My 5 takeaways from MWC 2015

My 5 takeaways from MWC 2015
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Here are my five takeaways from the Mobile World Congress 2015. Read these for a day 1, 2, 3 recap of the Congress.

  1. With nearly 100 thousand delegates, MWC is undisputably the world’s largest mobile conference and a can’t-miss event… unless you’re into innovation, then go to 4YFN, which takes place the same week (props to Robin Wauters for the quote).
  2. Internet of Things is definitely a thing. All eight finalists from the startup competition in the IoT track were impressively solid.
  3. A stroll through Hall 8.1 convinced me that the mobile ad tech and solutions space is beyond saturated. I expect a lot of casualties.
  4. Who said the Japanese cannot design gorgeous smartphones? Freetel offers the slickest, most aesthetically-pleasing Android phone I’ve ever seen. It’s dual-sim too, which just might spur me into an early upgrade from my Samsung Win Quattro (which has never let me down for the past 18 months).
  5. France seems to have finally grasped the importance of holding a coherent presence of French mobile startups at MWC. This year’s French pavillion struck me as the most lavish and confident of all the country installations. Well done, LaFrenchTech !

freetel_samurai_smartphone