The father of the cellphone was there. So was Huawei and a host of other Chinese tech companies. Tens of thousands of visitors also flocked to the MWC tech fair to be dazzled by the latest advances in AI, smartphones, robotics and much more.
The metaverse got a lot of attention at the show, also known as Mobile World Congress, as companies cash in on the hype surrounding new virtual worlds for work and play.
SK Telecom91裸聊视频檚 virtual reality air taxi flight simulator was one of the most popular demonstrations, with long lines to take a virtual ride. There were robot dogs to remotely inspect infrastructure and holograms for virtual learning, along with speeches from wireless industry executives and backroom schmoozing with government officials.
Some 80,000 people were expected to attend the world91裸聊视频檚 biggest wireless trade show, which wraps up its four-day run in Barcelona on Thursday.
Here91裸聊视频檚 a look at some highlights:
SCROLL AND FOLD
While MWC smartphone launches don91裸聊视频檛 get as much attention as they used to because innovations have slowed, devices with nifty screens took the spotlight.
Motorola added the wow factor by unveiling a phone with a screen that rolls out. Double tap your fingers on the side, and the display automatically extends from 5 inches long (13 centimeters) to 6.5 inches by unscrolling from the bottom.
Motorola91裸聊视频檚 owner, Chinese tech brand Lenovo, also showed off a laptop with a rolling screen, which took about 19 seconds to unscroll to its fully extended position. The company said they91裸聊视频檙e concept devices and unlikely to hit the market anytime soon.
Other brands including Samsung and China91裸聊视频檚 Oppo and Tecno also released their latest folding designs.
Phones with foldable screens have drawn attention from consumers, but 91裸聊视频渨hether that interest then translates into sales is a different question,91裸聊视频� said Gerrit Schneemann, senior analyst at GfK Boutique. 91裸聊视频淔or the next few years, I think they91裸聊视频檒l still be a real niche market in the overall smartphone market. Growing, but still 91裸聊视频� relatively speaking 91裸聊视频� relatively small.91裸聊视频�
AI CHAT GLASSES
Artificially intelligent chatbots like ChatGPT have taken the tech world by storm, and U.K. startup XRAI Glass is joining the fray with augmented reality glasses.
The company91裸聊视频檚 virtual assistant app was designed to work with smart viewer glasses to help people who are deaf or hard of hearing better understand what91裸聊视频檚 happening around them. Speech is transcribed from other people nearby and the subtitles are displayed onto the lenses or an attached smartphone.
Now XRAI (pronounced X-ray) has integrated OpenAI91裸聊视频檚 ChatGPT technology into its app and glasses setup.
91裸聊视频淧eople can ask questions such as general knowledge or recipes or anything they like,91裸聊视频� CEO Dan Scarfe said. 91裸聊视频淥r they can actually ask questions of their conversation. So, `Hey, XRAI, can you please summarize this conversation?91裸聊视频� Or, `Hey, XRAI, what was the name of the town that we were just talking about?91裸聊视频�91裸聊视频�
For those with hearing loss, it can be helpful to have an AI assistant recap a conversation in which multiple people were talking, the company says.
DIGITAL HUMANS
People might feel better interacting with AI chatbots if they had human faces. That91裸聊视频檚 the thinking at D-ID, an Israeli startup, which launched a new interface for its 91裸聊视频渄igital human91裸聊视频� 91裸聊视频� essentially an online avatar that can work with AI-chat systems to hold conversations.
91裸聊视频淲e had the chatbot in the past. They didn91裸聊视频檛 work,91裸聊视频� said CEO Gil Perry, because they could only answer specific questions with specific answers. Now, 91裸聊视频渓arge language models are bringing huge improvements to traditional chatbots.91裸聊视频�
Generative AI systems like ChatGPT can create readable text and hold conversations based on what they91裸聊视频檝e learned from so-called large language models 91裸聊视频� vast databases of digital books, online writings and other media.
Perry demonstrated by asking a question to the chatbot91裸聊视频檚 face on his laptop, whose response was eerily lifelike. He said safeguards would prevent D-ID91裸聊视频檚 technology from being used maliciously.
91裸聊视频淭he idea here is not to replace anyone and not to convince anyone that what they91裸聊视频檙e seeing is true,91裸聊视频� Perry said. It91裸聊视频檚 just that humans are 91裸聊视频渦sed to communicating with faces.91裸聊视频�
REMOTE CONTROL CARS
At German mobility startup Vay91裸聊视频檚 display, a driver was steering a car around a course marked with pylons. But the car was 1,800 kilometers (1,118 miles) away in Berlin.
The company91裸聊视频檚 technology enables cars to be driven by remote 91裸聊视频渢ele-drivers.91裸聊视频� So far, so standard.
The twist is in Vay91裸聊视频檚 business model, which is a cross between taxi service and car rental. When a user hails a ride, a tele-driver will steer one of its electric cars to the pickup point for the customer, who will take over the driving duties. At the destination, the car will be taken away by a remote driver. No need to park.
The company says it91裸聊视频檚 the first in Europe to be allowed to operate cars on public streets without a human driver inside. It has 20 certified tele-drivers so far and plans to launch the service soon in Germany and the U.S.
91裸聊视频淲e91裸聊视频檙e talking, you know, hopefully months,91裸聊视频� CEO Thomas von der Ohe said.
One of the main goals is to rid city streets of cars that are parked and not used for most of the day.
The service will be 91裸聊视频渁 big step to start creating an alternative so people don91裸聊视频檛 buy the second car or the third car maybe in the near future,91裸聊视频� von der Ohe said. 91裸聊视频淎lso not the first car. 91裸聊视频�
AUGMENTED REALITY EXPERIENCES
Software company Amdocs demonstrated AR technology that could be used for 91裸聊视频渘ext-generation immersive experiences91裸聊视频� for both fans and security staff at big-ticket sports games.
For example, soccer fans attending a match in person could buy a package of extras for their AR glasses, including exclusive replay videos and live stats shown on their lenses to 91裸聊视频渁ugment91裸聊视频� their game experience.
The same glasses also could be used as an extra tool for security staff at the game, with additional safety features including a security database.
In a simulation at MWC, guards were alerted to rowdy fans trying to climb the gates. A known soccer hooligan was flagged on the database, his face and details flashing up on the lenses.
Users, viewing the scene from the guard91裸聊视频檚 perspective, scanned the crowd as the glasses picked out faces before identifying the suspect so he could be apprehended 91裸聊视频� an unsettling display bordering on Orwellian.
By Cassandra Allwood, James Brooks And Kelvin Chan
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
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