Device Advice – Mobile World Congress 2017
Welcome to a special edition of our ‘Device Advice’ blog series – sharing our thoughts and insights into some of the biggest releases from Mobile World Congress 2017.
This year’s Mobile World Congress (MWC) has come to a close and, as expected, it’s provided a platform for some of the most exciting announcements of the year so far.
From old to new
The four-day mobile technology exhibition, hosted in Barcelona, never fails to make headlines. This year two of the most well-publicised releases from MWC were the Nokia 3310 and the BlackBerry KeyOne.
The Nokia boasts a month-long battery life within a sturdy build and retails for around £40; whilst the BlackBerry KeyOne runs Android 7.0 Nougat and has a valuable feature in its DTEK security suite. This adds an additional layer of security protection for the user – and could be very useful for the enterprise.
A large portion of the people buying these devices will be attracted by the nostalgia-factor of using what was likely their first mobile phone (the Nokia) – or reverting back to a physical Qwerty keyboard when it comes to the BlackBerry. Despite this, there’s definitely still a strong market, particularly for the Nokia – whether as a phone for emergencies, a ‘digital detox’ device or even a first phone for children.
Motorola Moto Z ‘Moto Mods’
Since the Motorola Moto Z was released in the second half of 2016, there’s been a large consumer audience waiting with baited breath for the announcement of more ‘Moto Mods’ – the interchangeable modules designed to enhance the capabilities of the device according to the user’s requirements. At MWC, Motorola took to the stage to deliver just that.
The first was the Moto Power Pack mod, which Motorola claims will add 50 per cent more battery to the Moto Z – without adding any additional bulk to the device. Another new mod – the Gamepad Moto Mod – adds console controls to Moto Z devices, including joysticks and trigger buttons. The company also suggested that this mod will come preloaded with games, but didn’t give any names at this stage.
What’s even more exciting is that Motorola also revealed that its next series of mods will integrate with Amazon Alexa, providing voice control capabilities to rival the Amazon Echo.
5G
Another huge topic for discussion at MWC 2017 was 5G. Companies were keen to demonstrate the part they will play in the 5G revolution, and how they plan on harnessing the new network standard. Intel presented a prototype 5G network, complete with numerous connected devices – and visitors were able to see the flow of data between the products through an augmented reality display.
Verizon recently revealed its plans to trial 5G networks in 11 US cities, at MWC Cicso took to the stage to announce that it would be partnering with the wireless company. Cisco will provide a cloud-based 5G packet, arming Verizon with the architecture needed for its pre-commercial network trials.
Although the specifications of 5G are yet to be defined, the general consensus is that a telecommunications revolution is on its way.
