The Mobile World Congress 2014, Barcelona brought up the best smartphone launches alongside tablets, phablets, smart wearable gadgets and future ready mobility technologies, making their big debut. And yes, it was Android that dominated the show most of the time.

The Mobile computing world converged on the MWC 2014 four day technology event to experience the best of mobile technology on display. Here are some glimpses on what the big mobile names had in store at the event.

We’ll start off with Nokia, which in a move away from its home grown mobile OS Symbian, Nokia has broken monotony and embraced Android to gain some of its lost glory. By announcing the Android based Nokia X family handsets at MWC 2014, Nokia is hoping to penetrate the low-end, competitively priced smartphone segment by offering its users a mix of Asha and Windows Phone experience.




The South Korean smartphone manufacturer Samsung officially launched its flagship smartphone - the Galaxy S5. It’s a water and dust proof handset. Save for its finger scanning and heart rate sensor features, the phone just tags along similar lines of its predecessor, the S4. Another great launch from Samsung is Gear 2, a wearable smart watch with Tizen OS. It’s vibrantly colored, curved AMOLED screen brings notifications from your phone while taking viewable health measurements.




Next, the Chinese vendor Huawei launched the MediaPad X1 tablet, a 7.1 inch device with 4G browsing capability and a SIM to make calls. Its likeable, shiny metal body wins you over. Though it’s hard to define as a phone - market wise, it’s bound to make a dent.




Priced at a cheeky $25, the Firefox smartphone saw its launch at MWC 2014. It has a Spreadtrum processor that makes tasks such as web browsing, app installation, managing contacts run on quarter of the memory required by an Android based phone. It is targeted at budget users who need a smartphone with features but at a price tag that’s to their liking.



The waterproof Xperia Z2 from Sony also made its debut at the MWC 2014. It has taken the 4K technology to new heights. It can shoot video in 4k with its 20.7 MP camera, offering an exhilarating experience to its users.




Geekphone’s much talked about Blackphone was an attraction at MWC 2014. The smartphone handset promises to provide full privacy to its users. No tracking of calls, app usage, emails, et al. Blackphone comes with technology that makes it possible to put a stop to tracking of almost any activity that can be linked back to the phone. Blackphone is encased in a 4.7 inch black body with a hi-res screen and runs on PrivatOS, a modified version of Android. It’s a pricey phone built for the high-end users – privacy comes at a price!





 HTC announced its mid-range flagship, the HTC Desire 816 that is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon quad-core processor. It is encased in glossy plastic and boasts a 5.5-inch HD display and a 13 MP camera.

Apart from mobiles, tablets and phablets, a number of intelligent gadgets from device manufacturers and technology providers from around the world were also on display. Fujitsu’s Smart Glove (to be launched post 2015) prototype was one such intelligent device. It’s a wearable smart glove that finds out glitches hitting any piece of machinery on the work floor.

A smart piece of hi-tech gadgetry, Smart Glove is apt at pinpointing faults in machines. It does so by displaying it on the screen of wearable augmented reality glasses. The maintenance staff just has to wear the smart glove and point it to the machinery. The wearable glasses will then show where the problem is - and also suggest a fix for it!

Imagine a smartphone camera that provides optical zoom function without actually having any optical zooms.  Developed by Corephotonics, this technology has been presented at the MWC 2014. Experts believe this technology will change smartphone photography in a big way.

Although MWC 2014 was dominated by high-end smartphones and tablets, it was also somewhat evident that the craze for megapixels and gigabytes seems to be winding down a bit. The appreciable display of biometrics, sensors and wearable gizmos very much pointed towards a momentum that’s gaining new ground and disclosing future trend setters of the mobile world.