There is a lot to talk about 5G especially after President Donald Trump allowed US companies to sell some components to Chinese telecommunications giant Huawei. Everything could change as 5G development continues, but in these early days, some companies have pulled ahead while others have fallen behind.
Let us take a look at the Winners and the Losers.
Qualcomm – Winner
Qualcomm is the world’s largest mobile chipmaker and has been talking up 5G for years. Now since it is live, the company appears to have a dominant position in the field. With the exception of Huawei, every 5G phone contains a Qualcomm chip. A gathering of dozens of carrier, handset and equipment executives on a Qualcomm stage at Mobile World Congress showed off just how critical the company is to the mobile industry.
Huawei – Loser
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Although Huawei is the world’s largest maker of 5G networking equipment, the US action against the company — a result of its alleged coziness with the Chinese government — puts its entire business at risk. Even though President Donald Trump has now allowed US companies to sell some components to Huawei, there is a lot of uncertainty when it comes to company’s future in the US.
South Korea – Winner
As a country, South Korea is ahead of others in the 5G implementation race. While Verizon pooh-poohed South Korea’s claim of being the first in the world to 5G with three carriers giving their fastest phones to six celebrities, the country’s Ministry of Science and Technology reported that 1 million people signed up for 5G in 69 days, a faster rate than the country’s 4G rollout.
Samsung – Winner
Samsung, the South Korean multinational conglomerate and the world’s largest phone-maker has populated carriers worldwide with its premium Galaxy S10 5G phone, which is available on 14 networks all over the world, including the four major US carriers, as of Friday. It also sells from Samsung.com in regions that already have 5G or soon will, and through various retailers. It’s one of the first, most powerful phones to work with 5G, a feather in Samsung’s cap.
Apple – Loser
Yes, Apple isn’t really leading this 5G race and unlike rivals, it has not yet announced its 5G plans. Mired in a legal battle with chipmaker Qualcomm until April, Apple was originally planning to use Intel to bring the iPhone to 5G. After the settlement, Intel immediately dropped out of the 5G game, and the iPhone isn’t speculated to get 5G until 2020. If Apple sticks to its September cycle, it’ll trail Samsung by a year and a half. The Cupertino brand may not even get its own 5G chip until 2025.
Telstra – Winner
Down under, Australia’s carrier, Telstra has three 5G phones — the LG V50 ThinQ, Samsung Galaxy S105G, and Oppo Reno 5G — and 10 major 5G areas: Adelaide, Perth, Sydney, Toowoomba, Launceston, Melbourne, Hobart, Gold Coast, Canberra, and Brisbane. That’s impressive for a continent with a roughly 3 million square mile area — just about the same as the contiguous United States.