The 2026 MWC, held under the theme "The IQ Era," highlighted AI as a driving force transforming the mobile industry from the "era of connectivity" to the "era of intelligence."

BARCELONA, Spain, March 5 (Xinhua) -- Chinese companies emerged as a major highlight at the 2026 Mobile World Congress (MWC) in Barcelona, winning multiple Global Mobile Awards (GLOMO Awards) and showcasing innovations in artificial intelligence (AI), 5G-Advanced and satellite communications.

Huawei's UWB AAU series base station products won the Best Mobile Network Infrastructure award, while China Mobile and Huawei received the Best AI-Powered Network Solution award for their "AI+Network" operations project. China Telecom and Huawei were honored with the Best NTN Solution award for their smartphone direct-to-GEO satellite connectivity technology.

Chinese firms were also recognized for industry applications. A digital health assistant project by China Mobile, Huawei, and Ant Group won both Best Mobile Innovation for Connected Health and Wellbeing and Best Use of Mobile for Accessibility & Inclusion. China Telecom, ZTE, AgiBot, and DroidUp secured the Best Private Network Solution award for their EasyOn 5G-A-RobotNet project supporting humanoid robotics networks.

In devices, Chinese technology brand Honor unveiled its "Robot Phone" ahead of the congress and won the Disruptive Device Innovation award for its silicon-carbon battery technology used in smartphones.

The 2026 MWC, held under the theme "The IQ Era," highlighted AI as a driving force transforming the mobile industry from the "era of connectivity" to the "era of intelligence."

Francisco Jeronimo, vice president for devices and data at International Data Corporation, told Xinhua that some Chinese brands are embedding AI into chip scheduling, imaging systems and cross-device collaboration. "This means AI is no longer just a label, but something that is fundamentally changing how devices operate."

Beyond awards, Chinese companies presented new technology directions: Huawei showcased its Atlas AI computing platform, ZTE highlighted 5G-Advanced networks, as well as private network technologies tailored for industry use. Xiaomi demonstrated AI-enabled smart device collaboration, and Lenovo combined AI with mixed reality in terminal devices.

Chinese telecom operators also displayed advances in satellite communications, cloud-network integration and intelligent network operations. Startups such as Dr. Scrap gained recognition for using AI and data analytics to promote the circular economy in scrap recycling.

Vivek Badrinath, director general of GSMA, said that Chinese companies contribute both scale and innovation to the mobile ecosystem. Observers believe that as AI, 5G-Advanced and satellite technologies converge, Chinese firms are set to play an increasingly important role in shaping the future of global telecommunications.

The event drew nearly 3,000 exhibitors, including mobile operators, equipment vendors, chipmakers and internet companies from around the world, showcasing the latest technologies and applications shaping the future of connectivity.