MWC 2026 updates: Phones, foldables, robots, and all the tech we expect to see

Mobile World Congress is a mobile-focused trade show that takes place every year in Barcelona, Spain. In addition to smartphones, we also see plenty of tablets, wearables, audio products, and other gadgets on the show floor.

Of course, we’ll be in Barcelona to cover the event and all the associated happenings. Here’s what to expect from companies at MWC 2026.

MWC 2026: Important information

• What is MWC? MWC stands for Mobile World Congress. It’s the largest yearly mobile-focused convention in the world. It hosted over 109,000 attendees in 2025. These attendees include mobile network operators, device maufacturers, tech providers, vendors, and more.
• When is MWC 2026? MWC 2026 takes place from Monday, March 2, to Thursday, March 5.
• Where is MWC 2026? MWC 2026 takes place in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain, primarily at the Fira Gran Via convention halls. However, separate announcements and events also take place at other locations in the city.
• Is MWC 2026 open to the public? Unlike other major tech conventions, such as CES, MWC makes it pretty simple for people to attend. The event is open to the public as long as attendees pay for registration. You can find all the details here.

Google has already announced the Pixel 10a, and the company usually doesn’t launch new hardware at MWC. That said, Google does tend to announce software updates around the event. We’re expecting the March Pixel and Android Drops to happen as MWC 2026 kicks off. We also expect to see some cool demos at Google’s annual Android Avenue setup on the show floor.

HONOR has already launched the Magic 8 Pro in global markets, but the company has a few more tricks up its sleeve. The company confirmed last month that its HONOR Robot Phone (seen above) and Magic V6 foldable phone would be shown off at MWC 2026.

The Robot Phone is a smartphone with a gimbal-mounted rear camera, enabling smoother video capture in theory. Meanwhile, the Magic V6 would be a follow-up to the impressive Magic V5 book-style foldable phone. Either way, this already looks like a better showing for HONOR than last year’s event.

Apart from phones, HONOR has also confirmed that it’ll reveal a humanoid robot at MWC, which, from what we understand, will focus on domestic chores.

Motorola is almost always present in Barcelona, and we’re expecting the company to make an appearance in 2026 as well. We already know Motorola will launch a book-style foldable phone later this year, dubbed the Razr Fold. At MWC 2026, the company is teasing a full announcement for the device.

In a recent post on X, Motorola teased that it’ll get into “every detail” about the new foldable on March 2. Tipster Evan Blass has also leaked a FIFA edition of the Razr Fold, which is something the company could also showcase alongside the standard model on the day.

It also seems like a safe bet that the company could showcase a couple of technology concepts at MWC 2026. The firm revealed the Motorola Rizr vertical rollable concept in 2023 (seen above) and the Adaptive Display Concept in 2024. The latter was effectively a phone that wraps around your wrist.

Motorola’s parent company, Lenovo, will also be at MWC 2026, although it hasn’t revealed further details. It used last year’s event to demonstrate a Z-folding laptop, as well as a concept smart ring that works with a laptop.

Nothing is launching the 4a series and a new pair of headphones on March 5, which is the last day of MWC. The company has already revealed what the devices look like, with the Nothing 4a getting a new Glyph comprising six white LED squares and one red one, and the Headphone (a) in its bold yellow colorway.

Don’t expect a Nothing Phone 4, though. The company recently confirmed that it has no plans to launch a new flagship phone in 2026.

There’s bad news if you were hoping to see OnePlus announcements at MWC 2026. The company confirmed to that it won’t be attending the expo. As for OPPO, the company is apparently working on the Find N6 foldable phone and the Find X9 Ultra smartphone. However, we’re not expecting OPPO to actually launch these products in Barcelona.

Qualcomm doesn’t usually reveal major smartphone processors in Barcelona. Instead, the company has used the last few MWC events to announce new flagship modems. The firm announced its X80 modem at MWC 2024 and the X85 modem at last year’s event. It therefore stands to reason that its next-gen modem might be revealed at MWC 2026.

Samsung has already launched the Galaxy S26 series and there’s a good chance these phones will be on display in Barcelona. Otherwise, the company typically skips MWC for product launches these days. But we hope the company shows off its Android XR glasses. We’re also expecting Samsung Display to show off a variety of display concepts, much like its dual-folding flip phone and foldable handheld seen last year.

TCL will be attending MWC 2026, but it hasn’t actually hinted at any plans just yet. We’re guessing that the company will announce more NXTPAPER phones or tablets in Spain. The company also has a slew of smart glasses under its RayNeo brand, so expect to see these products on the show floor as well. And who knows, maybe we’ll see its first Android XR products in some capacity?

TECNO is another long-time MWC attendee, and it’s already previewed its lineup for MWC 2026. For starters, the company’s camera-focused Camon 50 phones will be unveiled in Barcelona. These phones will have an Essential Space-like feature and a host of other AI additions. TECNO will also unveil the POVA 8 series, hinting at distinctive designs and long battery life.

However, one of the most interesting devices the company will show is a slim, new modular concept phone designed to let users snap hardware modules onto it without turning it into a bulky brick.

Xiaomi has used the last few MWCs to launch its flagship phones in global markets. The company typically launches these devices a day or two before the expo actually kicks off. It launched the Xiaomi 15 and Xiaomi 15 Ultra last year, along with a host of ecosystem products.

As for MWC 2026? Xiaomi will be launching the Xiaomi 17 and Xiaomi 17 Ultra flagships. The firm also offers a wide range of ecosystem products, so don’t be surprised to see new wearables, tablets, and/or audio gadgets.

Another hot topic last year was a curious snap-on camera concept. Will we see this add-on camera becoming a commercial reality in 2026? We’ll have to wait and see.

ZTE has confirmed its presence at MWC 2026. The firm said that it will unveil “cutting-edge solutions and products, highlighting AI-native connectivity, efficient and low-carbon computing infrastructure, and innovative smart home and personal devices.”

For what it’s worth, the company showed off devices like the Nubia Focus 2 and the Nubia GT Neo 3 series (seen above) last year. The former device had a rotating rear camera ring for some satisfying camera zoom controls, while the latter phones are among the few budget offerings with shoulder buttons. Here’s hoping the intriguing Nubia Fold gets a wider release in Barcelona.