MWC 2026: The coolest and most innovative phones seen yet
What's the story
Mobile World Congress (MWC) 2026 is underway in Barcelona, Spain. The event is a platform for tech giants to showcase their latest innovations in smartphones, laptops, and accessories. Among the most exciting announcements so far are Honor's Robot Phone with a unique folding gimbal-stabilized camera arm and Lenovo's Legion Go Fold Concept—a Windows-based handheld that can be transformed into a portable console or laptop.
Innovative design
Honor Magic V6 is the thinnest folding phone yet
Honor also unveiled its latest book-style folding phone, the Magic V6. The device is thinner than last year's model and Samsung's Galaxy Z Fold 7. It is also the first folding smartphone to have an IP69 rating, making it more durable against water jets and full dunking. This means you can safely use it for big-screen doomscrolling while taking a bath.
Camera capabilities
Xiaomi Leica Leitz Phone is a niche device
Xiaomi's Leica Leitzphone is a co-branded special edition of its 17 Ultra flagship. It features a rotatable camera ring and Leica's iconic red dot. The phone comes with a single 200MP sensor and provides an interface with extra Leica widgets, filters, and simulation modes for the M9 and M3 cameras. However, the rotating camera ring isn't as useful as it sounds due to its proximity to the back of the phone.
Tech trends
Lenovo ThinkBook Modular AI PC Concept
Lenovo's ThinkBook Modular AI PC Concept features two 14-inch 4K OLED touchscreens that can be used as a dual-screen setup. The concept also has interchangeable plug-and-play ports for USB-C, USB-A, and HDMI ports as needed. Though there's no word on when this concept would become a reality, it could be an interesting alternative to Framework's modular laptops.
Tablet tech
Honor MagicPad 4 is the thinnest Android tablet yet
Honor's MagicPad 4 is the thinnest Android tablet yet at just 4.8mm thick. It beats Samsung Galaxy Tab S11 and Apple's iPad Air in thickness. The device packs a 12.3-inch, 165Hz OLED screen and Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 chipset under the hood, making it a premium offering priced at around $820 for the variant with 12GB RAM and 256GB storage.
Tech innovation
Tecno's modular phone concept
Tecno has also unveiled a new phone concept that uses the company's "modular magnetic interconnection technology." This innovative device can be upgraded with features like an extended battery, telephoto lens, game controls, or an action camera. Despite the failure of many modular phones in the past, Tecno's attempt shows how companies are still exploring this technology.