Chinese smartphone manufacturers will unveil innovative products in quick succession at MWC 2026, the world's largest mobile exhibition, which opens on the 2nd of next month (local time) in Barcelona, Spain. In addition to showcasing technical prowess with new handsets, they plan to debut a robot phone and a Humanoid Robot. Under U.S. government sanctions, Chinese corporations are using MWC as a stage to confirm their presence and flaunt their technology in markets outside Europe and the United States.
◇ Honor becomes the world's first smartphone company to make robots
Honor will draw attention by unveiling its first Humanoid Robot. It will become the first global smartphone brand to showcase a robot. Ahead of the opening of MWC 2026, Honor released a YouTube video titled "Something revolutionary will soon be revealed." The video features a robot phone alongside a Humanoid Robot whose name has not yet been disclosed. The robot has a matte black body and a glass face. A straight blue light appears where the eyes would be. A camera is mounted on the forehead. The robot targets consumer services such as shopping assistance.
Honor also plans to unveil a bold smartphone called "robot phone." In the YouTube video, the robot phone appearing with the robot adopts an innovative design in which a square gimbal camera pops out from the upper rear when a smartphone button is pressed. It is an attempt to show AI features through physical movement. The camera rotates 360 degrees, allowing shooting regardless of direction or angle. The robot phone is likely a concept smartphone intended to showcase technology rather than a device for immediate mass sales.
In addition, Honor will debut its foldable phone, "Magic V6," at MWC 2026. The Magic V6 is expected to feature a 7,000mAh battery and an advanced hinge technology with enhanced crease resistance. Chinese foreign media report that "the Magic V6 could overcome the weaknesses of Samsung Electronics' first-generation foldables, including high prices, hinge creasing, and low battery capacity." At MWC, the battleground for foldables is expected to be less about merely folding and more about how thin and light they are and how natural the app experience feels when unfolded.
Honor has focused its investments on AI since it was spun off from Huawei in 2020. At last year's MWC, Honor announced its "Alpha Plan" to transform from a simple smartphone maker into a "global AI device ecosystem corporations." And one year later, this year it is set to present an ecosystem in which AI spans beyond a smartphone company to smartphones, foldables, and Robotics.
◇ Xiaomi to unveil new 17 Ultra highlighting cameras… Xiaomi Tag also coming
Chinese smartphone company Xiaomi will be first to throw down the gauntlet at MWC 2026. Two days before the official opening of MWC 2026, on the 28th of this month, Xiaomi plans to host an event in Barcelona to unveil its premium smartphones, the "17" and "17 Ultra." Xiaomi released an official teaser video titled "A new wave of imagery is coming," suggesting that innovative camera technology will be the main selling point of this series. The Xiaomi 17 Ultra features German Leica camera technology with a triple-camera system of ultra-wide, wide, and telephoto.
Industry watchers expect the prices of the Xiaomi 17 and 17 Ultra to be released in Europe to be the same as the previous generation. The global-market Xiaomi 17 is expected to have a 6,330mAh battery, smaller than the 7,000mAh battery in the China domestic model, and the Xiaomi 17 Ultra is expected to have a 6,000mAh battery instead of the 6,800mAh battery in the China model. Xiaomi often customizes hardware to comply with local regulations and shipping requirements while maintaining performance and durability.
Major foreign media report that Xiaomi is also preparing to unveil the Xiaomi Tag, a location-tracking device. It is expected to tout a lower price compared with Apple's AirTag and Samsung's Galaxy SmartTag. The Xiaomi Tag is projected to weigh just 10g and be 7.2mm thick. It uses a CR2032 coin battery, which reportedly lasts about one year. Even before the official launch, the Xiaomi Tag had already been spotted on some European shopping websites. According to leaked prices, it is 17.99 euros (about 25,000 won) per unit and 59.99 euros (about 82,000 won) for a four-pack. Considering Apple's AirTag costs 40,000 won per unit and 169,000 won for a four-pack, it is relatively affordable.
Xiaomi also plans to unveil several other devices, including the Xiaomi Pad 8 Pro tablet and the Xiaomi Watch 5 smartwatch.
◇ Midrange-focused Tecno to unveil new models with added AI features
AI integration in Chinese midrange smartphones is also worth watching. Chinese smartphone maker TECNO plans to showcase the CAMON 50 series and the POVA 8 series. The CAMON 50 series, through enhanced AI image processing, offers smarter scene recognition, improved image processing, and a wider range of creative shooting options. TECNO emphasizes that the CAMON 50 series goes beyond a simple camera phone, equipping AI tools that help with content creation and everyday tasks. The POVA series follows a value-for-money strategy, and at this MWC, it will be worth seeing whether the POVA 8 adds AI features while maintaining price competitiveness.
Even as the focus of MWC expands from smartphones to an "AI consolidation ecosystem," Chinese corporations are still actively using MWC as a stage to unveil flagship new products and stoke the fires of technological competition. In the past, Samsung Electronics and LG Electronics held flagship (top-priced model) product launch events at MWC. Back then, MWC served as a battleground for launching new smartphones, but Samsung Electronics no longer unveils new products at MWC. Just before the opening of MWC, on the 26th, Samsung will hold a Galaxy S26 series Unpacked event in the United States.