This year marks the 10th anniversary of Barcelona hosting the Mobile World Congress, the world's largest exhibition for the mobile industry and conference for mobile communication stakeholders. It is the most anticipated event where mobile carriers and manufacturers, content owners and users, technology providers and vendors, and general mobile enthusiasts gather from across the globe to see and discuss what's new in the rapidly-evolving world of mobile technology.
Barcelona was once again chosen to host the annual event, building on a long tradition of being a world leader in creativity and design. Apart from being a major hub for global business and technological innovation, the city's warm, Mediterranean climate, cosmopolitan atmosphere, numerous exhibition venues, well-connected transportation system, charming citizens and culture, many World Heritage Sites and other tourist attractions, and delicious cuisine all played a role in making the city a great host again and attracting a record 93,000 attendees from 200 countries to this year's edition.
Adding to the importance and influence of the MWC, 52% of this year's attendees were C-level executives (CEOs, CTOs, CMOs, etc.). They came to see the more than 2,000 exhibitors and 300 speakers who gave much insight into the future of mobile. Inspiring speakers from consumer brands, mobile operators, and other industries affected by the mobile market presented their ideas at various conference sessions. Keynote speakers included the CEOs from Ericsson, Deutsche Telekom, Huawei, Intel, Mastercard, Nokia, SAP, Telefonica, VMWare, Vodafone, and Facebook.
The various exhibitors of the show spent four days providing glimpses of exciting new devices, wearables, back-end solutions, new technologies, tablets, mobile apps, accessories, and more. Many new devices and services were announced and visitors were able to get their hands on the latest technology. Making particular splashes were the unveiling of virtual reality devices, smartphones, smartwatches, action cameras, a virtual phone network from Google, and even robots. There was also a particular focus in this year's event with pavilions dedicated to the future of mobile apps, green technology, mobile money, and wearables.
Apart from seeing the new gadgets and highlighting the best from the previous year with an Oscar-like award show hosted by John Cleese, the MWC also provided a one-of-a-kind opportunity for leaders of many organizations to network, creating unimaginable possibilities for future business. But the days in Barcelona were not all business, as the organizers made sure there was plenty of fun to be had at the event with different competitions and games, including a chance for top execs to challenge each other in the popular app, Trivia Crack. And after each day came to a close, Barcelona's night life provided multiple options for everyone to ditch the suits and let loose.
The MWC is an event like no other, gathering the best and brightest from around the world to discuss the biggest mobile news in one language that everyone understands - technology. At GBSB Global Business School, we know that in today’s world of globalization, intense competition, and instant communication, change is constant and technology drives that change.
The future of business will place a heavy influence on mobile technology as it continues to affect every aspect of our daily lives. Students at GBSB Global Business School in Barcelona studying one of our many business degrees are already learning how to cope with the constant change and use mobile to succeed in their various fields of study.
Hopefully, with hard work and innovation, they will one day be one of the leaders helping to mold the world at the Mobile World Congress.
Are you interested in seeing how GBSB Global Business School can help improve your career? Contact us at info@global-business-school.org
