. 5G is too far away to rely on to solve mobile page problems – a mobile problem is, more than ever, a brand problem.

The lack of smartwatches is interesting, too. We now accept wearable tech as everyday rather than novelty – again, this reflects the move to mobile becoming ever more ingrained. My takeaway from MWC this year as an advertiser is clear: faster phones mean higher expectations for speed – and not meeting those expectations will dismantle a business before 5G can arrive to save it. Sophie Lewis, chief strategy officer, VMLY&R

As the wife of a self-confessed (Apple) Tech Head, I am fascinated by the advent of the foldable phone. The way I see it, the impact on advertising will be a bunch of people grappling for a benefit, as so often happens in the technology world.

To illustrate this point, I just did a small localised research group in the office. And they were definitely grappling.

I haven’t touched the Mate X but I will defer to Kris Carlon who describes it as ‘not a solution to an actual problem’.

And this is where most of the media and comms problems (and opportunities) start in relation to MWC. Is this something that has an easily articulable benefit to the consumer? Don’t get me wrong, I don’t mean people won’t buy them (although starting at €2,299, not many people will), and nor do I mean foldable won’t become the thing.

But it’ll take a while.

Meanwhile, I am interested in the 210. At thirty-five bucks, the cheapest internet connected device. Now that, I don’t need to grapple with.

Introducing Microsoft HoloLens 2

Pierce Calhan, Strategist, Twelve Agency

The Microsoft Hololens 2 (video above) wearable takes the turn-by-turn instructions we’re used to from Alexa or City Mapper and brings that to the world of business. It’s ability to take people through complex tasks has huge potential for uniting remote workers or assisting junior staff. So much so, that multi-billion dollar creator of Fortnite, Epic Games, announced a Hololens partnership at MWC.

Google seized the opportunity to show off AR’s potential connected with Google Maps and debuted VPS (visual positioning system). Instead of showing a map, it overlays directions onto what you see in front of you. It’s primed for overwhelming navigation moments like your first visit to NYC, Glastonbury, or even Westfield.

In terms of what I hated: The Nubia α (alpha), the smartphone-watch wrap around hybrid. At a time when plenty of us are trying to cut down on screen time, it is a step in the wrong direction. A bigger screen, more processing power, more weight on your wrist and harder to avoid, it’s the opposite of what I’m looking for in a wearable. Just because you’ve got the resource to build it, doesn’t mean you should.

Adam Powers, Chief Experience Officer, Tribal Worldwide London

MWC was undoubtedly an impressively slick and gigantic tech love-in. There’s been a lot of talk about and Huawei foldable phones, the latter winning that beauty contest. However it’s the overall scale of the Chinese presence that was breath-taking.

There were brands present from China that really aren’t yet household names in Western Europe; like Royole, who have had flexible screen products in Chinese stores for nearly a year already. That said, MWC is, at its heart, a trade fair, full of suited men looking to make a deal.

The gender imbalance was frankly shocking. The big narrative for business was 5G and its potential for transforming mobile user experience in ways that we’re are only scratching the surface of - from portable cashierless retail to real-time surgical collaboration.

Ultrahigh speed, always on mobile network may also cause a shift in the balance of power from device manufacturers back to network of service providers.