TechCrunch Team We're in Barcelona this week to bring you all the goings-on at Mobile World Conference 2024. You already know what to expect, so sit back, relax and tune in all week long as we bring you product, announcements and startup news. Of the MWC you need to know.
So far we've seen some big announcements from companies, including new Android features from Google, a new laptop concept from Lenovo and a robot dog from Xiaomi. As the MWC progresses, here's how to follow our team's coverage.
Doublepoint's WowMouse gesture touch feature has been updated
DoublePoint Wowmouse app
Android smartwatch users can now get their own version of Doublepoint's WowMouse touch control app. Pinch away!
Microsoft AI Accessibility Principles
Image credits: Nicholas Economou/Norphoto/Getty Images
Brad Smith, Microsoft's president and vice president, today announced a framework called the AI Accessibility Principles, an eleven-point plan that Smith said will “govern how we operate our AI data center infrastructure and other AI assets.” mission around the world.” World.” Although the implication here is that Microsoft is open to dialogue and conversation with stakeholders, Smith ironically delivered the news in a keynote speech, with no room for follow-up questions.
The first electric car from Xiaomi
Image credits: Brian Heater
Xiaomi's first EV product – the upcoming Xiaomi SU7 – is light on details. We know it's a “full-size, high-performance eco-technology sedan” with plans to arrive in China sometime next year. In addition to design, Xiaomi has developed five core electric vehicle technologies: E-Motor, Built-in CTB Battery, Xiaomi Die-Casting, Xiaomi Pilot Autonomous Driving, and Smart Cabin. As we mentioned before, it will contain the “HyperOS” operating system.
Samsung's first smart ring
Image credits: Brian Heater
Diamonds may be a girl's best friend, but if you're a girl who can't sleep, Samsung's new Galaxy Ring may become your new favorite. Some features include built-in sensors to measure heart rate, movement, and breathing to create a cross-section of the wearer's health and sleep patterns. Questions about pricing and battery life remain unanswered at the moment.
Extended battery life for your OnePlus device
Image credits: OnePlus
OnePlus' upcoming Watch 2 promises a staggering 100 watches “in full smart mode.” This claim comes after the company spent three years developing the battery technology. Brian Heater spoke with Tuomas Lampen, Head of Strategy at OnePlus Europe, about why the company took so long and how it managed to squeeze 100 hours out of the new watch.
Last week, Brian mentioned that “battery is exactly the thing OnePlus needs to focus on,” given that the first-generation product only had around 25 hours of battery life. This was with the GPS turned off.
Xiaomi CyberDog
Image credits: Brian Heater
After years of reporting on Xiaomi's CyberDog, Brian Heater finally got to see the robotic dog up close at MWC. He got to see the tame little dog doing a little dance, which he wrote reminded him of “a miniature version of Boston Dynamics' familiar robot.” Since Brian's story in 2021, Xiaomi has made some changes to its dog, including a more realistic version of the head to replace the previous flat version. The CyberDog 2 can currently be purchased online for $3,000, which is nearly double its predecessor's $1,600 price.
Lenovo laptop concept
Image credits: Brian Heater
If you've always wanted to look at the back of your desk while working, Lenovo's new transparent laptop is sure to give you that pleasure. This is if it reaches the production stage. It looks like your standard laptop with a few exceptions – the screen has a transparent part, and it and the keyboard part are reminiscent of an augmented reality experience. This means that the graphics are superimposed on whatever is behind them. Right now, Lenovo is enjoying showing off its creativity.
Google brings artificial intelligence to new features
Today, Google is bringing AI into more of its services, including a new set of features for phones, cars, and wearables. These apps use Gemini to draft messages, AI-generated photo captions, and text summarization through Android Auto's AI, along with accessing passes on Wear OS. Additionally, Google Messages will get a feature that allows you to access Gemini in the app. The feature is currently in beta and supports English only. The mobile giant is also launching some accessibility-related features as well. One is the Lookout app, which helps visually impaired people with things like food labels and documents, and will now generate AI-powered captions for photos that have missing or inaccurate captions or alternative text.
Also at MWC, DeepMind founder Demis Hassabis spoke on a panel with Wired's Steven Levy to talk about Google's ability to “unpause” the ability of its multimodal generative AI tool, Gemini, to photograph people. He said the ability to respond to requests for human images should be back online in the “next few weeks.” “Google suspended Gemini's ability last week after users pointed out that the tool was producing historically disproportionate images, such as portraying the Founding Fathers of the United States as a diverse group of people, not just white men,” Natasha Lomas reported.
Desk lamp to improve your mood
Image credits: Brian Heater
The Dutch company Seaboro displayed small devices designed to replace large phototherapy lamps that mimic the effect of the sun on serotonin production in the brain. One is located next to the computer and the other clips are shown above, and looks a lot like an external webcam. Both are connected to a USB port for power. However, you will have to wait a bit, as the lamp is still in proof-of-concept mode.
Infinix wants to run the back of your phone
Image credits: Brian Heater
The Infinix E-Color Shift improves on the e-ink display work that the Yota Phone started doing years ago. What's new here is the addition of color and what Brian Heater describes as “a fun aesthetic addition to the part of your device that's almost always covered by a case, your hand, or another facet of the table.”
