2020 is the year in which we can expect to see 5G networks rolling out. The change that will, according to CNN, cost $300 billion in the U.S. only, is promising superfast Internet. However, whether the rollout will happen as fast across the globe is not certain fact. The infrastructure for 5G networks is expensive and it is already posing some challenges to countries engaged in the widescale deployment of 5G antennae. The smaller the cells, the better they will fit in densely populated areas without affecting existing urban infrastructure. But at the same time, smaller cells cost more. Reaching out to rural areas is another potential challenge.
Despite the complexity of full-blown 5G implementation and the pace at which 5G networks will scale, progress is still taking place in multiple locations worldwide. And regardless of the exact date on which 5G or fifth-generation networks will make their crucial impact on the tech industry, web and mobile app development companies are preparing to help businesses benefit from the impending change.
5G networks promise to deliver high-speed connectivity. If a current download for a 3D movie lasts 6 minutes, with 5G it will be only around 30 seconds. Those are the levels of acceleration and bandwidth necessary to bring the shift to smart homes with dozens of smart devices, IoT business places, and connected cars. Without 5G, another imminent change – IoT, is also impossible. Smart sensors, a necessary part of 5G, for example, require less erroneous noise from the environment to perform accurately in order for many people, devices, machines, and cars to connect and work together in unison by using wireless Internet. And we are far from there yet. At the current level of development, smart sensors are becoming more scalable, inclusive, and open to the possibilities of integrating additional electronic components than ever, providing opportunities to create new devices that could support the 5G infrastructure.
Without looking at sensors as separate components of future IoT devices, it is important not to forget that smartphones are already possessing sensor capabilities. Mobile app development on a 5G smartphone is a new lucrative path for businesses. As more companies and individuals are using mobile apps, new smartphones will need to leverage 5G to gain maximum advantage. We could say that the current stage is transitional, but as we move forward to 2020 and beyond, additional smartphone models will become 5G capable.
But the most important aspect of fifth-generation networks should be looked for elsewhere. 5G mobile app development should not be considered in isolation from other software advancements and the overall digital ecosystem. That’s exactly the point of future high-speed networks – to provide a grid for connecting users cross-device and cross-platform without limitations. Therefore, 5G will offer increased opportunities for finding touchpoints on which users travel on their journeys while communicating with brands. More data will become available as IoT devices progress to collect, analyze, and predict trends. Businesses need to get ready for it. In particular, they need to prepare to find the place of such a ubiquitous device – the smartphone in their business models.
The mobile app development field is and will be brimming with possibilities as we transition to scalable 5G. Get ready for visually appealing apps, video dominance, and users getting faster to products as never before. Uninterrupted high-quality communication, stunning user interfaces, and immersive realities will be only a part of the change that will overtake the tech industry as we move into the next year and beyond.
