A Robotic Arm Camera Pops Up and Spins on a Smartphone... Nods to AI Conversations [MWC26]

China Pushes for Leadership in Physical AI
Huawei Showcases Tri-Fold Phones and AI Networks in Expansive Booth
HONOR Demonstrates Humanoid Robots and Unveils 'Robot Phone'
China Mobile Presents Robot Restaurant Concept
Chinese Firms Pivot to Europe Amid US-China Trade Conflict

On March 2nd (local time), at Mobile World Congress (MWC) 2026, the world's largest mobile exhibition, Chinese companies set up large-scale exhibition halls to showcase their technological prowess. These companies are making a push for technological leadership, highlighting their advancements in robotics-such as humanoids-and other cutting-edge technologies.

The robot phone by China's Honor exhibited at Mobile World Congress (MWC) 2026. The device features a camera that moves in the form of a robotic arm on the back. Photo by Myunghwan Lee

Huawei of China established an expansive booth in Hall 1, the main exhibition hall of this year's MWC, presenting a wide range of exhibits including smartphones, tablet PCs, AI models, IT infrastructure, cloud, and public solutions. Huawei’s booth was so large that it occupied the majority of Hall 1's exhibition space, measuring more than five times the size of major competitors like Samsung Electronics and Xiaomi. Despite the vast booth, large crowds gathered, filling every part of the exhibition area.

Huawei's exhibition hall set up at Fira Gran Via Exhibition Center in Barcelona, Spain, on the 2nd. Photo by Myunghwan Lee

The second-generation tri-fold phone, "Mate XTs," is displayed at Huawei's booth set up at the Mobile World Congress (MWC) 2026 venue. Photo by Lee Myunghwan

At Huawei's booth, visitors could see foldable smartphones such as the second-generation tri-fold phone 'Mate XTs,' wearable devices like the 'Huawei Watch' series, as well as the 'MatePad' tablet PC. Huawei had previously released the world's first tri-fold smartphone, 'Mate XT,' in 2024, nearly a year ahead of Samsung Electronics' Galaxy Z Tri-Fold. In addition, the company presented a wide array of topics including AI-based networks and equipment, AI data centers, cloud services, smart city solutions, and AI transformation (AX) solutions.

Chinese smartphone manufacturer HONOR also put robots front and center. The main part of its booth featured a humanoid robot, which surprised visitors by dancing to music and interacting by waving to attendees. In another section, robots capable of playing Go or chess by themselves were on display.

The company also showcased its 'robot smartphone.' The robot phone, first unveiled last year, features a camera mounted on the back that moves in the form of a robotic arm. When the camera is activated, it rises from the back of the device on a robotic arm, automatically tracking the user's movements in a manner similar to an action camera. The phone is equipped with an AI agent, which enables the robot camera to nod or shake in response to conversations with the AI.

The humanoid robot by China's Honor displayed at Mobile World Congress (MWC) 2026 is posing. Photo by Lee Myunghwan

Honor's robot phone exhibited at Mobile World Congress (MWC) 2026. Photo by Myunghwan Lee

China Mobile, a Chinese telecommunications company, also introduced a 'robot restaurant' concept, where robots prepare and serve food. The demonstration showed robots collecting ingredients, cooking, and serving food to customers, all through robot-to-robot interaction without human intervention. These robots were equipped with a foundational robot model developed by China Mobile.

Chinese company Xiaomi, which held its own product launch event in Barcelona during the MWC period, also unveiled many new products at its pavilion. In addition to smartphones like the Xiaomi 17 Ultra and the Leica Phone, the company introduced the electric vehicle SU7 and, at this year's event, its futuristic electric vehicle concept model, the 'Xiaomi Vision Gran Turismo.' The Xiaomi Vision Gran Turismo attracted significant attention from visitors with its bold design. Lenovo of China also exhibited rollable laptops, including the vertically extending 'ThinkBook Plus Gen 6' and the horizontally extending 'Legion Pro Rollable.'

On the 2nd (local time), the Xiaomi electric hypercar concept "Xiaomi Vision Gran Turismo" was exhibited at the Mobile World Congress (MWC) 2026 held at Fira Gran Via exhibition center in Barcelona, Spain. 2026.3.2 Photo by Jinhyung Kang

Robot restaurant exhibit at the China Mobile pavilion at Mobile World Congress (MWC) 2026. Photo by Lee Myunghwan

This large-scale display of technological prowess by Chinese companies at MWC is seen as an effort to establish Europe as a strategic base. Due to the repercussions of the US-China trade conflict, Chinese IT firms including Huawei face restrictions on entering the US market, pushing them to target emerging markets such as Europe and South America. There are also practical reasons, as it has become difficult for them to participate in CES, the world's largest electronics and IT exhibition, held in Las Vegas, USA, amid ongoing US-China tensions. According to the Korea Information & Communication Technology Industry Association (KICTA), the number of Chinese companies participating in this year's MWC stands at 350, up by about 70 from last year (288 companies).

An industry insider stated, "With access to the US market blocked, Chinese companies are designating Europe as a key base and making large-scale investments," adding, "As it has become harder for them to attend CES, this strong participation by Chinese companies at MWC is likely to continue for the time being."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.