From chocolate phones to handheld batteries that throw a phone into them, this year’s Mobile World Congress in Barcelona is serving as a showcase for how unique phones are still possible — even after years of touchscreen slabs running iOS and Android.
And this year it’s not just phone-inspired creations. Robot dogs and electric cars are also making the show floor their home this week, combining for an eclectic mix of technology to check out.
Here are the most attention-grabbing sights that we’ve seen so far at this year’s Mobile World Congress.
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Motorola has re-created its Razr in chocolate, with a display that matches the "Peach Fuzz" model.
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Watch this: Motorola’s Rollable Concept Phone Wraps on Your Wrist
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Energizer battery puts a phone inside
We’ve seen lots of phones advertise big battery life. But we don’t usually see a battery that advertises how it can be a big phone. But at Mobile World Congress, the company Avenir has developed an Energizer branded device that theoretically keeps going and going with a 28,000mAh battery. For comparison, a 5,000mAh battery is considered a large for a phone.
The Energizer Hard Case P28K’s battery comes with a 6.78-inch display, a 60-megapixel main camera, IP69-rating for water and dust resistance and a three-year warranty.
Unlike a lot of the concepts we’re seeing at MWC, Avenir reportedly does plan to sell this battery-with-a-phone. It’s said to go on sale this October for $300.
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This Motorola concept can be bent to place it right on your wrist.
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The Honor Magic 6 Pro is showcasing eye tracking technology for controlling apps.
Andrew Lanxon/CNET
Honor Magic 6 Pro lets you ‘tap’ with your eyes
The Honor Magic 6 Pro is offering a different way to control your phone. It uses artificial intelligence to track your eye movements, allowing you to open and interact with apps without needing to tap your screen.
We’ve seen phones sense eyes in the past, but mainly in limited uses like assisting with screen unlock or to play and pause media. While we haven’t yet tested the eye tracking itself, a demo video showing it off reminds me of using the since-retired Xbox Kinect camera. You use your eyes to focus on areas of the display, and after a few seconds the option gets selected.
While whether eye tracking becomes a practical way to use a phone isn’t yet known, after years of scrolling and swiping it’s nice to see new ways to control our mobile devices.
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After years of remaking Nokia phones, HMD is bringing its flip phone expertise to Barbie.
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