It’s not every day that we got to experience the best of the best that the world of mobile technology and connectivity has to offer–all in one large, sprawling arena. It’s arguably every enthusiast’s dream, being able to run wild like a kid in a very expensive, chipset-powered candy store.
The Fira Barcelona Gran Via was our personal ground zero for hype as the Mobile World Congress (MWC) was set to bring in the crowds over the last five days of February–and bring the crowds they did.
While we weren’t there for its entirety, and covered barely half of its enormous venue, the offerings that OPPO, OnePlus, and a slew of other tech brands gave us in those three exciting days were more than enough to satisfy our burning tech-curiosity. I’ll be using the word tech a lot. I’d be remiss not to.
Hall 3 was definitely the place to be, and thankfully quite near the entrance. OPPO and OnePlus shared the floor, showcasing their latest and greatest in mobile phones, peripherals, and gadgetry. Both the OPPO Find N2 Flip and OnePlus 11 Concept were in full display, the latter being given a preview the day prior at Barcelona’s Hotel Majestic.
Alongside these flagship releases, OPPO also showcased the newest in their mobile ecosystem which featured several handy, quality-of-life items that not only provide a few creature comforts, but also line up with their 2050 pledge for carbon neutrality–a movement which they’ve been taking seriously, and look to strengthen in the years to come.
All this, plus an official partnership with the UEFA Champion’s league. No big deal, just football stars, Michael Owen and Luis Garcia coming on board.
As for OnePlus, we got a glimpse of some of their newest peripherals along with their latest release, the OnePlus 11 5G. Yes, that’s an actual OnePlus mechanical keyboard.
There’s a reason why we spent most of our time at Hall 3, as the other mobile brand heavy hitters were flaunting their wares there as well. HONOR’s new Magic5 Pro and the Magic Vs were some the first things you’d see upon entering the hall. Make a quick turn from OPPO’s booth and you’ll get to see Xiaomi’s latest tech offerings. Of course, lest we forget, big daddy Samsung with its newly updated Galaxy lineup.
Look a bit further, and you’ll catch a glimpse of both a retrospective and tease showcase courtesy of Lenovo and Motorola, where the former’s new rolling phone and laptop were under glass, right smack in the middle of the hall.
You’re sure to lose track of time in spite of the single hall’s size, and venturing even further would yield even more surprises for those who are interested in the connectivity and startup side of things. All in all, it’s not just an event, but an experience you’d definitely want to have.
Simply getting what we needed wasn’t enough. Already being there, we made the most out of our stay as we checked out a few unfamiliar things, talked to the attractive staff members (as one would), and especially in my case, fed the brain anything I could when it comes to tech. As someone fairly bright-eyed and bushy-tailed in this area of expertise, I made sure that MWC 2023 would not only be an exciting, but also a learning experience. I made sure that nothing was wasted.
Speaking of nothing, here’s a photo with Carl Pei who says he has some surprises coming up. Mysterious, yet chill as always.
Missed my chance to ask if it was just “nothing.”
Mobile World Congress 2023 was great, and absolutely one for the books. We’d like to thank OPPO for allowing us to tag along and take a look at what they’ve been cooking up.
That being said, the new OPPO Find N2 Flip is coming soon, and we’ll be giving you our first impressions in a couple of days. Stay tuned for it!