Phandroid’s Best of MWC 2023: Everything we’ve liked so far

• Tyler Lee
• 2 years ago

Unlike CES, MWC is more mobile focused, something that is right up our alley. The event typically focuses on devices like smartphones, wearables, and other forms of mobile technology both on the consumer and enterprise side of things, as well as technological advancements in backend services and whatnot.

Now that MWC 2023 is coming to a close, we’ve put together a list of devices that we’ve loved so far, many of which are being launched later this year and might be worth keeping an eye out for if you’re looking for things like a new smartphone, new tablets, and so on.

Xiaomi 13 Pro

Samsung’s Galaxy S23 series kind of stole the show earlier in February, but at MWC, Xiaomi proved to everyone that they had what it takes to contend with established players such as Samsung with its Xiaomi 13 Pro.

This is an incredible handset that packs not only the latest in terms of mobile hardware, but it continues the partnership Xiaomi has with Leica in the camera department. This includes a redesigned camera UI along with several Leica filters that helps users achieve that Leica look without having to take out a mortgage on their home.

Realme GT3

There were several flagship smartphone announcements made at MWC, but the Realme GT3 caught our attention based on one feature alone – its charging speeds. The phone is capable of charging at 240W, which according to Realme, will be able to juice up the phone’s 4,600mAh battery in a little under 10 minutes.

We’ve seen charging speeds increase over the years, and companies like Xiaomi actually showed off even faster speeds, but the Realme GT3 is the actually obtainable, so if charging speeds are important to you, you don’t want to miss out on the Realme GT3.

Tecno Phantom V Fold

While foldable phones aren’t new, what we love about the Tecno Phantom V Fold is that the company has opted to use a new hinge design different from foldables we’ve seen from Samsung. This new drop-shaped hinge results in a foldable phone that is flatter/thinner and doesn’t have that awkward gap, plus it is also considerably cheaper than the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4, making it a great alternative for those who want a smartphone but don’t want to break the bank.

Honor Magic 5 Pro

Formerly being known as a sub-brand of Huawei, after being spun out, Honor has really made a name for themselves and at MWC, the company’s Magic 5 Pro shows that the company has what it takes with compete with the likes of Apple, Samsung, and even their former owner, Huawei.

The Magic 5 Pro has everything you would want from a flagship phone, including the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset, a massive 6.81-inch display, and an interesting camera module consisting of a triple camera setup with massive 1/1.12-inch Sony sensors.

Mediatek MT6825 Satellite chipset

A recent hardware trend that we started seeing back in 2022 came in the form of satellite communications. This is where some handset makers would include hardware that would allow users to still send text messages or make calls even when they did not have cell reception, making it great for those emergency situations.

At MWC, MediaTek announced its own MT6825 satellite chipset that would basically make it easier for other smartphone manufacturers to include the technology in future handsets if they want to take advantage of the feature.

Motorola concept rollable smartphone

We, like many of you out there, were disappointed when LG decided to call it quits on the smartphone market, ultimately ditching their plans to launch the first-ever smartphone with a rollable display. But thankfully, it seems that Motorola could be picking up where LG left off.

The company showed off a concept rollable smartphone at MWC 2023 which has made us rather excited, but unfortunately there was no mention if there are plans to make this handset a reality, but one can hope!

Lenovo concept rollable laptop

Speaking of rollable displays, Lenovo actually showed off a laptop concept with a built-in rollable screen. You might be wondering why a laptop might need such a display, but when we saw it in action, it made sense.

This is because users can always use it like a regular laptop, but if there is a need for it, users can extend the display vertically which results in a new display aspect ratio, making it better for reading longer documents without having to scroll less, or watch videos on TikTok from their computers in the right orientation.

Motorola Defy 2 from Bullitt Group

Motorola’s Defy series of smartphones are known for their ruggedness, meaning that they were designed for users who might venture to rough terrains where a normal smartphone might not necessarily survive a drop or two. So it was actually interesting that with the Defy 2, Motorola announced that they would be bringing satellite connectivity to the phone in a partnership with the Bullitt Group.

It also means that for users who want a satellite-enabled smartphone, the Defy 2 would be a cheaper alternative to other similar devices, like Apple’s iPhone 14 series which also comes with a similar feature.

Huawei Watch GT Cyber

Given that this is MWC, it is a given that smartwatches would be on display at the event, but Huawei’s Watch GT Cyber probably took the cake. Unlike most smartwatches that only offer customization in the form of watch faces and straps, Huawei’s Watch GT Cyber actually allows users to change the entire casing of the watch.

This allows users to swap between sporty designs to more elegant/evening wear type of designs, giving users more freedom when it comes to the physical appearance of the watch, which we reckon is pretty awesome.

OnePlus Pad

Following years of rumors, OnePlus’ first-ever tablet has finally been launched. We’re particularly excited about this simply because when it comes to Android tablets, there aren’t as many options these days compared to many years ago, and for the most part, Samsung largely dominates that market.

With the launch of the OnePlus Pad, we now have an alternative to look forward to. What’s interesting is that the OnePlus Pad actually features a 7:5 display aspect ratio, which according to the company has been designed to mimic an open book, making it perfect for users who want a tablet for reading purposes.

The specs are also pretty impressive as it uses MediaTek’s Dimensity 9000 chipset, and comes equipped with a 9,510mAh battery that OnePlus says is good for up to one month of standby time, or about 12 hours or so of video watching.