South Korean tech giant Samsung skips MWC Shanghai 2023 trade show for unknown reasons in break from annual participation
- Samsung’s absence at MWC Shanghai marks the first time the company has not taken part in this annual regional trade show since at least 2017
- Earlier this year, Samsung was a major exhibitor and sponsor at MWC Barcelona, the world’s biggest mobile communications industry trade show
The South Korean tech conglomerate’s absence at the three-day MWC Shanghai, which returned as an in-person event this year and concludes this Friday, marks the first time the company has not taken part in the annual trade show since at least 2017, according to public information on its website. Samsung even had a booth at MWC Shanghai during the event’s pandemic-marred 2021 edition.
By contrast, Seoul-based Samsung – which remained the top global smartphone vendor in the first quarter and the whole of 2022, according to research firm IDC – had eight stands at MWC Barcelona 2023, organiser GSM Association’s (GSMA) flagship annual mobile industry trade show, which was held from February 27 to March 2 in the capital of Spain’s autonomous community of Catalonia.
Samsung did not immediately respond to requests for comment since Wednesday. MWC Shanghai organiser GSMA, which represents the interests of mobile network operators worldwide, said it had no response to Samsung’s absence.
Still, there were other major industry stalwarts that did not exhibit at this year’s MWC Shanghai.
