Qualcomm's 5G modem will debut on 'at least' two flagships in 2019

By Harish Jonnalagadda
last updated

Qualcomm debuted its QTM052 mmWave antenna module earlier this year, and at the 4G/5G summit in Hong Kong, the chip vendor launched a new version that's 25% smaller. The new design allows device manufacturers to implement it into their products without sacrificing the aesthetic, and Qualcomm has also announced that it secured new partners for its 5G modem.

Qualcomm says at least two Android flagships slated to launch in 2019 will feature the 5G modem. The first device will be unveiled in the early half of 2019, with the second device coming in the latter half of the year.

The two flagships are just a part of the broader push that Qualcomm is targeting with its 5G modem. A total of 19 OEMs will launch phones featuring the modem in 2019, including LG, HTC, Motorola, Nokia, OnePlus, OPPO, Vivo, Xiaomi, and others.

The notable omissions on the list are Samsung and Huawei, with both manufacturers working on their own 5G solutions. It'll be interesting to see how their modems compare to the Qualcomm X50, but with a variety of devices launching next year across price points, there won't be any shortage of 5G-enabled phones.

When it comes to the carrier side of things, Qualcomm is partnering with 18 carriers around the globe to push the 5G standard forward.

Harish Jonnalagadda
Harish Jonnalagadda
Senior Editor - Asia

Harish Jonnalagadda is a Senior Editor overseeing Asia at Android Central. He leads the site's coverage of Chinese phone brands, contributing to reviews, features, and buying guides. He also writes about storage servers, audio products, and the semiconductor industry. Contact him on Twitter at @chunkynerd.

10 Comments
  • Screw flagships. I want 5G modems in budget and mid-tier devices, especially Android One's.
  • You'll get them, but probably not in 2019, and quite likely not in 2020. It makes no sense to include them any sooner. Most people buying Moto G level devices likely won't be willing, or quite possibly able, to shell out the exorbitant rates that will be charged for 5G services in the first few years of availability.
  • Because prices rose so much with 4G....
  • Once you open the floodgates of bandwidth and speeds promised by 5G, cost to consume 5G will rise. Whether that is due to $/GB increase or sheer usage increase, one could imagine it would be a mix of both. Why else invest in new technology if you can't make more money than the old technology?
  • Do you have empirical data to back that statement up? Link?
  • I get the feeling you're trying to be sarcastic... But yes, yes they did. Prices have normalised now that it's ubiquitous, but when it was first introduced the price for a 4G connection was astronomical. Partly, or maybe even mostly, through necessity.
  • I don't remember cost of service going up for 4G. Then again I had a $70 unlimited T-mo plan. What I do remember is that right after getting my Galaxy S3 it became obsolete due to it not having 4G capability. I was kinda pissed about that.
  • That will still be a year or two ahead of 5g on the iPhone getting it.
  • Google needs to build their own chip.
  • LOL, no.