Here are my five takeaways from the Mobile World Congress 2015. Read these for a day 1, 2, 3 recap of the Congress.
- With nearly 100 thousand delegates, MWC is undisputably the world’s largest mobile conference and a can’t-miss event… unless you’re into innovation, then go to 4YFN, which takes place the same week (props to Robin Wauters for the quote).
- Internet of Things is definitely a thing. All eight finalists from the startup competition in the IoT track were impressively solid.
- A stroll through Hall 8.1 convinced me that the mobile ad tech and solutions space is beyond saturated. I expect a lot of casualties.
- Who said the Japanese cannot design gorgeous smartphones? Freetel offers the slickest, most aesthetically-pleasing Android phone I’ve ever seen. It’s dual-sim too, which just might spur me into an early upgrade from my Samsung Win Quattro (which has never let me down for the past 18 months).
- France seems to have finally grasped the importance of holding a coherent presence of French mobile startups at MWC. This year’s French pavillion struck me as the most lavish and confident of all the country installations. Well done, LaFrenchTech !
