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'World's first 5G smartphone' from ZTE set for 2020
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The Gigabit Phone promises to reach download speeds of up to 1 gigabit per second, up to 10 times faster than the 4G services widely in use today. (Shutterstock/File)
C
hinese tech company ZTE announced Sunday that it had created "the world's first phone compatible with 5G" mobile internet service.
The Gigabit Phone promises to reach download speeds of up to 1 gigabit per second, up to 10 times faster than the 4G services widely in use today.
“With the new device, the way people stay connected will be changed forever. Focusing on 5G technologies will be one of the key priorities of ZTE’s global development,” a ZTE spokesman said.
Read also: Huawei unveils preparation for 'revolutionary' 5G at Innovation Day
While 5G is not yet supported by any network, it is scheduled to be up and running by 2020, with trial services held during the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang by South Korean carrier KT Corp.
Analyst Thomas Husson said ZTE was using the phone to “showcase innovation” and to “offer a glimpse into the future when people will be able to download full movies in seconds” but that, while exciting, “the sad reality is that this smartphone will not end up in consumers’ pockets because both 5G and virtual reality are still years away to be a mass-market consumer reality.”
Still, the Gigabit Phone and similar phones are likely to hit both Western and Eastern markets, as the Chinese company makes up 10 percent market share in the United States, making it the fourth-largest vendor in the country. (sul/kes)
