MWC 2024 has concluded its second day with a wealth of new and interesting technology. We’ve seen everything from specialized mobile SIM cards and AI-based pins to affordable smartphones.
Mobile World Congress always promises to be an exciting time for those interested in the future of mobile, and so far it hasn’t disappointed. You can’t afford to miss what’s going on. Join us for his second day roundup of news, product announcements, and hands-on sessions on upcoming phones, wearables, and other mobile devices.
Humane AI Pins now available late
MWC is one of the main ways for developers to show off the future potential of their technology, and few things are more futuristic than the Humane AI pin. This little piece of technology wants to make screens a thing of the past and remove all distractions from your smartphone. The result is simple, sophisticated hardware that stays securely on your chest.
At MWC 2024, people finally had a chance to pick up the device and see what it’s capable of. The results were initially surprising, but the question still remains: Is this little pin worth his $700? The Pin comes with a wealth of smart assist commands that can easily explain what the tiny camera is seeing and provide breakdowns and suggestions based on what’s in front of it.
However, there are also some concerns. This means that bare-bones features can be more of a hindrance than a help. For example, how to view photos from your device seems more complicated than it needs to be. Only time will tell if this minimalist approach to AI is enough to attract a crowd.
With this rSIM, you will never be affected by a dropped network again
Network outages have been a major focus in the news lately, due to AT&T’s massive network outage last week. For many, this decline led to complications that effectively brought their lives to a halt. But the rollout of resilient SIMs (rSIMs for short) could be the solution people need.
The rSIM can test your phone’s network connectivity every 60 seconds and will switch to a second backup network if it detects no connectivity after a preset amount of time. The important thing is that this all happens in the background without any input from the user, but it actually looks very simple. However, keep in mind that rSIM is expected to cost more than one SIM card, although it will be slightly cheaper than two separate cards.
Given the current concerns about network disruptions, this is the perfect time for this type of technology to be released. Although it cannot prevent network collapse, customers can have peace of mind to minimize disruption to their lives.
Can’t afford Apple Vision Pro? Well, there are cheaper options
There’s no doubt that VR is the future, but it’s a prohibitively expensive future if you rely on Apple Vision Pro. But ZapBox could be the affordable VR experience people are looking for.
This little headset costs just $100 and acts as a frame for your phone. The ZapBox doesn’t have much to offer, just an adjustable headset, a pair of lenses to hold your iPhone in front of your eyes, and a pair of Bluetooth controllers. When I tried it out, I found that while the app was a bit finicky, there was little to no lag when using the device as a passthrough for the AI.
The concept of using your phone for VR is actually not new. We’ve seen variations of this type of headset before with the likes of Samsung Gear VR, Google Cardboard, and Lenovo Mirage. All of these previous devices didn’t generate as much buzz as we had hoped, but ZapBox has some interesting ideas for app development that may help you avoid the pitfalls of previous devices .
OnePlus unveils a vastly improved smartwatch
The OnePlus Watch 1 was met with mixed reviews at the time of its release, but while it was surprisingly affordable and easy to use, it lacked some key features that kept it from reaching its full potential. OnePlus seems to have learned its lesson by announcing the OnePlus Watch 2 at MWC 2024.
Perhaps the most impressive change is that the OnePlus Watch 2 introduces a twin-chipset design, allowing third-party apps to be used on the device. The dual chipset allows the watch to run twin operating systems, Wear OS, and the original OnePlus Watch RTOS software. Essentially, this system allows the watch to perform simpler operations through the RTOS and run more complex programs through the Wear OS, while seamlessly switching between the two.
The downside to this is that the price increases from $159 to $300, but the developers believe this is a reasonable adjustment considering the amount of effort and technology that went into the new watch. . Only time will tell if the changes OnePlus has made to the next-gen watch are compelling enough for customers to take a chance on the OnePlus Watch 2.
TCL unveils five new affordable phones
If you’re looking for a more affordable device, TCL has announced its new “50 Series” devices. Five of the models will be available in the U.S., each priced under $250. TCL may not have the same brand recognition as the other phones on our list of best cheap phones, but they consistently make more than adequate phones.
The first phone to arrive will be the TCL 50 XL 5G, which will be available on Metro by T-Mobile in Q2 2024 for a low price of $159. The phone has a 6.78-inch screen, decent camera setup, and 6GB of RAM. At the same time, TCL will launch his TCL 50 XL NXTPAPER 5G for $229. This is the first mobile phone in the US to use TCL’s NXTPAPER 3.0 display.
Also coming in Q3 are TCL 50 XE 5G and TCL 50 XE NXTPAPER 5G, priced at $149 and $199, respectively. Finally, there’s a super cheap option called the TCL 50 LE. The phone will cost around $99 and will be available at an unspecified time later this year.
Considering the price, it’s clear that these phones don’t have the same power or AI features as big name brands, but they’re perfect for those who want a perfectly good phone at an affordable price.