10 BEST PRODUCTS FROM THE MOBILE WORLD CONGRESS 2015

The 10 Best Products From MWC 2015
By Alex Colon, PC Magazine, 5 March 2015.

Mobile World Congress 2015 wasn't short on innovation this year. And with all the biggest names in mobile technology gathered together in one spot, there was practically a cool new device or technology to see no matter where you turned. It was tough to narrow down, but we rounded up our 10 favourite products and announcements at the show.

Going over this list, it becomes clear that the scope of MWC was bigger and more diverse than ever this year. We saw the introduction of two new flagship handsets from HTC and Samsung, both of which easily earn the title of best in show. We also saw some great new wearables and digital home devices, which show just how far mobile technology has come. And then there were the oddballs, like a “magic mirror,” along with promising new technology announcements the likes of Google and Qualcomm.

From our very first meetings on Saturday morning, to the opening of the actual show floor on Monday, the energy at MWC this year was palpable. So while MWC might have once felt like CES redux, this year it's certainly arguable that MWC is the show to see.

So without further ado, here are the 10 products and announcements that left the biggest impression on us this year. They don't all have prices, and some might not even make it to the U.S. But these are definitely the devices and technologies to look for in the year ahead, and we're glad we got a chance to see them early in the game.

1. Samsung Galaxy S6

Samsung answered critics in a big way with this year's Galaxy S6. It wins big points thanks to premium design aesthetics and its incredible AMOLED display, while every component has been upgraded from last year's forgettable Galaxy S5. Will it be enough to make up lost ground? We'll see when the phone hits retail shelves this Spring. For more, see our hands on and roundup of The Samsung Galaxy S6's 10 Coolest Features.

2. HTC One M9

While its Korean rival is finally making design strides, HTC quietly iterates on the already strong design lineage for its One flagship. The One M9 looks like a work of art, beautifully crafted from brushed aluminium with serious upgrades to the camera. It's not the radical upgrade that the Galaxy S6 represents, but it continues HTC's tradition of making some of the most stunning phones available. For more, see our hands on and 9 Reasons You'll Want the HTC One M9.

3. LG Watch Urbane LTE

True to its name, the Watch Urbane LTE is LTE­-enabled, which helps explain why the thing is so incredibly large - LG had to fit an LTE modem in there somewhere. Although LG won't say the Urbane LTE is running webOS, it is running something that looks awfully similar, and even in this first iteration, it's far more intuitive than Android Wear has managed to become in nearly a year. Check out our hands on.

4. Huawei Watch

The Huawei Watch might just be the best-looking Android Wear device I've seen to date. The super-sharp display is protected by a layer of sapphire glass, which is something you'll find on many traditional wristwatches. Also sticking with tradition are elements such as the crown, lugs, and frame here, which are features you don't always associate with a smartwatch. Huawei is going for something really classic and elegant, and from the few models I saw, I really dig it.

5. Sony Xperia Z4 Tablet

Though it represents a somewhat iterative update to the Z2 Tablet it replaces, the Xperia Z4 Tablet is deserving of the highest praise. At 0.24 inches thick, Sony matches the Apple iPad Air 2 in thinness. Weighing in at 13.97 ounces, it's also over a full ounce lighter. Plus, it's still waterproof like its predecessors, which is a rarity in the tablet world. [More at Sony]

6. Samsung Pay

Not to be outdone by Apple or Google, Samsung unveiled its own mobile payment system at this year's Mobile World Congress. Samsung Pay will debut on the newly announced Galaxy S6 and S6 Edge, adding tap-to-pay functionality that will be instantly compatible with thousands of payment systems worldwide. Uninventive moniker aside, Samsung Pay is one of the more exciting options we've seen thus far. The reason is the technology behind the system, which uses a combination of NFC and magnetic stripe transmission (MST) for greater versatility than either standard alone. For more, see our hands on.

7. Qualcomm Zeroth

Qualcomm's “Project Zeroth" is an attempt to give your smartphone an actual brain. The buzzword is "deep-learning neural networks," which describes an attempt to get computers to think in a fuzzy, nonlinear manner by modelling the way humans and other animals think. Qualcomm takes the neural network concept and overlays it on a system-on-a-chip. Zeroth is the code that lights up the whole thing, in brief flashes, as a neural network filled with cells that quickly interpret fuzzy data. Initially, the neural code will be "trained" at Qualcomm. But as time goes on, applications could develop that learn as they go, while the phone is in your hands. [More at Qualcomm]

8. Runcible

The Runcible is one of the most audacious phone designs we've seen in recent memory, eschewing the standard rectangular shape in favour of a palm-sized circle. Design firm Monhom is reimagining what a phone can and should be, and the result is intriguing to say the least.

9. LG Magic Mirror

Snow White would love LG's Magic Mirror, which uses Android to run an app that analyzes your complexion. There's a semi-transparent, touch display at the bottom right corner of the mirror, and after requesting an analysis, you'll receive a diagnosis on the condition of your skin, complete with recommend cosmetics and other related content. The mirror didn't tell me that I'm the fairest one of all, but it did give me a 92 percent rating, which is good enough for me.

10. Google MVNO

During an MWC keynote, Google confirmed that it intends to operate a phone service, mostly likely in partnership with an existing carrier. This would basically make Google a Mobile Virtual Network Operator (MVNO), much like Virgin Mobile is to Sprint. It would allow the company to launch a comprehensive service, without needing to go through the trouble of actually building a network. Details about the service are scarce, but it's an interesting move for Google, especially considering the impact of Google Fibre thus far.

[Source: PC Magazine. Edited. Some links added.]