Technology is rapidly evolving alongside consumer preferences, and for a good reason. The need for improved connectivity, easier accessibility, and higher speed has driven the constant technological advancements.
Developers are consistently trying to meet consumer needs as the number of smart device users and the latest technology adopters increase exponentially.
Some facts
Do you know how many mobile phone users there are worldwide? About 3.5 billion.
Do you know how rapidly that number increases? By about 300.000 every year.
Do you know how many of those mobile users have access to 5G? Just few hundred thousand.
What is 5G?
The Fifth-Generation wireless cellular network (5G) is the latest radio technology built to deliver high-speed performance. It is not an upgraded version of 4G, but a different technology altogether — one that is worth mentioning in this day and age.
Experts predict it will do much more than significantly improve the network connection. Due to 5G’s unified connectivity fabric, connecting devices to gather and share information in real-time will become more comfortable and helpful.
From reducing road accidents to predicting production lines, multiple domains can benefit from lag-free connectivity. There’s no wonder that 5G has received a tremendous response since its much-awaited launch back in 2019.
Although an extensive rollout has been delayed due to COVID-19, the world has its eyes on 5G. Mobile operators are expanding and upgrading their networks by investing billions each year in the deployment of this new, fifth-generation cellular network.
5G for apps?
We are certain that 5G is ready to transform the mobile device industry. It is also prepared to have a massive impact on mobile applications too. The 5G technology is set to take the user experience up by several notches through its enhanced features offered at a much, much faster speed.
The advantages offered by 5G
Speed – 5G is set to overpower LTE in speed as it is around 100 times faster than 4G. Currently, 4G is the most rapid mobile technology. It transfers a maximum of 300 megabits of data per second (Mbps) — and that is a huge number.
Research shows 5G can deliver up to a maximum of 3 Gigabits of data per second (Gbps). This speed is expected to increase 20 folds to a speed of 10 Gbps in the future. This will enable users to transfer and download files in a flash, saving time and improving app usability.
Latency – 5G comes with Ultra-Reliable Low Latency Communication (URLLC), enabling it to deliver data in just a millisecond. Minimal network interference will allow mobile apps to deliver data in real-time. It offers a substantial reduction in latency than the average latency of 50 milliseconds experienced over 4G networks.
Development
As to what these numbers mean for app development and developers, 5G will enable the broader application of IoT (Internet of Things) through app development for different types of connected devices. The applications will support seamless connectivity across smart gadgets, wearable devices, and sensor-based equipment.
Smoother video streaming – 5G-powered applications are predicted to deliver media-rich user experiences. The technology will revolutionize video streaming by supporting high-resolution live streaming at a faster speed.
More possibilities for AR and VR integration – Developers have not been able to incorporate AR and VR into their mobile applications on a large scale due to network issues. 5G promises to deliver the data transfer speed and efficiency to build an augmented user experience.
These apps will perform effortlessly as 5G empowers them to overcome latency and bandwidth concerns. They will deliver more interactive and engaging experiences by processing higher volumes of data at much faster speeds.
Increase in GPS performance – GPS-based mobile app development will see an improvement in the precision of information delivery. The speed improvements and better connectivity offered by 5G will ensure accuracy of results in real-time, strengthening the performance of navigation applications, such as Google Maps or Waze.
Enhancement of Cloud compatibility – Scalability is a critical characteristic supported by 5G technology. The extremely high transmission rates will allow quicker and easier transfer of files to the cloud. This will encourage the shifting of technical infrastructure and storage to the cloud. Remember those tens of thousands of photos that you have on Google Photos or iCloud? With 5G being so instantaneuous, it’s like having them on your device’s storage. That’s just how fast they download to your device.
Developers will incorporate cloud accessibility in their mobile app development to reduce dependence on device hardware. Low latency and high performance will allow users seamless access to their cloud storage.
Conclusion
We are certain that 5G will transform the mobile app development process to support apps that perform beyond 5G-enabled smartphones. Evolving user demands will make it imperative for developers to leverage the advantages of 5G in their mobile applications.
They will be able to develop apps that perform equally well with wearable gadgets and IoT devices. But for now, companies will implement 5G technology as a supplement to other existing networks.