Visitors view newly-launched OPPO phones during the Mobile World Congress (MWC) in Barcelona, Spain, Feb. 28, 2022. The 2022 edition of the MWC is held from Feb. 28 to March 3. (Xinhua/Zheng Huansong)

The 2022 edition of the Mobile World Congress opened its doors on Monday, for a four-day event that is expected to host between 40,000 and 60,000 people.

The Congress will shine a spotlight on the future of the global telecommunications industry, presenting new technology and hardware.

The metaverse is certain to be high on many visitors' agenda, with questions being asked over whether it really is the future, or merely hype.

Advances in drones, as well as connected and driverless vehicles, the Internet of Things, and the 5G world discussed in 2019 are moving ever-closer to reality, and some industry figures are even casting their gaze towards 6G as the future.

A total of 1,500 companies will be represented at the event, which is taking place at the FIRA Exhibition center in Barcelona.

Industry heavyweights such as Samsung, Huawei, Ericsson, Deutsche Telekom, Google, Nokia, Qualcomm, and ZTE will attend, alongside giants such as Xiaomi, Meta, China Telecom and AT&T.

The industry is looking at 2022 as the year in which the sector will be relaunched, following the cancellation of the 2020 MWC due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and 2021's scaled-down event.

The optimism surrounding the 2022 MWC was highlighted by CEO of Huawei Consumer Business Group Richard Yu, in a product launch held on the eve of the event.

After the "hard winter" of COVID-19, Huawei is "looking forward to enjoying the warmth of the spring," Yu said.

Huawei is among a host of companies unveiling new top-of-the-range smartphones and laptops, but the MWC will also present advances in connected industrial machinery using 5G networks.

A visitor experiences a simulated driving device during the Mobile World Congress (MWC) in Barcelona, Spain, Feb. 28, 2022. The 2022 edition of the MWC is held from Feb. 28 to March 3. (Xinhua/Zheng Huansong)

Visitors attend the Mobile World Congress (MWC) in Barcelona, Spain, Feb. 28, 2022. The 2022 edition of the MWC is held from Feb. 28 to March 3. (Xinhua/Zheng Huansong)

Visitors view an exhibited robot during the Mobile World Congress (MWC) in Barcelona, Spain, Feb. 28, 2022. The 2022 edition of the MWC is held from Feb. 28 to March 3. (Xinhua/Zheng Huansong)

Visitors view the exhibition area of China's Huawei during the Mobile World Congress (MWC) in Barcelona, Spain, Feb. 28, 2022. The 2022 edition of the MWC is held from Feb. 28 to March 3. (Xinhua/Zheng Huansong)

Visitors view the exhibition area of China's Huawei during the Mobile World Congress (MWC) in Barcelona, Spain, Feb. 28, 2022. The 2022 edition of the MWC is held from Feb. 28 to March 3. (Photo by Gustavo Valiente/Xinhua)

A visitor takes photos of ZTE's new cellphones during the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Spain, on Feb. 28, 2022. The 2022 edition of the Mobile World Congress opened its doors on Monday, for a four-day event that is expected to host between 40,000 and 60,000 people. (Photo by Gustavo Valiente/Xinhua)

A robotic bartender supported by 5G technology serves beer during the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Spain, on Feb. 28, 2022. The 2022 edition of the Mobile World Congress opened its doors on Monday, for a four-day event that is expected to host between 40,000 and 60,000 people. (Photo by Gustavo Valiente/Xinhua)

A man records a Xiaomi CyberDog during the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Spain, on Feb. 28, 2022. The 2022 edition of the Mobile World Congress opened its doors on Monday, for a four-day event that is expected to host between 40,000 and 60,000 people. (Xinhua/Zheng Huansong)

A man tries a Nubia's new Z40 series cellphone during the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Spain, on Feb. 28, 2022. The 2022 edition of the Mobile World Congress opened its doors on Monday, for a four-day event that is expected to host between 40,000 and 60,000 people. (Xinhua/Zheng Huansong)

Robots show customized cellphone service at Samsung's exhibition area during the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Spain, on Feb. 28, 2022. The 2022 edition of the Mobile World Congress opened its doors on Monday, for a four-day event that is expected to host between 40,000 and 60,000 people. (Xinhua/Zheng Huansong)

A man tries HaptX's haptic gloves for virtual reality and robotics during the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Spain, on Feb. 28, 2022. The 2022 edition of the Mobile World Congress opened its doors on Monday, for a four-day event that is expected to host between 40,000 and 60,000 people. (Xinhua/Zheng Huansong)