Big Ideas, Bolder Tech, and Unexpected Surprises at MWC 2025
Day two of MWC 2025 in Barcelona delivered waves of announcements, unexpected innovations, and deep industry discussions. While AI dominated the conversation, new connectivity solutions, cutting-edge hardware, and evolving cloud infrastructure took center stage.
Tech giants like Broadcom, SoftBank, AWS, Lenovo, and Opera introduced new products and strategies, while telecom operators debated monetization challenges, AI-driven networks, and the future of mobile technology. Unusual hardware concepts, including a foldable projector, a laptop with glasses-free 3D, and the world’s slimmest smartphone, kept the show floor buzzing.
Let’s break down MWC 2025: Day 2’s biggest reveals.
What’s Happening & Why This Matters
The Race for Smarter Connectivity: 5G, Satellites, and AI-RAN
As telecom providers search for new revenue streams, Broadcom introduced VeloSky, a hybrid connectivity platform designed to merge 5G, satellite, and fiber networks seamlessly. This move positions VeloSky as a game-changer for network operators looking to monetize their infrastructure more efficiently.
Meanwhile, SoftBank made waves with its AI-RAN initiative, an AI-driven radio access network designed to optimize mobile connectivity in real-time. The company’s push for AI-based network management reflects a growing industry trend: integrating machine learning into core telecom infrastructure.
The Wireless Broadband Alliance (WBA) also introduced plans for 6G standardization, urging companies to collaborate on Wi-Fi, cellular, and satellite-based communication networks to ensure global compatibility.
Cloud Wars: The Battle for AI Processing Power
Cloud computing is evolving at MWC 2025, with the emergence of three dominant trends:
- Neocloud is a new wave of GPU-as-a-Service platforms like Vultr and CoreWeave that offers businesses more flexible AI processing power.
- Managed Optical Fiber Networks (MOFN), a model proposed by Ciena, aims to improve fiber network efficiency and make bandwidth distribution more cost-effective.
- Common Cloud, a concept promoted by Red Hat, pushes for shared cloud infrastructure across multiple telecom operators to lower costs and improve service availability.
These shifts indicate that AI workloads are reshaping cloud services, and businesses are forced to rethink their approach to AI-driven computing.
The AI Hardware Debate: Where Should Computing Power Reside?
The rise of AI-driven applications creates a vast demand for processing power, raising a critical industry question: Where should AI computing occur?
Iyad Tarazi, CEO of Federated Wireless, raised concerns about enterprise AI infrastructure, stating, “Do I buy GPUs, rent them from the cloud, or integrate them into my network?” This debate reflects a broader industry challenge—balancing cost, efficiency, and accessibility for AI-driven services.
Hardware That Stole the Spotlight
Day 2 of MWC 2025 saw some of the most eye-catching hardware reveals yet. Among them:
- Tecno Spark Slim, which claims to be the thinnest smartphone ever made, measures just 0.23 inches thick.
- Aurzen Zip is a foldable pocket-sized projector capable of displaying an 80-inch screen.
- Lenovo ThinkBook 3D is a laptop with glasses-free 3D technology powered by an AI-assisted ring for gesture-based controls.
- Opera Browser Operator is the world’s first AI-powered web browsing assistant. It delivers real-time AI-generated insights faster than competitors.
These product launches showcase how hardware manufacturers experimented with bold new form factors and AI integration.
Security Concerns: The Rise of AI-Powered Malware
With more AI-powered tools entering the market, cybersecurity risks are increasing rapidly. BT Business CTO Colin Bannon cautioned that Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) policies are a growing challenge as employees download third-party AI dictation apps, unverified productivity tools, and experimental AI assistants on work devices.
As enterprises struggle to secure corporate data, discussions about endpoint security, cloud-based AI defenses, and regulatory oversight are increasingly urgent.
Juniper Networks, Tariffs, and the Telecom Trade War
Juniper Networks faced tough questions about its blocked merger with HPE, but executives remain confident that regulatory approval will eventually come through. Meanwhile, global players are still navigating uncertain tariff policies, with supply chain adjustments affecting networking, semiconductor, and AI hardware industries.
MWC 2025’s Oddest Reveal: The e& Robot
One of the strangest exhibits of Day 2 came from e& (formerly Etisalat). Their booth featured a humanoid robot that looked like an uncanny blend of an animatronic world leader and a retro-futuristic sci-fi character, complete with a synthetic wig and rigid facial movements.
TF Summary: What’s Next
MWC 2025 is shaping up to be more than just another AI showcase. While AI, cloud computing, and telecom monetization continue to drive discussions, companies are making real business moves that will define the future of connectivity. Expect more surprises, deeper dives into connectivity trends, and unexpected product reveals as the event continues.
Stay tuned for Day 3 coverage — MWC 2025 isn’t slowing down.
— Text-to-Speech (TTS) provided by gspeech