The Mobile World Congress (MWC) 2023 saw the unveiling of several wild concept phones, laptops, and wearables that piqued the interest of the media and tech enthusiasts the world over. Held in Barcelona every year, MWC is the world's biggest trade show for the mobile industry, with exhibitors coming from around the world to showcase the newest technologies and the coolest products. The event had to be canceled in 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic, and was only held in a hybrid form over the next two years, resulting in a few live events interspersed with virtual demos and keynotes.
After three years, the MWC was back to its full glory this year, with in-person events showcasing some of the coolest concept devices. While most of them are unlikely to be available for purchase in their current form, they still offer a glimpse into the future of consumer technology. One of the most talked-about concept devices at MWC 2023 was the Motorola Rollable smartphone that some are referring to as the Moto Rizr 2023. It features a flexible OLED display not unlike similar rollable concepts showcased by TCL, Xiaomi, Samsung, LG, and Oppo in recent years.
Moto Rizr
In the Moto device, the screen rolls around its bottom edge to present a relatively small smartphone with a 5-inch display, but it can roll out to assume a much bigger form factor with a 6.5-inch panel. Unlike folding phones, the Motorola Rollable has only one screen, but when rolled up, it stretches from the front to the back, looking as if it has two different panels. The futuristic technology allows for a smaller device that can easily fit in a pocket or a purse when rolled up, while offering the functionality of a full-size modern smartphone when unfolded. What's cool is when the screen is folded up at the back, it functions as a secondary display, showing notifications, the time, and other tidbits.
OnePlus 11 Concept
Another concept phone showcased at the event is the OnePlus 11 Concept. The phone has what the company called a 'flowing back' design that includes a blue LED lighting pattern running across its entire back and a blue LED ring around the camera module. According to OnePlus, the LED design is meant to mimic blood vessels in the human body. It also has a unique 'Active Cryoflux' cooling system that OnePlus claims is a miniaturized version of the liquid cooling systems used in desktop gaming PCs.
Xiaomi AR Glasses
Xiaomi also showcased its prototype AR glasses that are made with electrochromic glass to black out the outside world for an immersive experience. Called the Xiaomi Wireless AR Glass Discovery Edition, they come with two mini LED displays that can project alerts, mobile notifications, and information about TV shows. The glasses can also be used to control smart home devices with gestures, like turning off smart lights with a pinch gesture, or scrolling through on-screen menus with a swipe.
Lenovo Rollable Laptop
Another device of great interest at the MWC 2023 was Lenovo's rollable laptop. In its unextended form, it is a typical small laptop featuring a 12.7-inch screen with a 4:3 aspect ratio and a 2,024 x 1,604 pixel resolution. However, with the push of a button, the screen rolls up to reveal a much larger, 15.3-inch panel with an 8:9 aspect ratio and a 2,024 x 2,368 pixel resolution.
Alongside the aforementioned devices, MWC 2023 also saw the announcement of other exiting concepts, including the Redmi 300W fast-charging tech that's said to be able to juice up a standard smartphone battery in under five minutes. Then there's the OnePlus 45W liquid cooler concept that the company says can reduce a smartphone's temperature by up to 36°F. Overall, MWC 2023 showcased its fair share of exciting concepts, and it will be interesting to see how many of these products eventually make it to the market.
Source: MWC