One member of the upcoming Galaxy S10 family from Samsung will be 5G-enabled, according to known industry insider known solely by their social media handle “Ice Universe.” The China-based source claims the device in question is code-named “Beyond 2,” with “Beyond” being the provisional name of the main Galaxy S10 project, as was previously reported. The said model may not be widely available as the fifth generation of mobile networks isn’t expected to be deployed on any significant global scale prior to 2020. Select markets in the United States, China, South Korea, Japan, and Australia will be able to enjoy 5G coverage starting next year, hence being the most likely candidates for receiving Samsung’s 5G-enabled Android flagship.
DJ Koh, the Chief Executive Officer of Samsung‘s mobile division, recently asserted that the Galaxy S10 won’t be the company’s first 5G-ready product family, with the implication of the new rumor hence being that the first such device from the Seoul-based tech giant is likely to be announced in early 2019, most likely at the next iteration of Las Vegas, Nevada-based CES taking place in January. Samsung itself has been at the forefront of 5G R&D since the early days of the global project, having made significant scientific contributions to the next-generation wireless standard.
The South Korean manufacturer also managed to increase its footprint in the stateside telecom equipment market thanks to 5G and will be supplying Verizon with a variety of next-generation wireless solutions meant to power the carrier’s experimental 5G networks planned to be deployed in select U.S. cities later this year. 5G is the first wireless tech upgrade in the history of telecommunications that’s been designed for specific use cases from day one and should consequently enable a wide variety of new solutions such as autonomous vehicles, remote surgery, and VR streaming. As a result, the technology is expected to create millions of new jobs and spur economic growth on a global scale.