Chinese telecoms giant ZTE has unveiled the Gigabit Phone – the world’s first smartphone compatible with the 5G network.
As suggested by its name, the phone will allow users to reach speeds of up to 1 gigabit per second (Gbps), which is up to 10 times faster than most 4G devices being used today.
This improved speed will enable 360° panoramic virtual reality video, instant cloud storage, entertainment upgrades and fast cache of ultra hi-fi music and movies, as well as instant APP, which removes the need to download or install applications.
The phone is powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 835 mobile platform, and integrates the Snapdragon X16 Long-Term Evolution modem with a series of ZTE’s R&D optimisation techniques to achieve the download speed.
“Thanks to ZTE’s technology strength in 5G and pre-5G Giga+ MBB solutions, the ZTE Gigabit Phone is three times as powerful at improving data processing capability in the current network,” said the company in a statement.
Focusing on 5G technologies will be one of the key priorities for ZTE, said a company spokesperson.
Forrester analyst Thomas Husson told Gadgets 360° that the launch of the handset is likely a move by ZTE to “showcase innovation” and “offer a glimpse into the future”, however the handset is unlikely to see strong sales due to a lack of 5G infrastructure.
It is estimated that 5G will be available throughout the world by 2020.