[MWC26]From AI to Mobility... The Global Technology Competition Has Begun

The world's largest mobile exhibition, Mobile World Congress (MWC), officially opened on March 2nd (local time). At this year’s MWC, global companies such as Samsung Electronics, Huawei, and Xiaomi, as well as mobile carriers, are engaging in a fierce competition in a wide range of IT fields, including artificial intelligence (AI), networks, and semiconductors.

Organized by the Global System for Mobile Communications Association (GSMA), MWC will be held for four days through March 5th at Fira Gran Via, the largest exhibition center in Europe, located in Barcelona, Spain. This year marks the 20th anniversary of MWC, with around 2,900 companies from 205 countries participating. GSMA has set this year's MWC theme as "The IQ Era."

A large MWC sculpture has been installed at the entrance of the Fira Gran Via exhibition center in Barcelona, Spain, on March 1, 2026 (local time), ahead of the opening of the Mobile World Congress (MWC) 2026. Photo by Jinhyung Kang

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On the 1st (local time), ahead of the opening of Mobile World Congress (MWC) 2026, a Samsung Electronics Galaxy AI promotional flag was installed at the entrance of Fira Gran Via Exhibition Hall in Barcelona, Spain. 2026.3.1 Photo by Jinhyung Kang

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The atmosphere around Barcelona was vibrant in anticipation of the MWC. At the arrivals hall of El Prat International Airport, the gateway to Barcelona, promotional ads for Xiaomi and Huawei’s MWC campaigns were displayed, and banners celebrating the opening of MWC lined the streets. Near the venue, Fira Gran Via, advertisements from companies such as Samsung Electronics, Huawei, Xiaomi, and Ericsson were also prominently visible.

On the opening day, the exhibition hall was packed with visitors and company representatives waiting to enter. The continuous stream of attendees meant that it took tens of minutes just to get inside the venue.

A tour of the MWC site revealed that the event has expanded beyond telecommunications and mobile to encompass the entire spectrum of IT technologies, including AI, semiconductors, robotics, and mobility. At each company’s booth, not only mobile devices and network technologies but also AI models, data centers, and system semiconductors were widely showcased. Xiaomi drew attention by exhibiting an electric vehicle with a concept design.

Korean companies also set up exhibition booths to welcome visitors. Samsung Electronics, SK Telecom, and LG Uplus established their booths in Hall 3, where global mobile and IT companies congregated, while KT set up its booth in Hall 4. Samsung Electronics’ Network Business Division and Samsung Display also prepared separate exhibition areas. This year, about 180 Korean companies are participating in MWC.

On the 2nd (local time), at the Mobile World Congress (MWC) 2026 held at Fira Gran Via exhibition center in Barcelona, Spain, a robot demonstrating the future envisioned by the AI agent 'IXIO' at the LG Uplus booth is placing laundry into a basket. 2026.03.02. Photo by Jinhyung Kang

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Specifically, SK Telecom is showcasing AI models, infrastructure, and services under the theme of "Full Stack AI," and is allowing visitors to experience its large language model (LLM), "A.Dot X K1." KT decorated its booth with the theme of "Gwanghwamun Square," displaying AI Transformation (AX) solutions and the robot platform "K RaaS." LG Uplus is focusing on "Human-Centric AI," exhibiting its AI Call Agent and personalized AI agent "IXIO Pro." LG Uplus is also demonstrating the operation of a home assistant robot connected to IXIO Pro, and is exhibiting immersion cooling technology at the same time.

Samsung Electronics also built its booth around the Galaxy S26 series, which was introduced at last month's Unpacked event. In addition to new form factor devices such as the Galaxy XR and Galaxy Trifold, the booth showcased Galaxy Tab, Galaxy Book, Galaxy Buds, and other devices from the Galaxy ecosystem. There was also a section where visitors could experience the new features of the Galaxy S26 series firsthand.

Noh Taemun, President and CEO of Samsung Electronics (Head of DX Division), and Jung Jaehun, President of SK Telecom, are taking photos with the Galaxy S26 Ultra at the Samsung Electronics booth during the Mobile World Congress (MWC) 2026 held at Fira Gran Via Exhibition Center in Barcelona, Spain, on March 2, 2026 (local time). Photo by Jinhyung Kang

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CEOs of major domestic companies also visited the MWC venue. On this day, Jung Jaehun, CEO and President of SK Telecom, and Hong Beomsik, CEO of LG Uplus, each visited the Samsung Electronics booth and attended a demonstration of the new Galaxy products with Noh Taemun, President and Head of DX Division at Samsung Electronics.

President Jung showed interest in the Galaxy S26 series, noting that its price had increased compared to the previous model and asking about the status of pre-order sales. After witnessing a demonstration of the Galaxy S26 Ultra’s privacy display, he commented, "All the privacy film companies must have gone out of business," and added, "It seems like the technology has been custom-developed to fit exactly what customers need."

CEO Hong, after trying the Ambient Mode (ambient sound listening) feature of the Galaxy Buds4 Pro, joked, "The function is so good. I should buy one for my daughter, so please give me a discount." After experiencing the Galaxy XR, he commented, "It’s very good and much better than I expected. It also feels much lighter in reality."

Meanwhile, President Jung also toured the booths of Meta and Xiaomi. Regarding Xiaomi, he said, "In the era of AI, I believe everything will be connected, and Xiaomi seems to be trying to prove that it can directly implement the entire connection structure itself. It’s impressive."

On March 2nd (local time), attendees crowded the Fira Gran Via exhibition center in Barcelona, Spain, where the Mobile World Congress (MWC) 2026 was held. 2026.03.02. Photo by Kang Jinhyung

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