5G Hype Ramped up at CES 2020

Considering the growth of 5G, it is no surprise that the new enhanced mobile broadband communication technology was featured heavily at CES this year, with a number of companies announcing new devices, components, and support, in hopes of offering these devices at a time when 5G is becoming more well-known and prominent across the world. However, some companies were conspicuously quiet on the 5G front, likely waiting until Mobile World Congress (MWC) in late February to provide devices and greater insight into their work with the technology.

There were a number of 5G device announcements at this year’s CES:

• AT&T: AT&T announced its plans to launch 15 mmWave and sub-6GHz 5G smartphones in 2020, with some expected to be priced under US$600; however, it is currently unknown which vendors will be supported.
• Dell: Dell announced its 5G Latitude 9510 laptop, which will be available globally in March from US$1,800.
• Coolpad: Coolpad announced its 5G Legacy smartphone, which will be available in Q2 2020 for under US$400.
• Inseego: Inseego has unveiled a full lineup of second-generation 5G mobile routers that will leverage the Qualcomm Snapdragon X55 5G modem. Its lineup includes support for mmWave and sub-6GHz support.
• Lenovo: Lenovo announced its Yoga 5G Ultra-Portable 2-in-1 laptop, expected to be released in spring 2020 from US$1,500. The device will support mmWave and sub-6GHz 5G networks powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8cx 5G compute platform. Lenovo says the device will provide ultra-fast connectivity, reduced latency, and wider bandwidth.
• MediaTek: MediaTek announced its new Dimensity 800 5G System-on-Chip (SoC), which is designed as a mid-range solution for lower cost smartphone, offering support for mmWave and sub-6GHz as well as Dynamic Spectrum Sharing (DSS).
• Netgear: Netgear demonstrated its Nighthawk M5 5G Wi-Fi 6 Mobile Router, which offers support for mmWave and sub-6GHz and utilizes Qualcomm’s Snapdragon X55 modem. The price of the device is currently unknown, but it will be available globally in 2H 2020.
• Razer: Razer announced its Sila 5G Home Router, which can be used as a mobile 5G hotspot for devices.
• TCL: TCL announced its first sub-US$500 5G smartphone, the 10 5G, which is an evolution of the Plex. The 5G device will be launched in Q2 2020 in the United States and Canada, as well as globally in the future although exact locations are not yet clear. Due to this potential global rollout, TCL may have two or three variants of the device to account for the different 5G technical setups in different countries. The exact specifications for the device have yet to be released, but it will feature Qualcomm’s 5G SoC line—potentially the more affordable Snapdragon 765.
• Verizon: Verizon announced its plans to launch 20 mmWave 5G devices in 2020, with some smartphones in 1H 2020 being under US$800 and a further one in 2H 2020 being under US$600. Specifics about the devices are currently unknown; however, some will be able to utilize Dynamic Spectrum Sharing (DSS) in 2H 2020. The company also expects to add support for 5G laptops in Q4 2020 or 1H 2021.

It has been made quite clear at CES, even more so than last year, that 5G is an increasingly important market for a variety of different companies, offering the promise of faster cellular connectivity, lower latency, and increased bandwidth across these new device types. Smartphones, laptops, and Mi-Fi devices were chief among the 5G devices announced at CES, allowing this connectivity to reach a greater number of consumers and enterprise users and with more expected to be revealed at MWC.

5G will clearly become far more ubiquitous throughout 2020, with an increased number of devices, chipsets, and components made available, as well as the provision of connectivity in more market segments and industrial solutions.  Continuing to innovate in the area is vital moving forward to ensure that new 5G devices and components are developed and the level of connectivity is increased, which will help keep the market moving and encourage replacement rates. The migration to new 5G devices will also be dependent on reductions in price points, which are expected to fall dramatically over the coming year, to help improve the addressable market and increase demand across a whole host of device types, notably smartphones.

Device, component, and network providers are clearly aware of this 5G trend, allowing for an increased number of devices to be used in a greater number of locations. It is recommended that these companies continue to increase their 5G offerings and availability, working together to ensure that the connectivity works as required and when required. With these increased numbers of devices and components expected to launch over the next six months, network connectivity must be made more widespread across territories, which will rely heavily on 5G roll-out by mobile carriers. This will ensure that these devices and their users will have access to 5G and related services at all times, thereby keeping the user experience paramount.