Huawei looks to entrench wearable dominance at MWC 2024

Mobile World Congress (MWC) is back in Barcelona at the Fira de Barcelona Gran Via convention centre from February 26 to February 29. The mobile and communications technology trade show bills itself as “the largest and most influential event for the connectivity ecosystem,” with tens of thousands of attendees from manufacturers, mobile operators, and other enterprise and consumer tech companies.

Amidst the bustling vibe of cutting edge innovation and connectivity, Huawei, is showcasing its high-end innovations at the MWC 2024.

The tech offerings are visible in the architecture and design of Huawei’s booth in Hall 1 which showcases a vision of a smarter, digital world where everything is connected intelligently. This means that in the future, technology will be seamlessly integrated into every part of our lives, industries, and communities and a glimpse of this inevitable reality is visible in Barcelona as Huawei puts the user at the centre of its ecosystem.

Huawei’s wearables universe

Through out its exhibition space, Huawei demonstrates a clear focus on enhancing user experiences through scenario-based zones, encompassing themes like Ultimate Design, Fashion Forward, XMAGE, Creation of Beauty, and Fitness and Health. These zones, which serve as a proof-of-concept to Huawei’s innovation, offer personalised and fashion-forward experiences for consumers worldwide.

At a Huawei breifing, the message was: “Our product development revolves around enhancing people’s lives across various scenarios, including smart lifestyle, health, fitness, entertainment, and productivity. We aim to create a rich ecosystem of hardware and software that seamlessly integrates into users’ lives, offering a uniquely connected experience. Our vision is to empower users with personalised, stylish technology solutions that stand out in the consumer technology industry.”

The global tech manufacturer has on display a range of consumer products, including the Huawei Mate 60 RS Ultimate Design, Huawei FreeClip, and Huawei Watch GT 4.

Kevin Ho, chief operating officer of the Huawei Consumer Business Group, reiterated the company’s dedication to solidifying its position as a global high-end, fashion-forward, and technology-driven brand. “Huawei will continue to cement its position as a global high-end, fashion-forward, and technology-driven brand”, said Ho said. “In 2024, we will continue to increase R&D investments in smart devices, fitness and health, and digital creation. These efforts will make innovative products and services more accessible to users worldwide, and create cutting-edge, pioneering, and personalised lifestyles for consumers.”

Against the backdrop of steady growth in Huawei’s Consumer Business Group, marked by breakthroughs in various markets including wearables, audio, tablets, PCs, and smartphones, the company’s presence at MWC 2024 underscored its focus on expanding its global footprint as a premium brand.

In 2023, Huawei’s notable releases, such as the Huawei Mate 60 Series and Huawei Mate X5, showcased the company’s technological prowess, while the introduction of Ultimate Design further enriched its product portfolio. Notably, Huawei gained a 5 per cent market share in the global high-end smartphone market in 2023, according to Counterpoint Research.

A Huawei representative during a media briefing explained, “Despite challenges, we are committed to success in overseas markets. We resumed our habitual cycle of overseas launches last year and are excited about expanding our presence further. We launched in Barcelona, followed by our recent debut in the Middle East region with an overseas launch event in Dubai in December, marking a significant milestone for Huawei. Our focus remains on serving consumers’ needs, and we continuously innovate our product development to offer seamless, intelligent technology experiences.”

Beyond smartphones, Huawei has continued to lead in wearables, with global shipments surpassing 150 million units by the end of 2023, and ranked first in China’s smart watch market for five consecutive years. The company’s dedication to design innovation is evident in its “Fashion Forward” exhibition zone, highlighting its investment in edgy new designs and materials such as Huawei Watch Ultimate Design which features 18K gold inlays, a rotating gold crown, and black and gold ceramic bezels.

The representative said that Huawei is marking 10 successful years of its wearables. “We launched our first wearable right here exactly 10 years ago. So the first one was launched at MWC in 2014. Since then, we’ve achieved number one market share in global Watch this space, because we’ve been told by independent researchers that in the last quarter of 2023, our sales increased by 56 per cent year on year. So we, again are very optimistic about the potential for our wearable business.”

Looking ahead, Huawei pledges to address industry challenges such as sleep, blood pressure, and mental health management, aiming to provide consumers with more accurate and comprehensive health management solutions.

Huawei has till date filed over 800 smart wearable patent applications, ranking high in terms of R&D investment and the number of patents mapping fitness and health. The company has also built over 10 global research centers, accelerating the global layout of professional research in the wearable field.

In October 2023, Huawei unveiled its third health lab based in Finland. Additionally, it has set up aesthetics research centres in Paris, Milan,and London, to gain insight into the design and aesthetic trends of different cultures, draw from a diverse range of traditions, and incorporate design elements from both East and West. The centres serve as the global platform that fuel the continuous advancement of technologies and design, providing unique and unprecedented aesthetic experience to consumers.

“In 2024, we will continue to focus on developing groundbreaking technologies and expanding our product portfolio across various categories. Our wearable strategy, centered around fashion-forward design, will extend to other product areas, catering to consumers’ demand for unique and individualised products, especially health. Moreover, we are exploring opportunities to bring our advanced medical certifications overseas, further supporting global health initiatives. Lastly, our commitment to creativity and expression through technology will drive initiatives like the creation of beauty, enriching lives and empowering individuals worldwide,” the representative added.

As Mobile World Congress continues to serve as a pivotal platform for the connectivity ecosystem, Huawei’s showcase at MWC 2024 is a glimpse into the tech giant’s capabilities in delivering high-end, fashion-forward, technology-driven products and experiences to consumers, worldwide.