Microsoft to hold press event at Mobile World Congress 2019

Microsoft logo at Ignite
Microsoft logo at Ignite (Image credit: Windows Central)

Microsoft MWC 2019

Microsoft typically doesn't make an appearance at Mobile World Congress (MWC), but it's switching things up this year. The Redmond giant today sent out invites for a press event at MWC 2019, set to take place in Barcelona on February 24.

The invite doesn't hint at what Microsoft might have up its sleeve for announcements, but we can speculate based on the planned lineup of speakers. Notably, Microsoft Technical Fellow Alex Kipman is set to appear alongside CEO Satya Nadella and Corporate Vice President Julia White.

Given Kipman's role in creating HoloLens, it's possible that Microsoft is planning to finally break cover on the second iteration of its mixed reality headset. We've already seen plenty of rumors and hints at the hardware the next-generation HoloLens will adopt, including a potential switch to an ARM platform and the adoption of Qualcomm's new XR1 and AI platform.

A recently published patent also sparked speculation that Microsoft may be looking to double the HoloLens' field of view, addressing one of the headset's main pain points.

In any case, we still have a little over a month to wait until we'll see what Microsoft has in store. Even if a "HoloLens v2" isn't in the cards, Microsoft's presence at the annual conference is notable.

Dan Thorp-Lancaster

Dan Thorp-Lancaster is the former Editor-in-Chief of Windows Central. He began working with Windows Central, Android Central, and iMore as a news writer in 2014 and is obsessed with tech of all sorts. You can follow Dan on Twitter @DthorpL and Instagram @heyitsdtl