5G phonEs: whEn?
Samsung:
It is a foregone conclusion that Samsung’s next Galaxy flagships will be called the S10 and S10+ — it’s also all but certain that they’re going to be 5G devices. The wait won’t be long as the unveiling will be on Wednesday; a dash of that foldable device at the event also won’t hurt. Apple:
Tim Cook & Co are always front and centre when it comes to rumours, but it looks like they’d be letting this cycle pass by. It was anticipated that Apple would be launching a 5G iPhone this year, but according to reports, the company says it’s “too early” for a 5G smartphone this year. iPhone XIs or XII in 2020, then? Huawei:
After making a splash with the Mate 20, Huawei’s obvious next step is to enter the 5G race, which it had touted as early as a year ago. Last month, it unveiled its own Balong 5000 chip, ready to take on Qualcomm’s own 5G chipset, the Snapdragon 855. Will it happen in the P or Mate series? Seems the former is more likely. Google:
Details are murky when it comes to the Internet giant’s 5G offering, but it is viewed that Google will use the Snapdragon 855 for its next device, which would be the Pixel 4. If history is any indication, we won’t see that until October. Nokia:
HMD Global has a knack of releasing a phalanx of Nokia devices in one go; the 5G one (when it comes) will obviously garner the most attention. The Nokia 9 — yes, that one with a five-lens camera system — is expected to be announced at the MWC, but it won’t be 5G. The Nokia 9 PureView — rumoured in August — would be. Honor:
Huawei’s sub-brand made quite an impression with the View 20 last month, taking cues (lots of them) from the Mate 20 series. Last year, the company said it would be the first to launch a 5G smartphone. Now, they’ve pushed its launch back quite a bit to the second half of 2019. Motorola:
The Lenovo brand caused a stir when it launched the Moto Z3, which had the ability to have a 5G moto mod attached to it, enabling the device to connect to a 5G network — but only for Verizon customers and when 5G actually rolls out. So expect a 5G phone from them this year. HTC:
HTC made quite a splash with its U12+, throwing all it had into the device. Speculations suggest a second-half launch for a 5G phone from the firm, and if they go with their flow, expect it to be the U13. Sony Mobile:
The Xperia maker has been quiet of late, but it’s still very much in the game. Rumours have it that its own 5G device would be called the XZ4. But the bigger factor: Sony is on the list of Qualcomm’s 5G partners. LG:
Another mum company lately and Qualcomm 5G partner, but this one has more meat: LG and Sprint announced that they would be partnering to launch a 5G mobile early this year. It’s speculated to be the LG V50 ThinQ 5G. OnePlus:
At the MWC last year, OnePlus did announce its 5G plans. This year at the Barcelona event, they’re expected to reveal a prototype. It is, however, unclear if it will be the OnePlus 7 or 7T. Oppo:
Nothing much is out there about Oppo’s 5G plans — except for their claim that they were able to connect its R15 device to a 5G network last October. If that’s any indication, expect a full-fledged 5G ringer from them this year. Xiaomi:
Xiaomi didn’t mince words: they’ve announced that its Mi Mix 3 will have 5G capabilities. However, despite all the noise it made, it is expected to be available only later this year. ZTE:
Another one of Qualcomm’s 5G partners, ZTE was slated to release its own phone early in 2019, but for some unclear reason, they had to shelve it for now and are looking at a release later in the year.