Technology startups flock to MWC

The World Mobile Congress in Barcelona is becoming a hotbed for Chinese technology startups to launch their new products, and use the four-day industry gathering as a platform to find sales and technology partners worldwide.

This trend reflects not only China's vibrant technology startup culture, but also a new attitude by many Chinese entrepreneurs who believe their first products could be simultaneously launched in multiple international markets, unlike earlier Chinese technology companies that expanded overseas after gaining a mature presence in China.

"We want to focus on the North American and European markets as our priority when launching our products, because we recognize these markets have an abundance of consumers willing to try the newest technologies, and have the consumption power to do so," said Brian Koenigberg, senior branding director of Focalmax Tech Co Ltd.

Focalmax is a technology startup founded in 2015 in Shenzhen, Guangdong province, which has developed cutting-edge optical technology to support the high-quality and three-dimensional images of its own branded consumer electronics products.

The Focalmax smartphone, for example, allows users to take and watch three-dimensional pictures and videos. This function is attractive to tech-savvy and adventurous customers who want to capture images with a high resemblance to reality. Powered on an Android system, the phone's other functions are similar to other smartphones on the market.

As connectivity is a key theme for the technology world, the global launch of products by Chinese brands makes a great deal of sense. Beijing ShuZiJia Yuan Technology Ltd, which released its first product, the QLOVE phone is another example.

The QLOVE phone is a circular-shaped widescreen imaging device that allows family and friends to conduct video calls with each other, much like the user experience of Skype and the FaceTime function on Apple Inc's iPhones.

Different from existing video call products, the QLOVE phone has better signal connectivity, a 160-degree camera lens to capture more images of the user's surroundings and has clear voice recognition within five meters radius. These functions enhance the experience of the calls.

More importantly, the setup of the device is easy, and suitable for less Internet-savvy users, which make up a large proportion of older generation population in China.

Instead of having to set up accounts for particular applications on a smartphone or tablet, the QLOVE phone can operate like a traditional landline, and users only need to dial the numbers of their friends and family, and be able to video call with them provided that both parties have QLOVE phones.