The GSMA on November 28 announced the first details of the 2018 GSMA Mobile World Congress Shanghai, including confirmed exhibitors and sponsors, as well as a range of programmes and activities taking place at the annual mobile industry event. Under the theme 'Discover a Better Future', Mobile World Congress Shanghai will be held from June 27 - 29, 2018 at the Shanghai New International Expo Centre (SNIEC). The GSMA expects that more than 60,000 professionals from across the mobile ecosystem and adjacent industries will gather for the 2018 event.
'Today, mobile connects more than two-thirds of the world's population. It revolutionises industries and improves our lives, creating exciting new opportunities in our global communities, while providing lifelines of hope and reducing inequality,' said Michael O'Hara Chief Marketing Officer, GSMA. 'Innovation is at the very heart of a better future for all and Mobile World Congress Shanghai will showcase the technologies, products and services that are fuelling this innovation.'
Covering seven halls at the SNIEC, the Mobile World Congress Shanghai exhibition will showcase the leading products, services and technologies that are shaping the future of mobile, from handsets and devices to network infrastructure, software and services and much more. Major event partners include China Mobile and Huawei; the two companies will also have a presence in the exhibition alongside more than 600 participating companies overall, including AAC Acoustic, AsiaInfo, BICS, China Transport Telecommunication and Information, Continental, Datang, Ericsson, Gemalto, Gionee, H3C Technologies, Hengtong Optic-Electric, HTC, Nokia, Qualcomm, RFS, Rohde & Schwarz, Samsung LSI, STMicroelectronics, Volkswagen and ZTE, among others.
A top destination at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, NEXTech is making its way to Mobile World Congress Shanghai. Located in Hall W5 of the SNIEC, NEXTech puts the spotlight on next-generation technology, with focused exhibition areas showcasing companies and innovative technologies that are driving disruption across the entire mobile ecosystem. NEXTech will highlight cutting-edge technologies including VR and AR, robotics, connected and autonomous cars, and artificial intelligence. NEXTech will also feature 4 Years From Now (4YFN), with an exhibition showcasing over 100 local and international startups. The 4YFN programme will also encompass a series of startup collaboration and investor networking activities.
The GSMA Innovation City will again be a major highlight at Mobile World Congress Shanghai, enabling attendees to experience technology in context, illustrating how mobile-connected products and services can improve daily lives and transform industries in areas such as automotive, healthcare, smart homes, transport logistics and more.
The Youth Mobile Festival (YoMo) will return to Mobile World Congress Shanghai and once again provide an engaging, fun and hands-on educational experience for young people and families to experience the power of science, technology, engineering, arts/design and maths (STEAM) disciplines.
The 2018 Mobile World Congress Shanghai conference programme will be held 27 - 29 June in the SNIEC. In addition to four keynote sessions, the conference incorporates seven focused summits including the 5G Summit, the Artificial Intelligence (AI) Summit, the Future Vehicles Summit, the Marketing Excellence Summit, the Future Operator Summit, the Global Device Summit and the Internet of Things (IoT) Summit. New for 2018, Mobile World Congress Shanghai will feature the Leaders Stage, where industry leaders, heads of government and other thought leaders will offer their perspectives and insights on a wide range of topics including societal issues, economy and commerce, the world of work, and much more.
Following its highly successful launch at Mobile World Congress 2017, the Women4Tech programme is coming to Shanghai. Women4Tech is designed to address and reduce the gender gap in the mobile industry. A central element of the programme is the Women4Tech Summit, which will bring together senior-level speakers and panellists to discuss how to ensure gender equality in mainstream work environments, and share strategic advice on broadening gender diversity in mobile and related industries. The Summit will highlight topics around women's role in empowering, encouraging, transforming and innovating in technology. Additional Women4Tech activities include a speed coaching and networking session, specialised tours, activities at 4YFN and Women4Tech Asia Mobile (AMO) Awards for Outstanding Achievement Asia Industry Leadership, among others.
Mobile World Congress Shanghai has again been officially certified by the British Standards Institution as carbon neutral under the international PAS 2060 standard, reinforcing its position as the largest carbon neutral exhibition and conference in Asia. The GSMA implemented a range of measures to reduce emissions for Mobile World Congress Shanghai 2017, resulting in a greenhouse gas reduction of more than 104 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent. To compensate for the remaining carbon footprint, the GSMA is supporting United Nations-certified projects in China, including a waste gas for power generation project in Shaanxi, as well as a hydropower station project in Gansu.