Mobile World Congress 2012 – We Were There!

For its 7th edition in Barcelona, the annual Mobile World Congress brought together the leaders of the mobile technology sector over a four-day period to showcase the latest innovations and market trends. Provence Promotion went to meet them at the event and did not come back empty-handed.

Android 4.0, Chinese manufacturers, tablet phones, 4G and quad-core top the bill at the MWC 2012

After four days of exhibition and some 60,000 visitors (of which 3500 CEOs), what conclusions can be drawn from the 2012 edition of the MWC? Several trends stand out that herald new uses in the near future.

Unquestionably, the star of the show was Android, with its latest version 4.0 installed on several new mobile handsets.

The MWC 2012 also saw the emergence of new Chinese manufacturers.  While the sector’s Asian giants are downsizing their product ranges (Sony and HTC) to enhance their position on the smartphone market, new manufacturers such as ZTE and HUAWEI are starting to make their mark. The latter chose the Barcelona event to unveil their first smartphones and tablets, either newly-released or due for release very soon.

The arrival on the market of "tablet phones" -smartphone/tablet hybrids ideally suited to roaming access- is another new trend.

Lastly, quad-core processors are starting to make an appearance in new smartphones from LG, ZTE and Nokia. An integral feature of 4G deployment, these ultra-powerful processors provide super-fast speeds and enhanced multi-tasking.

These innovative features could be tested soon in a life-size laboratory -Marseilles- the first French city earmarked for 4G coverage, due by the end of 2012.

Provence Mobile Valley takes center stage in Barcelona

Provence Promotion, together with its institutional partners and mobile innovation stakeholders from the PACA Region, was at the MWC 2012 to promote Provence Mobile Valley.

The four days of the Mobile World Congress concentrates all of what’s new in the industry. It’s a unique opportunity for Provence Promotion to learn about new market trends and to meet with industry leaders and seek out potential new partnerships.

To facilitate the networking process, two cocktails were held in association with the world Mobile Monday network and an event was organized by MARSEILLE-PROVENCE MOBILE VALLEY during which 45 participants, including innovating start-ups from Provence, international decision-makers and institutions, were able to exchange ideas in an informal atmosphere.

Promising results, with potential, new international partnerships in the pipeline

Several development projects were identified by the Provence Promotion teams, whose members returned home with a long list of business prospects, including several Asian companies in the telephony and mass-market software sectors.

The PROVENCE PREMIUM scheme could provide the means for these companies to fully discover all the advantages our region has to offer, including potential R&D partnerships, set-up locations and marketing opportunities.

Provence Promotion acts as a facilitator for businesses wishing to set up and develop their activities in the region.

 The aim of this mission was to meet up with the mobile telephony majors to present the potential that Provence can offer and to identify partnership opportunities with local players in the sector, an aim that was fully met by the Bouches-du-Rhône’s economic development agency.

Results in terms of investment, cooperation and the region’s enhanced image should not take long to materialize.