It was about ten years back when I got my first mobile phone; back then I was happy and thankful that I could easily connect with my friends, the internet speed was something I wasn’t concerned about. In fact, I rarely used the internet on it.

But today, I need speed, I want websites to load fast, I want my information to be transferred in seconds, and it seems that even 4G isn’t delivering the results that I desperately want.

I’m sure you feel that way as well.

And if you’ve heard about 5G, I’m sure you’ve been wondering what solutions it’s going to bring to the table and how it can impact mobile application development.

Every network brought some benefits to the technological world.

  • 1G brought us the very first cell phones
  • 2G allowed us to send text messages
  • 3G made the internet accessible to everyone
  • 4G delivered faster internet speeds that we use today

But it doesn’t end there just yet, new technologies keep rolling in and keep improving the ways that we stay connected with the world and our loved ones.

Advancement of technologies has further raised the expectations of users, and now, even 4G seems to be lacking and users are on the lookout for something better and faster.

First, let’s take a look at what 5G is and what benefits it aims to deliver:

What is 5G?

The fifth-generation wireless network is a network that promises 1000 times the speed offered by the previous network ‘4G’. The 5G wireless technology uses a higher frequency bandwidth called the ‘millimeter’ which can transfer data more rapidly as compared to the lower frequency networks.

What exactly will be the benefits of 5G? Let’s Take a quick look at the advantages of 5G:

  • 5G promises to deliver the speed of about 10-500Gbps whereas 4G is only able to provide 20Mbps
  • With 5G, users will be able to stream 4k HDR content
  • 5G can provide higher resolution
  • It’s capable of bringing together all networks in one platform
  • 5G can provide uninterrupted connectivity all across the globe.

Here is how 5G will impact mobile application development

Before app developers start creating a mobile app, they take into consideration the devices and networks that their application will be used on. To make sure that their app functions seamlessly on all platforms and devices, they develop their app by keeping in mind the necessary requirements.

So ever since 5G has hit the market, developers have been thinking about optimizing their development strategies, they’ve been seeking ways to utilize 5G for their advantage. Here are some attributes of 5G that developers can use in application development.

Enhanced Mobile broadband (eMBB):

App developers can make their apps look more attractive and provide out-of-the-box interfaces with the help of enhanced mobile broadband. eMBB brings developers the opportunity to use the enriched and exotic media experiences such as AR, VR, and UltraHD & 360 degrees’ video streaming.

By incorporating these technologies in their apps, developers can attract users and reduce the app abandonment rate.

Ultra-Reliable Low Latency Communication (URLLC):

This is an essential feature introduced by 5G. Data can be transferred between devices in real-time with minimum delay. Ultra-low latency communication is especially useful if you’re operating a moving vehicle or maybe performing a surgery; you need the signals to be sent without any delay so that you can perform an action in real time. Suppose you are driving a car and you come across a red light. When it turns green, you’re about to race off, but suddenly you notice that another car is coming from the opposite direction and you could very likely face an accident.

You might not be able to act fast enough but, your 5G network coverage will be able to sense the signals coming from the other car and make a timely decision, consequently saving you and your car.

Mobile app developers can use this technology to deliver a better user experience. 5G will help reduce the download time of apps irrespective of their size, again this is very helpful for reducing the app abandonment rate. Another advantage that 5G has in store for mobile application developers is the interface clarity. If you compare the video quality of 2G with 4G LTE, you can see the difference in quality, so adding that up it means that the quality and clarity brought by 5G will surely amaze visitors.

Massive Machine Type Communication (mMTC):

First, let’s understand ‘what machine type communication’ is. Machine type communication is the data communication between devices without any human interaction. For example, remote monitoring, payment, and tracking. 5G offers Massive Machine type communication and focuses explicitly on IoT devices that require high-speed internet.

Speed and low power usage combined with latency improvement provide app developers many advantages, including rich connectivity and more revenue. After using the above-mentioned features brought by 5G technology, mobile app developers can improve their apps to a great extent.

What does this mean for mobile apps?

High-speed internet

One of the most critical advantages of 5G technology is high internet speed. Users will be able to download apps within seconds irrespective of the size of the apps. Asides this, mobile app marketers will also have an advantage up their sleeves, especially if their marketing strategies revolve around download speed monetization.

Faster file transfers

Users can transfer money and information from one account to another within seconds.

Better user experience

The user interface clarity brought by 5G will help improve the user experience to a great extent.

If you’ve read up to here, I’m sure you’re looking for ways to use 5G to leverage your development strategy. It has numerous benefits, but first I want you to take a look at some famous companies that have decided to use 5G technology.

Samsung:

Samsung and Verizon had announced that they would be launching their 5G smartphones in the first half of 2019.

Apple:

On the contrary, it seems that Apple isn’t in haste to incorporate 5G in their smartphones just yet. Apple aims to use it in 2020.

OnePlus:

According to TechRadar, OnePlus has announced that they will be launching OnePlus 7 or 7T integrated with 5G technology by the end of 2019.

Up till here, I’ve only discussed the advantages and benefits that 5G brings to the table; however, all that glitters isn’t gold. There are certain drawbacks as well. For instant, if you consider your old devices, they will not be able to function on 5G. You will have to purchase new devices that are compatible with 5G. Furthermore, the equipment required to deploy and maintain 5G is very costly, and users will be less willing to replace their devices with more expensive ones. Another disadvantage is that the security and privacy issues on 5G are yet to be resolved.

If you consider the benefits and the drawbacks, I think Apple has chosen wisely to lay off 5G for about a year or so. 5G is still a young technology, and it will take some time to mature, so it’s better to wait and see where it can lead you. However, there is no doubt that after Samsung launches its first 5G smartphone, the majority of the consumers will want to get their hands on the device. It could be a massive success, or it could be a huge downfall, especially if users start facing cybersecurity issues or if it fails to give a good user experience. We will have to wait and see.

Conclusion

As compared to 4G, 5G has much more to offer, coverage, speed, better connectivity, and low latency; all these aspects sum up to one thing: “If 5G manages to overcome its security and expense barriers, it could definitely be the world’s fastest and most popular network”. This means a brighter future for mobile app developers. With 5G mobile apps, developers can recreate apps that respond to the user’s prompt in real time, are downloaded within seconds, incorporate AR/VR technology, and give a clearer & more refined UI for exceptional user experience.

If you’re thinking about utilizing the benefits of 5G, feel free to leave a comment. I’d love to know what your thoughts are.

About the Author:

Khloe Hunter is a Digital Marketing Executive for Appverticals. Her expert writing skills, enable her to convert complex information, into content that anyone can read. Her technical educational background, combined with the know-how of content marketing, gives her an edge over others in a variety of blog posts.