Why have so many 5G phones been launched this year?

Why are 5G phones already unveiled? It seems like it's only been four months since the 4G networks were launched … so why do we even talk about selling 5G handsets already? Why did we see several phones announced at the MWC this year, incorporating the new technology on board?

I'm certainly not against the idea that 5G enters the world of smartphones … and more widely. It will really be a revolution.

This will connect multiple sensors simultaneously on a network – this will have a huge impact on facilities such as large plants, where multiple elements can be monitored to improve efficiency on a large scale. It may seem boring, but it radically changes the business game.

Driverless cars will be able to be connected and controlled with an offset of almost zero, allowing for one-off fixes from the cloud.

You can play on the move, because you can connect to a server-grade console and stream games streaming on your phone. Heck, even your pets will not go away when they have a 5G chip around their necks.

But the 5G network has barely begun (tests are limited or deployments very limited in key areas of Asia and the United States), and yet Samsung has unveiled the Galaxy S10 5G and a variant of the Galaxy Fold 5G, the Huawei Mate X is 5G ready, the LG V50 is 5G compatible, Xaomi has restarted its Mi Mix 3 as a cheap 5G model and ZTE has also taken part in the act.

So why are brands already launching 5G-compatible phones, while it costs more and requires bigger batteries to support this technology?

The revolution is coming

(Image: © TechRadar)

"[5G] "We're around the corner," said John Chan, head of product public relations for Xiaomi, TechRadar. "The main thing for us is to make technology accessible to everyone.

"When the 5G goes out [owning a 5G phone means] you're right, there is no obstacle from your phone in the 5G era – that's the vision we have. We want to provide the necessary tools and innovation. "

When asked if it was more of a marketing strategy to pull out a 5G phone before the networks rolled out, Chan admitted that this one had some value for the brands.

"One could say that he has a [marketing] proving to people that we are capable of making a 5G phone – and that we want to be able to provide people with this device, "he added.

Sony was one of the biggest brands not to offer a 5G phone at the conference, although it did feature a concept device, as OnePlus showed on the Qualcomm booth.

Mitsuya Kishida, President of Sony Mobile, told TechRadar that Sony was considering bringing a device to market early in the 5G wave and was working closely with its partners to bring it to market, but added that it is unlikely Did not see the point. to have a model available all the time.

"Obviously, we are working closely with our partners to develop 5G and, depending on the country and the needs of customers, we will introduce the 5G model accordingly," he said.

"This will be a model again and will depend on the country.The way to present the solution will be different for our customers."

The year 2019 will be when the 5G really begins to spread around the world. So you can understand that a few phones could land on the market … after all, there is no point in Verizon in the United States, or EE in the UK, putting forward these faster networks without phones to sell.

These operators will also ask manufacturers to offer high-end feature-rich smartphones to encourage consumers to switch to 5G.

But, as Xiaomi's Chan proved, the unveiling of a 5G smartphone is a technical proof of weight like the rest of the technology. This marketing punch confirms their status as an innovator.

Even if these phones exist, it is unlikely that they are available everywhere. As 5G technologies are deployed around the world, each phone model will have to connect to each of them to become a global version.

At what price?

We know that 5G plans will cost a little more in the beginning (both on contract and without a SIM card), as networks seek to recover the cost of deploying 5G connections worldwide and brands need to add modems more advanced and more experienced. and bigger batteries.

The handsets are also ready to be expensive, the lowest price we've heard of so far being $ 599 (about $ 680 / £ 515 / $ 1,000 AU) for the Xiaomi Mi Mix 5G.

The other phones will easily reach the $ 2,000 mark, like the Huawei Mate X, and we are not even sure of the price of the Samsung Galaxy Fold, the Galaxy S10 5G or the LG V50 5G.

Such a high price may not appeal to many consumers at first, as many will have the impression that 4G transmission speeds are comparable to those of broadband. .

What seems to have been forgotten is that on the 5G, more connections can be managed at the same time. So you will find, for example, that at a concert or a big sporting event, you will not have to wait for everyone to come home before you can finally see a mail or catch up on Instagram.

This means less time spent looking at a loading screen and wondering why a connection does not exist.

It may not be worthwhile to spend several hundred dollars on a new phone at the moment, but do not consider 5G as a simple, costly and faster addition that will not bring any other benefit.

It's fast, and brands want to just show off their technical expertise or really want everyone to connect online as fast as they can, the 5G will still be going smoothly this year … and that's it. awesome! we get half decent phones to start.

Image credits: TechRadar