The Android Authority Best of MWC 2025 awards: The biggest announcements from the show

MWC 2025 has arrived, bringing with it a wave of cutting-edge mobile innovations straight from Barcelona. As always, Android Authority was on the ground, diving into the latest breakthroughs in smartphones, wearables, AI, and everything in between.

With so much happening across the show floor, it’s impossible to catch every single reveal. But after scouring the event for the most impressive tech, we’ve handpicked the standout products and innovations that truly pushed the boundaries this year.

So, without further delay, here are the Android Authority Best of MWC 2025 award winners!

The BleeqUp Ranger is a high-tech pair of cycling glasses equipped with AI-powered smart features. These glasses feature a built-in camera capable of continuously recording for up to an hour or extending to five hours with an optional helmet-mounted battery pack. With a built-in gyroscope, they can detect when a rider slows down to take in the scenery or experiences a potential crash, automatically saving footage to the onboard 32GB storage.

The accompanying app uses AI to generate highlight reels from recorded rides, capturing only the most significant moments. Integrated speakers allow for music playback via Spotify, with intuitive touch gestures for control. While currently a Kickstarter project, prototypes we’ve seen have shown strong functionality, making these a promising accessory for cycling enthusiasts.

The phone itself still has standard smartphone cameras, including a main and ultrawide sensor, but the real star is a 1-inch Sony CMOS sensor dedicated to the interchangeable lens system. They demoed it with a 73mm portrait lens and a 234mm telephoto lens, and it worked surprisingly well. Sadly, it’s just a concept for now, with no plans for an actual release.

​At MWC 2025, HONOR made a big move by announcing a seven-year software support plan for its flagship devices, starting with the HONOR Magic7 Pro. This means users can expect seven years of Android OS updates and security patches, aligning HONOR with the likes of Google and Samsung in offering extended support. This initiative is part of HONOR’s broader “Alpha Plan,” aiming to transform the company into an AI-focused device ecosystem. It’s great to see HONOR committing to longer support, and we hope more Android manufacturers follow suit.​

​The HONOR Pad V9 is an 11.5-inch tablet that impresses with its 2.8K resolution display and 144Hz refresh rate, making it a pleasure to use. While the bezels are slightly chunky, the £399 price tag makes this forgivable. The premium feel comes from its unibody aluminum design, which keeps it lightweight and easy to handle.

Powered by the MediaTek Dimensity 8350 Elite processor, it boasts a substantial 10,100mAh battery, offering up to 80 days in ultra-long standby mode. With 12GB of RAM and a base storage of 256GB, there’s ample space for movies and apps, making it ideal for both travel and home use. The IMAX Enhanced certification and eight-speaker setup ensure an immersive media experience. ​

​At MWC 2025, HMD unveiled the Fusion X1, a smartphone designed with teens’ safety in mind, thanks to its integration with Xplora’s parental control features. Through a companion app available on both iOS and Android, parents can customize app and internet access, limit social media usage, browsing, and screen time, and manage contact lists by allowlisting or blocklisting specific contacts. The device offers continuous location tracking with updates every 20 seconds, low battery alerts, and even allows parents to remotely access the device.

While Android already offers parental controls, the Fusion X1 takes it a step further, providing a more comprehensive solution for parents who want their kids to have a phone without unrestricted access to social media. It’ll cost you $249, with the Xplora app running €4.99 a month — and even Drew Barrymore showed up at the launch event to give it her stamp of approval. If it’s good enough for her, it’s probably worth checking out!​

Nothing just dropped the Phone (3a) and Phone (3a) Pro, and for $459, the Pro gets a periscope zoom lens, which is a big deal at this price. Other than the camera setup, both phones are pretty much the same — they pack a 6.77-inch AMOLED display with 3,000 nits peak brightness and 120Hz refresh rate, plus an IP64 rating (but no wireless charging).

One new feature is the Essential Key, which lets you take a screenshot and record a voice memo simultaneously. AI then turns it into a task in the Essential Space app, but it’s a bit slow, and there’s no notification when it’s done. It’s a cool idea, but it could use some polish.

Samsung unveiled its new Galaxy A series at MWC 2025, featuring the A26 5G ($299), A36 5G ($399), and A56 5G ($499). All three have a 6.7-inch 120Hz AMOLED display, 256GB storage, and a 5,000mAh battery, with the A36 5G and A56 5G supporting 45W fast charging. Samsung is promising six years of OS updates, making these solid mid-range options.

The main differences are in the chipsets and cameras — the A26 5G has an Exynos 1380 and a 50MP main camera, while the A36 5G runs on Snapdragon 6 Gen 3 with a slightly better macro camera. The A56 5G packs an Exynos 1580 with an improved 12MP ultrawide sensor. The A26 5G and A36 5G launch on March 26, while the A56 5G arrives later in Q3.

TECNO showed off the Spark Slim at MWC, a concept phone that claims to be the world’s thinnest at just 5.75mm thick. To make it this slim, TECNO had to design its own USB-C port and speaker since regular parts wouldn’t fit. Even with its size, it still packs a 6.78-inch curved AMOLED display, a 5,200mAh battery with 45W charging, and a ceramic or stainless steel finish. It’s also so light that TECNO actually added weight to make it feel more premium.

Right now, it’s just a concept, but if enough people show interest, TECNO might consider making it a real product.

Lenovo has unveiled the ThinkBook Flip AI PC Concept, a laptop with a foldable display that starts as a 13.1-inch clamshell but expands into an 18.1-inch vertical screen. You can also keep it partially folded, giving yourself a 13.1-inch screen while displaying a 12.9-inch view to others, making it a unique dual-display setup.

This builds on Lenovo’s previous rollable display concept, showing the company’s push for flexible laptop designs. Given Lenovo’s track record of turning concepts into real products, there’s a chance this could hit the market soon.

​Xiaomi has introduced a concept called the Modular Optical System, aiming to enhance smartphone photography by allowing users to attach a specialized lens module to their devices. This system utilizes Xiaomi’s proprietary LaserLink technology for high-speed data transfer between the lens and the phone, ensuring seamless integration. The lens attaches magnetically, eliminating the need for additional sensors on the phone itself.

Currently, this technology is in the concept stage and is not available on existing models like the Xiaomi 15 or 15 Ultra.​

​At MWC 2025, RayNeo unveiled the Air 3s, a pair of virtual display glasses compatible with devices supporting DisplayPort over USB-C or HDMI output, such as the Nintendo Switch and Steam Deck. These glasses feature RayNeo’s latest HueView screen technology, utilizing micro-OLED tandem panels to deliver vibrant colors and enhanced eye comfort. Users can optimize the display for gaming or movie viewing by selecting the appropriate mode. Audio quality is enhanced by a dual opposing acoustic chamber design, integrating four speakers (two on each side), which RayNeo claims is a first in this category.

Compared to the previous generation, the Air 3s are 50 nits brighter and 2 grams lighter. They are expected to be available in the U.S. starting in April 2025, priced around $259, which is more affordable than the previous Air 2s model. ​

Infinix has revealed two exciting innovations at MWC: a solar-powered concept phone and an update to its color-changing technology. The solar phone features built-in perovskite solar cells on the back, allowing it to charge slowly under sunlight or even bright artificial light. While it only gains about 10% battery after an hour in direct sunlight, that could be enough in an emergency. This is just a concept for now, so don’t expect to see it on shelves anytime soon.

Meanwhile, Infinix has upgraded its E-Color Shift technology to version 2.0. This technology lets users change the back panel’s color through an app or AI automation. It can shift shades based on time, weather, or user preferences. Unlike the solar phone, this feature is confirmed to appear in future Infinix devices.

​At MWC 2025, Google showcased upcoming enhancements to Gemini Live, introducing live video analysis and screen-sharing capabilities. These features enable users to engage in natural, real-time conversations with Gemini by utilizing their smartphone’s camera to share live video or their screen content.

For instance, you can show Gemini an object through your camera and ask questions about it or share your screen to receive guidance on tasks like online shopping. These updates aim to integrate AI more seamlessly into daily life, expanding the practical applications of generative AI. The new functionalities are set to roll out later this month for Gemini Advanced subscribers as part of the Google One AI Premium plan on Android devices.

What was your favorite announcement from MWC 2025?