The imagination runs wild.

In sunny Barcelona, MWC25 has been held for two days.

As one of the most anticipated electronic exhibitions for consumer electronics enthusiasts, and also the largest and most influential annual exhibition of mobile communication electronics technology in the world, MWC brings together products, technologies, and concepts from around the world, showing us the possibilities and directions of smartphones and consumer brands in the coming years.

After sending a reporting team to Las Vegas, USA, earlier this year to cover CES 2025 on the ground, Leitech this time sent a reporting team led by senior editors "Dingxi" and "TSknight" to Spain and Barcelona to explore the venue of over 230,000m², observing, experiencing, and recording these new things.

(Source: Leitech)

In addition to AI phones, AI PCs, AI glasses, 5G-A communication, smart cars, and edge computing that Leitech has already reported on, each year's MWC exhibition also brings out a series of imaginative black technology products. Below, let Xiaolei summarize some of the impressive novel exhibits at this year's MWC.

PetPhone: The world's first "pet smartphone"

When "petting cats" and "petting dogs" become a fashion trend, pet consumption continues to heat up, and the smart pet hardware industry ushers in a new consumer outlet and financing boom.

At MWC25, GlocalMe, under the UCloudlink Group, showcased an AI hardware called PetPhone, billed as the first pet smartphone.

Of course, calling it a "smartphone" is a bit of an exaggeration.

PetPhone doesn't allow you to communicate with your pet through language, something that scientists can't even do now, but it can recognize your pet's barking or other movements driven by a large model to determine the pet's current psychological state.

For example, if your dog suddenly gets scared and starts barking inexplicably at home. At this time, PetPhone will actively initiate a call to your phone and allow users to initiate voice communication to remotely calm down their dog.

From this perspective, calling it PetPhone doesn't seem to be a problem at all.

As for the difficulties in experience, I can point out two points without actually experiencing it with pets.

First is the algorithm issue for recognizing barking or other movements. GlocalMe claims that animals make different sounds based on their mood, just like humans have different tones based on our emotions. The question is whether the underlying model can really recognize whether the pet is happy, hungry, upset, or in trouble?

If the recognition is inaccurate, receiving frequent calls from pets will become a very troublesome situation.

Second is the practicality of remote communication with pets. It is not difficult to see that this device can only achieve the purpose of "comforting pets from a distance" if the pet learns to respond positively to the familiar sound emitted by the PetPhone speaker.

PetPhone comes in two colors, Cherry Pink and Hunting Green, and is expected to be available for global public sale in April at an undetermined price.

XPANCEO Biosensing: Contact lenses also need to be smart

You may have heard of smart glasses and contact lenses, but have you heard of smart contact lenses?

XPANCEO, a company that claims to focus on "deep computing" for the next generation of computing, unveiled three smart contact lens prototypes at MWC25, giving us a glimpse of technology that is closer to the human body and augmented reality, which should only belong to the distant future of cyberpunk novels.

Among them, what everyone cares about the most should be the prototype with augmented reality display technology.

Just like regular AI glasses, XPANCEO showcased a smart contact lens with augmented reality functionality. Instead of using an external image source, the contact lens uses an integrated microdisplay that projects digital information directly onto the retina, thereby achieving the fusion of the digital and physical worlds.

The final display effect they want to achieve is like this:

(Source: XPANCEO)

Yes, the final projection will definitely be a monochrome image, but this grayscale color scheme looks much more normal than the black and green color scheme commonly used in AI glasses today.

Nowadays, one of the basic challenges faced by any wearable device (especially one as compact as contact lenses) is the issue of battery life.

XPANCEO's solution is a completely remote power supply system. The glasses themselves do not have any batteries. You can wirelessly power the product through a portable power supply companion, which is similar in size and shape to a standard contact lens case and can be placed in a wallet or pocket for power supply.

In my opinion, the significance of XPANCEO lies in the potential transformation of the way we interact with computers.

With the rapid updates of display technology, power supply design, ergonomics, and underlying large models, interaction may occur through more natural means (such as gaze direction) rather than pulling out a phone to type, swipe, or speak. We no longer have to take out a device to obtain information; it will appear within our field of vision whenever needed. Our bodies, senses, and technology may become more closely connected.

Smart contact lenses do have the potential to blur the line between the real world and digital information. However, for now, besides the fact that some people may naturally reject such foreign objects, the biggest problem with this product is still power supply. No matter which smart device it is, shooting radio waves directly into your eyes doesn't sound like a good idea.

Flex Gaming: Foldable gaming console resembling the Switch

As a leader in the field of foldable technology, Samsung showcases various foldable concept products at various exhibitions every year.

But this year's MWC25 is a bit different. Due to the launch of the flagship Galaxy S25 series last month, Samsung did not announce many heavyweight products at the exhibition this year. Instead, the most talked-about product at the entire booth is undoubtedly the Flex Gaming, which combines two popular technological elements.

As you can see, Flex Gaming is a handheld device resembling the Nintendo Switch.

The design concept of this product is very simple: a foldable gaming console. To this end, Samsung specifically designed the directional buttons and control buttons to be hollow, leaving space to accommodate the left and right joysticks when the product is folded, allowing the product to be stored in a state close to the size of a makeup box.

Considering the increasing trend of existing handheld consoles becoming larger, Samsung's exploration ideas are indeed very interesting.

Of course, the shortcomings of this product are also obvious. First, all currently available foldable devices have concerns about the durability of the screen itself. Over time, repeated folding may lead to obvious creases, which will inevitably affect the display effect of the handheld console.

Secondly, let's not talk about how many handheld game supports the Android-based Flex Gaming can have. Just the concave buttons forcibly designed to accommodate the joysticks have an absolutely terrible pressing feel, and their practicality is evident at a glance.

Regardless, the concept of this product gives us an interesting glimpse into the next phase of gaming hardware.

Engineered Arts Ameca: A robot that can trigger the "Uncanny Valley Effect"

Due to the popularity of Unitree Technology, robots seem to have become a hot topic in society in 2025.

Since last year, humanoid robot companies including UBTECH, Unitree Technology, and Xingdong Jiyuan have emerged, setting off a wave of development in humanoid robots. These humanoid robots that emphasize motor skills are quickly adapting to different environments and terrains and may even enter the field of racing with humans.

But Ameca, standing at the Etisalat booth, is different from these humanoid robots; it looks more like a human.

(Source: ET)

Created by UK-based Engineered Arts, Ameca has very realistic facial expressions and can quickly demonstrate human-like eye contact. Its conversational skills are supported by OpenAI's latest large model. With the support of the most advanced conversational large model currently available, it can almost answer anything, even complimenting visitors' clothes, recognizing colors and styles, etc.

To speak of issues, besides lacking the mobility of the lower body, this thing may look a bit too human.

And it's not just a matter of whether it's a skin or not. Even with only a basic skeletal structure, Ameca's facial expressions and movements are still very close to those of humans, but there will occasionally be some stutters that seem like it can't keep up with the calculations, exacerbating this strange alien feeling.

(Source: Youtube)

With the development of large models and embodied intelligence, I find myself caught in a fascinating tension between technological wonders and psychological unease.

Today, the "Uncanny Valley" is not just an abstract concept; it's also a heartfelt feeling that turns what should be a simple observation into something disorienting. How should we adapt to machines that are increasingly like humans? What will happen when the line between artificial intelligence and real humans becomes blurred?

No one can give a definitive answer before the future truly arrives.

Summary: Imaginative black technology unveils the veil of the future

Okay, the above are the four novel exhibits at MWC25 that impressed Xiaolei.

The rapid development of artificial intelligence not only brings more innovation and competitiveness to the consumer electronics industry but also enriches the interaction between users and smart products.

As technology giants bet on large models, robots, and chips, these companies choose to focus on insights into daily life, bringing extremely interesting smart products with unique perspectives and creativity. They may seem a bit imaginative, but they can all correspond to specific usage scenarios and target groups.

(Source: Alex Humphreys)

Humanoid robots are likely to enter thousands of households empowered by mature large models; those currently unrealistic concept products also provide us with imaginative ideas and creative inspirations. In this era that emphasizes pragmatism, we still need cool cutting-edge technology to inspire people.

It is these bold attempts and experimental products that lay the foundation for mature technologies that can bear fruit in the future, and the fresh vitality of the entire industry also comes from this.

Source: Leitech