The 2017 Mobile World Congress will take place in Barcelona, Spain, from February 27 to March 2. Some of the biggest names in tech including Sony, Nokia, Motorola, and others are expected to unveil new devices at the event.
The four-day Congress will cover everything from product presentations to dedicated keynotes about new technologies and the future of the telecom sector.
While most of the world’s top smartphone makers will be in attendance at Barcelona, this year’s MWC is not set as a stage for big reveals or launches like other years, but for networking and checking out the latest developments in the industry instead.
Mobile World Congress 2017: Dates and location
This year, GSMA continues the tradition of organizing the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Spain, the city named “Mobile World Capital” by the firm in 2011.
The event will kick off on February 27 and will end on March 2. The keynotes and exhibitions will take place at two venues: the Fira Gran Via and the Fira Montjuïc. Both locations are 10 km away from the Barcelona airport.
Mobile World Congress 2017: Schedule and ticket price
Registration is open for attendees and press looking to be present at the 2017 Mobile World Congress. Pass prices range from €799 to €4,999 for the complete MWC experience.
GSMA advises those planning to go to Barcelona to arrive early for registration and special events planned before the Congress starts on the 27th.
Once it begins, every day of the global tech gathering will go more or less the same way: a keynote presentation kicks off at 9:00 am, followed by numerous talks and conferences throughout the day interrupted by networking breaks and lunch.
Major themes of the Mobile World Congress will be 5G networks, AI integration, VR and AR hardware and software, connected and autonomous vehicles, the Internet of Things, and eCommerce platforms.
Featured speakers include Netflix CEO Reed Hastings, Pokémon GO creator John Hanke, Nokia CEO Rajeev Suri, AT&T CEO John Stanley, Vivendi CEO Arnaud de Puyfontaine, and Kaspersky Lab CEO Eugene Kaspersky.
Mobile World Congress 2017: What to expect
This year, one of the names missing from the marquee will be Samsung, which unfortunately has just confirmed it won’t unveil the Galaxy S8 at the Barcelona event. Previous statements placed launch of the S8 as late as April this year.
The firm’s mobile chief said in an interview with Reuters they were working hard to win back customer’s trust and to ensure the launch of their next flagship will be flawless, namely not suffering from battery issues like the Note 7.
Nokia, however, will continue to make waves at a suspected unveiling event on February 26 ahead of the Congress. Through its HMD Global partner, the company is expected to reveal its next budget smartphone, recently leaked as the Nokia Heart, and perhaps other devices.
Motorola will also hold an early presentation ahead of the main conference, and rumors suggest it won’t unveil a new flagship but a mid-range device, possibly the next generation of the Moto G lineup or something similar.
Sony, which last year presented the Xperia X and XA, may come with some surprises to the Fira Gran Via on the first day of the event. The Japanese manufacturer has scheduled a press event in which it may showcase a new flagship.
Other phone makers who plan or are rumored to exhibit devices next month in Barcelona include Huawei, HTC, LG, BlackBerry, and ZTE. Apple and Google will attend, but it is unlikely they will use the MWC as a stage to show anything big or new.
Source: Mobile World Congress
