A number of the Wildest Devices at MWC Hardly ever See Life Past Barcelona. What Occurred to Them?

At Mobile World Congress this yr, we have seen Honor’s Robot Phone in motion, fallen in love with the lovely iMoochi and been wowed by the astonishing Leica-branded Leitzphone.

In the years CNET has been attending MWC, we have seen some superb units from corporations like Samsung, Xiaomi, Lenovo and Honor. But we have additionally seen a number of uncommon merchandise which have promised greater than they’ve delivered. 

From idea units which might be rapidly forgotten to new devices that boast revolutionary features, these are the MWC tech launches that arrived with a fanfare… however aren’t essentially the place you’d anticipate them to be as we speak. 

Humane AI pin

AI may nonetheless be the largest buzzword in tech, thanks to each telephone firm cramming their units with every kind of weird AI features. But at MWC 2024, one firm needed to take that additional. The Humane AI pin was a wearable badge that you could possibly discuss to and ask questions on your schedule, the climate or issues like sports activities outcomes. It might learn solutions out and even challenge them onto your hand with a laser. Because everybody loves lasers.

Sounds enjoyable, proper? And the corporate’s rhetoric round how AI-based units like this can substitute telephones sounded compelling. However, the product, nicely, sucked (simply ask CNET’s Scott Stein, who spent prolonged time with it), and the corporate was ultimately swallowed by HP, with the Pin itself ceasing to operate in February final yr. If you have been one of many early adopters, do tell us what you’ve got executed with that $699(!) paperweight now. 

Motorola Rizr

MWC is a good place to point out off ideas that may excite know-how nerds like us. Motorola has an excellent historical past of this on the present and the Rizr is one in every of my favorites. This telephone did not simply have a versatile show like we have seen on a lot of as we speak’s foldable telephones, its show might truly mechanically unroll on the push of a button, extending the highest of the display screen to present a extra immersive show for watching movies or taking part in video games. 

It was superb to see in particular person and it was definitely a unique concept on the right way to use versatile shows. But that is all it was; an concept. Motorola hasn’t deployed the Rizr’s mechanical unfurling into any of its merchandise, with its upcoming Razr Fold launch being simply an ordinary book-style foldable. The cause is apparent: The know-how is probably going costly and doubtless fragile too. Three years on and Motorola hasn’t mentioned a factor about this cool idea, however I’ll nonetheless hold my fingers crossed for this yr.

Xiaomi SU7 EV

Xiaomi is likely to be higher recognized for its very good digicam telephones, however the Chinese agency has fingers in lots of pies, together with scooters, vacuums, air fryers and, er, water pistols. It was no shock then that in MWC 2024, the corporate confirmed off its first EV, the Xiaomi SU7. With modern, sporty appears to be like and a promised vary of over 470 miles, I used to be excited. 

I used to be excited once more when the corporate confirmed off an much more performance-focused mannequin ultimately yr’s present, which had already delivered some blistering observe occasions on the notorious Nürburgring. But I’ve but to get behind the wheel. While Xiaomi is already producing and promoting automobiles in its native China, the corporate has no plans to launch within the UK or wider Europe till at the very least 2027 they usually virtually definitely will not promote within the US in any respect. 

As a consequence, I really feel like I’ve been teased considerably with the promise of this slick, highly effective EV that will have sat completely on my driveway. In actuality, I nonetheless have a giant wait forward of me, if the SU7 European launch occurs in any respect. Sales of the SU7 in China have surpassed these of the Tesla Model 3, in accordance with a report by Car News China. Meanwhile, the identical story exhibits that the SU7 Ultra’s gross sales have declined dramatically on account of quite a few controversies and lawsuits across the automotive and Xiaomi’s rollout.

Samsung Galaxy Ring

Samsung’s Galaxy Ring made for an attention-grabbing MWC in 2024. Here was a brand new sort of wearable that promised superior well being and health monitoring, whereas mixing into your each day life by sitting unobtrusively in your finger. And that is what it does, with CNET giving it a wholesome 8.5 out of 10 in our full evaluation. 

But that was in 2024, and a full two years later, I’m left questioning what’s occurring with the fantastic world of sensible jewellery. Samsung has made no official remark round a follow-up, via rumors counsel we might even see one in late 2026 or 2027. Smart ring producer Oura, in the meantime, has filed a public lawsuit against Samsung and different sensible ring corporations claiming patent infringement. This is probably going one of many causes we’ll have to attend for a Galaxy Ring 2. While different sensible rings do exist — just like the Oura Ring 4 — it is not a class that flourished after Samsung launched its ring. 

There’s no Google Pixel Ring, no Apple iRing and never even an LED-infused Nothing Ring (1). Most different sensible rings are made by smaller corporations, resembling Pebble’s just lately introduced $75 recyclable ring. Smart rings might have a spot on our arms for some time but, however Samsung’s prolonged delay in launching a follow-up may counsel that it is not precisely a precedence product. 

Motorola wrist telephone

I mentioned that the aforementioned Moto Rizr was “one of” my favourite MWC ideas.That’s as a result of the corporate’s versatile wrist telephone from 2024 completely takes my prime spot. This candybar-style Android telephone had a completely versatile physique that allow you to to wrap the entire thing round your wrist and put on it like one thing resembling Leela from Futurama’s wrist-mounted doodad. 

I discovered it extraordinarily intriguing. Here was a telephone that does not bulge out your skinny denims when it is in your pocket, however that is additionally only a look away like a smartwatch. And in comparison with the precision engineering required for the Rizr, the wrist telephone’s know-how appeared comparatively achievable. After all, we have already got versatile shows and this did not even require any specialised tiny motors — you simply whack it onto your wrist like a ’90s slap bracelet. 

But, just like the Rizr, the wrist-mounted telephone remained only a flight of fancy I skilled oh so briefly for just a few days in Spain. And like all vacation romance, maybe it is best for me to easily keep in mind it for what it was and never spend my days pining for what might have been.

With MWC 2026 just some days away I’m excited to see new and wild merchandise present their face, and I’m curious to see which ones could have endurance.