In the current landscape of powerful yet somewhat predictable phones and laptops, major companies like Samsung, Motorola, and Lenovo are striving to break the monotony. In an effort to capture attention and spark interest, they use platforms like Mobile World Congress to showcase what they believe could be the future of our beloved devices.
These companies are unveiling groundbreaking tech innovations that challenge traditional form factors. Imagine a phone that seamlessly bends around your wrist or a transparent laptop. While these concepts may seem unconventional at first, these tech brands are hoping to change our perception.
At Mobile World Congress, various exhibits are showcasing future display concepts. One notable example is the Samsung Cling Band, a hybrid phone-smartwatch-fitness tracker that wraps around your wrist like a futuristic slap bracelet. The idea is to provide a larger touchscreen interface, eliminating the constraints of a small smartwatch display. Although the Cling Band is currently in a rudimentary concept stage, it envisions a device where scrolling through photos, browsing Instagram, and composing messages become more intuitive.
For a more developed concept, Motorola offers its "adaptive display concept," teased last year and now available for hands-on experience at the trade show. The device functions as a standard Android phone when flat but transforms into a smartwatch by bending around the wrist, held in place by a magnetic strap. It offers notifications and app scrolling in a compact, wearable form.
However, the success of such innovations hinges on the identification of clear use cases. Questions arise about the necessity of a phone doubling as a watch and the practicality of wearing a bulky device on the wrist. As these companies continue refining these concepts, they seek answers to these questions, determining whether these futuristic ideas will ever become a reality in our tech-driven world!
It’s not all mobile innovation, with Lenovo presenting a visionary laptop concept that stole the spotlight at this year’s MWC. The future is crystal clear (quite literally) with a laptop boasting a fully transparent 17.3-inch micro-LED display. This see-through whiteboard-like screen allows users to overlay the real world with digital content from their laptop. The device features a transparent keyboard, eliminating physical keys and doubling as a drawing board with pen support.
Oppo also joins the innovation parade at MWC with the debut of the Air Glass 3, its latest smart glasses prototype. These glasses interact with Oppo's AI assistant and feature a new resin waveguide to minimise the "rainbow effect" caused by light passing through lenses. Touch sensors on the side facilitate navigation, and the glasses offer functionalities such as viewing pictures, making calls, and playing music.Â
The tech industry's pursuit of innovation is evident in the recurring themes of bendy, rollable, and transparent displays. Recent examples include LG's transparent OLED TV and Samsung's micro-LED transparent displays at CES this year, as well as Motorola's rollable screen phone showcased at last year's MWC. While these concepts signal exciting possibilities, their real-world availability may still be distant. Yet, considering the trajectory of foldable smartphones and rollable TVs, it's a reminder that with patience—and deep pockets—innovations may eventually become reality!