5G smartphones are upon us. While telecom networks have long started the groundwork for a 5G infrastructure, chipset and smartphone companies are now gearing up for the new wave of handsets with ultra fast mobile connectivity.
Qualcomm became one of the first major chipset players in the world to launch 5G ready Snapdragon 855 processor which is going to power a range of flagship phones in 2019. In the US, local carriers AT&T and Verizon have already released modems for the next generation of broadband network.
With Snapdragon 855 chipset launch, a number of smartphone companies have announced plans to launch 5G phones in 2019. Here’s a comprehensive list of 5G phones confirmed to launch next year.
OnePlus 7
OnePlus wants to win the race for the first 5G phone with its next-generation flagship killer, dubbed as OnePlus 7. OnePlus will launch 5G phone in the UK early next year. OnePlus 7 will be powered by Snapdragon 855 processor. The phone, however, will be expensive. According to OnePlus CEO Pete Lau, OnePlus phone with 5G may cost $200-300 more.
Samsung Galaxy S10
Samsung has already confirmed plans to launch 5G flagship phones early next year. Expected to be unveiled at the Mobile World Congress (MWC) 2019 in February, Samsung will introduce Galaxy S10 and Galaxy S10 Plus with 5G support. The company has partnered with the US carrier Verizon to jointly launch one of the first commercial 5G smartphones in first half of 2019.
Xiaomi Mi Mix 3
Xiaomi is also looking to join the 5G race with Mi Mix 3, its new flagship phone. The company earlier this month launched 5G-powered Mi Mix 3 with Snapdragon 855 chip and X50 5G modem, which is said to deliver a maximum download speed of up to 2Gbps. Mi Mix 3 with 5G support will launch in Europe next year.
Oppo R15 Pro
China’s Oppo is going to be one of the top players to launch 5G phone. The company is already a long-term partner with Qualcomm. Oppo earlier this month successfully completed a multi-party video call on a smartphone via 5G network using WeChat. The company used its flagship phone, Oppo R15 Pro, for the 5G network test.
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Huawei 30 Pro
Huawei is already a big 5G player in the telecom networking industry. The company which rivals with the likes of Nokia and Ericsson has been working on laying up 5G network in several markets around the world.
According to reports, Huawei P30 Pro is expected to be the company’s first 5G ready phone. The smartphone features a waterdrop notch design, four rear cameras, and an upgraded version of Kirin 980 processor.
HTC, Lenovo and more
After launching a blockchain phone, HTC is said to be working on Snapdragon 855-based smartphone. Lenovo and Motorola are also in line to launch 5G phone. Motorola is also rumoured to be working 5G Mod, snap on modular back panel, which works with its Moto Z-series of phones. Other notable brands planning to launch with phones with 5G are LG, Vivo, and Nokia.