5 WAYS 5G WILL CHANGE THE WAY YOU CURRENTLY LIVE

5g is on its way. With implementations beginning in 2019 and a full-on rollout expected by 2020; we are one step away from a revolution. What’s so different about 5G compared to 4G? Its latency and bandwidth are remarkably better. Latency measures the delay of a data transfer between its transmission and receival; and bandwidth measures the maximum data transfer of a network or internet connection. Imagine a garden hose where the latency is the length and the bandwidth is the width or diameter. If you make the hose shorter (less latency) and wider (more bandwidth), more water can come out of the hose faster.

A lot of people underestimate the power of the next generation connection, thinking it will just make their internet speed faster, but it’s so much more than that. Boosting internet capacity to a 5G level will change the way we live, work and socialize. Everything will be connected, allowing for endless possibilities. The Autonomous Cars, Remote Surgeries, Augmented Reality and Internet of Things will quickly become mainstream and part of our day to day lives thanks to the higher bandwidth. Here are 5 ways how things will change with the implementation of 5G:

1. Mobile Interface

The higher speed of internet and the new levels of connectivity mean that everything we can do with our smartphones now, we’ll be able to do much faster and better. Smartphone users will be able to enjoy a more streamlined experience. Mobile will dominate to the point that an estimated 90% of people over the age of 6 will have cellphones by 2020. Nevertheless, current mobile devices will become obsolete due to non-compatibility with the upcoming 5g chip.

On the other hand, there are people calling 5G the “post-smartphone era”. As Julie Coppernoll (VP Marketing at Intel) said, “Nothing will be ‘mobile’ anymore because everything will be mobile”. Smartphones are rarely the centre of the excitement about 5G due to the implementation of new wearable devices. When you can wear augmented reality glasses which allow you to do everything with minimum effort, smartphones won’t be that important anymore

2. Videos

According to AT&T, video now makes up more than half of our mobile data traffic. 5G offers higher broadband speed than 4G, so with its implementation, its low latency levels will achieve the fastest download and internet speeds, which will lead to an increase in video sharing. Video formats are improving, which also require higher bandwidth capacities as they are much more data-intensive.

Faster internet means more real-time connections. Live video sharing will become a whole new immersive experience. You will be able to share your live skiing video while interacting with the friends who watch you. Video chats will become more interactive too, to the point that you feel like you’re in the same room with the person. There are even discussions on the possibilities of interactive movies thanks to the ultra-responsive connection, with video layers that can react depending on your reactions or taste. The new possibilities for video formats such as 360-degree video will give way to new realities (VR & AR).

3. New realities

5g is going to make Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality the norm.  Augmented Reality (AR) overlays information over our view of the real world, for example prices of products or walking routes, whereas Virtual Reality (VR) creates an entirely artificial view. Both need to pull data instantly in order to be able to offer a truly immersive experience, something which will be allowed once 5G is implemented.

Gaming will be transformed due to virtual reality; you will become part of the game with features such as motion capture. VR and AR will also change the way you view performances and events by enabling to get really close to the action; you can then choose between different perspectives via the app. The Internet of Things will become part of our day to day lives thanks to new levels of connectivity and wearables will be worn all day, ABI Research anticipated that there will be 48 million AR smart glasses in use by 2021.

4. Connected Cars

One of the most promising applications of 5G is autonomous driving. The sensor technology of Connected Cars needs to recognize various obstacles and react appropriately to them – a process that requires the processing of enormous amounts of data in real-time, as explained by Andreas Westhoff, CEO of Smart Mobile Labs. Such a procedure wouldn’t be possible without the infrastructure of 5G. These smart cars have already been tested on the German autobahn, which goes to show how imminent their introduction on the market is.

Self-driving cars will be able to make time critical decisions thanks to the minimal latency and cities can monitor traffic congestion, pollution levels and parking demand and then feed that information to your smart car in real time. This information feed is Augmented Reality, and the next step would be to transmit VR to cars. 5G’s low delay could also vastly improve the real-time responsiveness of other remotely-controlled vehicles such as drones.

5. Safety & Health

All the above elements can also be applied to the Health & Safety Sector. Drones working with mobile networks will speed up emergency responses, for example by carrying a first aid kit or defibrillator. Ambulances will get to the emergency scene much faster thanks to the interconnectivity between Smart Cars. Surgeries will be made possible anywhere thanks to the remote connectivity of robots.

5G health monitoring will become a reality with smart-clothing and ingestible health monitors, as constantly connected sensors could provide instant feedback and help develop remedies. AR will also help guide doctors, nurses and surgeons to optimal treatment thanks to the additional information provided. The possibilities are endless…

In conclusion, 5G will lead to one of the biggest technological transformation of our lifetime, with unlimited possibilities. Not only will it transform lives, but it will also help save them with optimized emergency services and the reduction of car accidents. Ranging from connected cars to connected cows, this new industry standard will change everything.

26/10/2018 by Jimena Sanz

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