The GSMA on Tuesday announced the first details of the 2017 Mobile World Congress, including exhibitors, sponsors, programmes and activities taking place at the annual mobile industry event. Under the theme Mobile: The Next Element, Mobile World Congress will be held from February 27 to March 2, 2017 at Fira Gran Via in Barcelona, with events also taking place at Fira Montju'c. The GSMA expects that more than 101,000 professionals from across the mobile industry and adjacent industry sectors will attend Mobile World Congress 2017.
Over the past three decades, mobile has evolved from an emerging communications technology to a phenomenon that is now at the foundation of everything we do. It has inextricably changed how we communicate, interact, work and play as individuals, and its transforming entire industries, bringing new levels of productivity and efficiency to enterprises, said Michael O'Hara, Chief Marketing Officer, GSMA. The 2017 edition of Mobile World Congress will highlight just how elemental mobile has become in our everyday lives and the positive impact it is having for billions of people around the world.
Exhibition Puts Spotlight on Innovation
As always, the exhibition at Mobile World Congress brings together the leading players from across the mobile ecosystem, as well as adjacent industry sectors such as automotive and consumer electronics, putting the spotlight on the innovative products, services and technologies that are shaping the mobile landscape. More than 2,200 companies will exhibit at Mobile World Congress 2017, including major brands such as AOL, Cisco Systems, Deutsche Telekom, Ericsson, Ford, Google, Hewlett Packard Enterprise, HTC, Huawei, IBM, Intel, Lenovo, LG, Mercedes-Benz, Microsoft, NEC, Nokia Solutions and Networks, Oracle, Orange, Philips Lighting, Qualcomm Incorporated, Samsung Electronics, SAP, Sony Mobile, Telefnica, Vodafone, Volkswagen and ZTE, among others.
Relocated to Hall 4, the GSMA Innovation City will again be a highlight of the Mobile World Congress exhibition, with confirmed partners including AT&T, Cisco Jasper, KT Corporation and Sierra Wireless.
NEXTech: The New Mobile World Congress Destination
New for Mobile World Congress 2017, NEXTech in Hall 8.0 is one of the event's most exciting destinations, with pavilions and experience zones showcasing cutting-edge technology trends, as well as theatres hosting a range of partner events and educational sessions. NEXTech Pavilions will bring together the companies leading innovation in areas such as artificial intelligence, drones, the Internet of Things (IoT), robotics and virtual reality/augmented reality, among others.
In the Drone Zone, attendees can learn about the latest developments in consumer and commercial drone technology, including live demonstrations in the flying cage, while the Robotics and Artificial Intelligence Zone will be dedicated to the evolution and advancement of robot technology.
Attendees will also have the opportunity immerse themselves in a series of 360-degree experiences in the Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality Zone or visit the IoT Pavilion to see how millions of things are getting connected, creating smart homes, smart cities and smart industries. Back for a second year, the Graphene Pavilion will showcase the impact of graphene on many of the building block components of the mobile industry, such as display, sensor and chip technologies, among others.
Partner Programmes and Power Hour sessions, developed by leading players from across the mobile ecosystem, provide invaluable learning opportunities for Mobile World Congress attendees.
The first confirmed Partner Programmes include Adobe, Gionee Communication Equipment, Huawei, IBM, Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB), McCann Worldgroup, MMS, Modern Marketing Summit (formally Mobile Media Summit), Phillips, Taiwan Excellence and Visa. ICAR is the first confirmed Power Hour Presenter.
MOBILE WORLD CONGRESS CONFERENCE PROGRAMME
The conference at Mobile World Congress will be held 27 February - 2 March and will explore topics such as connecting the unconnected, digital commerce, digital content, disruptive technologies, enterprise mobility, financial services, IoT and connected living, mobile identity and privacy, next-generation networks and security, among others. The Call for Papers for the Mobile World Congress conference is currently open and submissions will be accepted through 23:59 GMT on Friday, 16 September.
MWC TOURS: MAXIMISING ATTENDANCE AT MOBILE WORLD CONGRESS
Building on the success of the inaugural programme in 2016, GSMA will again offer the MWC Tours, a series of topic and exhibition-focused tours to address the specific needs of different audiences at Mobile World Congress.