MWC 2019: 5G and foldable phones

This year, foldable screens were all the rage at the Mobile World Congress. Huawei grabbed the headlines with the release of its Mate X. But it was actually Chinese firm Royole that won the race to release a foldable device back in October.

Huawei's Mate X features a foldable screen and 5G capability. Released just a week after Samsung's bendy Galaxy Fold, the Chinese company is giving its South Korean competitor a run for its money — literally. The Mate X costs €2,299 ($2,600).

Huawei's foldable phone generated the most buzz, but the company also released some new notebooks in Barcelona. The Matebook X Pro's "OneHop" function lets you record what's on the screen by shaking your Huawei phone in front of it.

Car companies were well represented at MWC. Many of them, including Germany's BMW, are hoping that the ultrahigh speeds and low latency offered by 5G will enable them to innovate in the areas of autonomous driving.

MWC is a huge event. More than 2,000 companies exhibit and over 100,000 people attend. The overarching themes this year are 5G, artificial intelligence and Industry 4.0. But digital wellness and trust have also been debated.

London-based startup Mystery Vibe's mission is to use technology to "complete" the experience of pleasure. At MWC, the company showcased the Tenuto, a wearable vibrator for men.

The XR -1 service robot designed by CloudMinds can run on both 4G and 5G networks. It interacts with humans using sensors and visual perception modules. Its maker says it can serve as a concierge, receptionist and in the elderly care sector.

The XR-1 robot features precise grasping ability, enabling it to hold items as thin as a needle. CloudMinds says the humanoid service robot is also able to develop emotional intelligence. The price of all that capability: $99,000.