The 5G technology is yet to rollout in the market and is expected to be the next big thing in mobile technology. For now it comes at a high price for the mobile carriers, has limited availability and is tied to expensive 5G smartphones. Nokia brand phone-maker HMD global is planning to change that perspective by introducing more affordable 5G smartphones.
Juho Sarvikas, the HMD Global chief said, “We see a particular opportunity for us in bringing 5G to a more affordable segment as we enter the market”. He had then also mentioned about the aim to offer a phone at around half the price of what 5G devices currently cost. Sarvikas specifically said, “I would love to see us at half of the price where you have 5G today.” The phone will have a launch date in 2020.
A smartphone with 5G technology that is half the price of the current 5G phones can still be fairly expensive. For now only the exclusively premium devices get the 5G treatment, but even then it can be the premium versions of those premium versions. For example the Samsung Galaxy S10 and the Note 10 families have a 5G variant but the Samsung Galaxy S10 5G is like an upgraded S10 Plus. The Note 10 did not get a 5G variant but the Note 10 Plus did and that bumps the starting price up to $1,299.
Comparatively LG has a more affordable 5G phone with the LG V50 ThinQ but it still hits a hefty $999 price point. The One Plus 7 Pro 5G is hard to compare since it has been exclusive to one carrier. If HMD Global releases a 5G phone at half the price of its competitors, then it would make the new networking standard more accessible to many more people. But in 2020, the 5G Nokia phone will not be the only affordable option.
Photo Credits: Pixabay
