MWC 2021 is going to look a lot different this year. Although the world’s biggest mobile-first trade show is still happening physically, it is scheduled for later in the year than usual. Even then, the COVID-19 pandemic will invariably have a profound effect on the event — if it even ends up happening at all.
Mobile World Congress is an electronics trade show that happens in Barcelona each year. Usually, it happens in late February or early March, but not so in 2021. The Global System for Mobile Communications Association (GSMA) set a later date for the massive event. This date change will hopefully allow MWC to happen in-person rather than online-only, as we will see with CES 2021.
With the pushed-back date in mind, very little is known about MWC at the moment. However, new information will start to trickle out in the next few months for sure, so stay tuned for that.
In the meantime, here’s what you need to know ahead of the event.
MWC 2021: Important info
- When is MWC 2021? Mobile World Congress officially takes place from Monday, June 28, 2021, through Thursday, July 1, 2021. You can expect multiple major smartphone brands to announce new products during those dates, some of which could be high-profile flagships.
- Where is MWC 2021 held? The event happens in Barcelona, Spain, one of the most populous cities in all of Europe. It is unclear if there will be multiple smaller locations this year rather than everyone cramming into big convention centers. The GSMA is likely playing a lot by ear at the moment.
- Is MWC 2021 open to the public? Mobile World Congress is geared directly towards businesses in the mobile telecom industry. While there is no rule against the general public attending, it would be difficult to gain access without first proving you are somehow connected to the mobile industry.
That’s all we know about MWC for now. Be sure to bookmark this page so you can stay up-to-date on any new information.
Last year’s event was canceled, but you can find out what brands were scheduled to show up. You can also read about our favorite 2019 products from when the most recent MWC event took place.