Cellular Networks have always played a vital role in mobile app development. Earlier, app developers leveraged third and fourth-generation mobile networks, commonly known as 3G and 4G, to build some of the popular mobile apps we have used.
Now, the 5G, the latest generation of mobile networks, has taken over the industry, and it has gained the interest of app developers worldwide in no time.
The 5G technology has impacted mobile app development in various ways, and in this blog, we will discuss it in detail. But before moving forward let’s learn about the 5G technology and its specifications.
Overview of 5G Technology and Its Specifications
The 5G technology is the fifth and the latest generation of mobile networks. It is designed to connect people, devices, and machines. Here are some of the features of 5G technology and how it is better than the 4G.
Features of 5G Technology
The features of 5G technology are as follows:
- Speed
The 5G can deliver an average speed of 10 GBPS per second, approximately 10 times faster than the previous 4G generation.
- Ultra-Low Latency
Additionally, it has an ultra-low latency when compared to the previous technologies. Latency is the amount of time taken by data to get shared over a network.
High latency means data takes more time to be shared on a network and vice versa. The previous 4G technology has a latency ranging from 60 milliseconds to 98 milliseconds, whereas the latest 5G delivers low latency under five milliseconds.
- Network Density
Moreover, the 5G’s connection technology counts up to 1 million devices per square km.
In 4G technology, it is just up to 2000 devices per square km. This means that in an area, the 5G technology can support mobility connections for up to one million devices, including smartphones, tablets, IoT sensors, etc., simultaneously.
On the other side, the 4G supports only up to 2000 devices within the same area range.
- Frequency
The 5G can work on a new high-frequency spectrum that operates on wavelengths between 30 GHz and 300 GHz. And when compared to 4G LTE’s, the wavelengths are under 6 GHz.
- Energy Efficient
The fifth generation of mobile networks, or 5G, also aims to be more energy-efficient compared to previous generations, such as 4G.
The 5G enables various energy-saving techniques, including network densification ( increasing the density of nodes in a cellular network), sleep mode for ideal apps and devices, and improved hardware efficiency, reducing the battery life of apps and devices.
Therefore, these are the top features of 5G technology that make it different and better than its predecessors.
Comparing All the Mobile Network Generations
Below is the comparison of all the mobile network generations in a nutshell.
| Factor | 1G | 2G | 3G | 4G | 5G |
| Technology | Analog | Digital (GSM, CDMA) | Digital (CDMA2000, UMTS) | LTE Advanced | NR (New Radio) |
| Speed | N/A | Up to 0.3 Mbps | Up to 3.1 Mbps | Up to 1 Gbps | Up to 20 Gbps |
| Latency | N/A | 100-500 ms | 50-100 ms | 50-100 ms | 50-100 ms |
| Spectrum | N/A | FDMA, TDMA | CDMA | OFDMA, SC-FDMA | OFDMA, mmWave, Sub-6 GHz |
| Network Capacity | N/A | Moderate | Moderate | High | Very High |
| Deployment Era | 1980s | Late 1990s | Early 2000s | 2010s | 2020s |
| Use Cases | Voice Calls | SMS, MMS, Basic Data | Video Calls, Mobile Internet | HD Video Streaming, Online Gaming | AR/VR, IoT, Metaverse |
| Peak Throughput | N/A | Up to 0.1 Mbps | Up to 1 Mbps | Up to 100 Mbps | Up to 10 Gbps |
* Please note that some numbers, such as speed, latency, and peak throughput, may vary depending on the connectivity of a respective network.
When compared to the previous generation of mobile networks, 4G, the latest 5G network wins in every aspect, and this is the reason why mobile app development companies are opting for it to develop custom mobile apps loaded with advanced features and functionalities.
You can explore the latest statistics to learn about the adoption of 5G technology.
Current Statistics For the 5G Technology Market
Below are some of the latest statistics showing the growing trends of 5G technology worldwide.
Source: Statista
- The global 5G services market size was valued at $84.31 billion in 2023 and is expected to grow at a CAGR of 59.4% from 2023 to 2030.
- According to the latest reports, 5G deployment will contribute $1.4 trillion to $1.7 trillion to the GDP of the United States of America.
- Approximately 95% of all mobile connections will be on 5G in the United States by 2030.
- As per the studies, the percentage of devices loaded with 5G capability, rose from 56% in 2021 to 77% in 2023.
- The studies show that there were 954 private 5G networks globally and the US ranked first with the most number of private networks.
Now, let’s move forward and explore the 5G technology’s influence on mobile app development in detail.
Impact of 5G Technology on Mobile Application Development
The 5G technology has impacted mobile app development in the following ways:
- Faster Transfers of Files
With the 5G network, files can be transferred from one end to another in just a few moments. The 5G’s high speed is the major reason behind this. It can deliver an average speed of up to 10GBPS, which means it can transfer heavy files, documents, high-resolution pictures, videos, etc., sizing up to 10 gigabytes in just a second.
This speed is approximately 10 times faster than the previous generation, named 4G. Moreover, the 5G technology has an ultra-low latency rate, ranging in just a few milliseconds, which means the files transferred using 5G take only some milliseconds of time to reach their destination.
- Enhanced Video Streaming Experience
Whenever you ask any user what interrupts his video streaming experience, the common answer would be network interruptions, loading time, and high buffering. Network interruption is disruption or irregularities in connectivity in a network, and loading time is the amount of time data takes to get fully displayed on a screen.
Moreover, high buffering is an excessive delay in data transfer that results in prolonged waiting times for content to load or stream smoothly. All these problems downgrade the user’s video streaming experience.
Therefore, the top mobile app development companies are building live video streaming applications compatible with the 5G technology. The 5G is already known for its high speed (10GBPS), ultra-low latency( only a few milliseconds), and increased bandwidth.
So, 5G, no doubt, addresses and solves all the major issues discussed earlier (network interruptions, loading time, and high buffering), and offers users a top-notch video streaming experience.
- More Integration of Augmented, Virtual, and Mixed Reality
In recent years, we have witnessed many emerging technologies being added to mobile applications. Earlier, mobile app developers integrated technologies, such as Augmented Reality, Virtual Reality, Blockchain, and more, into the applications to enhance their performance and improve user experience, but only to limited applications.
But now with the fifth-generation mobile network, we can witness more applications loaded with emerging technologies, especially Augmented Reality Virtual Reality, and Mixed Reality.
With the faster speed and low latency, 5G can support advanced high-quality content in real-time. This provides an immersive experience to users while using the mobile app.
- Improved Performance of Mapping and Tracking Systems
Since the technology has emerged, mapping and position-tracking systems have become more accurate and reliable. Today, we can’t imagine our lives without location mapping applications, and enterprises, especially logistics companies are relying heavily on real-time positioning tracking systems and delivery applications.
The 5G technology has improved the accuracy of mapping apps, such as Google Maps, and with fast data transfers, the positioning tracking systems are providing real-time position updates to the users, thus, increasing reliability.
Moreover, logistics and delivery companies are now using 5G-enabled mapping and location-tracking solutions to track their delivery executives in real-time.
- Increased Use of the Internet of Things
The Internet of Things is a technology that connects various appliances and devices over a shared network. With the emergence of fifth-generation technology, there is a high rise in applications and devices supporting IoT capabilities worldwide on a domestic level and enterprise level.
As 5G enhances device connectivity and allows fast data transfers, people are now opting for domestic products enabled with IoT, such as Smart TVs, refrigerators, and air conditioners for domestic consumption.
On the other side, 5G has also enhanced the demand for IoT devices in various industries. The healthcare and manufacturing sectors are the top consumers of IoT-compatible apps, devices, and machinery.
- Enhanced Cloud Compatibility
The fifth generation of mobile networks, 5G, has also enhanced the Cloud compatibility of mobile applications in recent years. With its speed, better network coverage, and low latency, the 5G has revolutionized data storage.
Now, anyone can store data on a Cloud and access it anywhere from any device. Considering the benefits of 5G technology, businesses are now moving towards SaaS-based software and mobile applications.
Besides, SaaS, also known as Software-as-a-service, businesses are also showing interest in developing and leveraging PaaS (Platform-as-a-service), DaaS (Desktop-as-a-service), BaaS (Backend-as-a-service), and more, all thanks to 5G technology.
- Emergence of Personalized Chatbots
If you use mobile apps regularly, it is obvious that you must have used chatbots in a particular mobile application. You might have used it to ask queries about the product you are shopping on an e-commerce app, or about the ETA (estimated time of arrival) of food that you have ordered using a food-ordering mobile application.
Have you noticed the difference between the old chatbots and the chatbots we are interacting with nowadays? The present chatbots are more advanced and faster, and provide precise and personalized replies tailored to the user queries.
With 5G technology, mobile app developers are creating chatbots that are empowered with the latest technologies, such as Generative AI. Also, they are training these AI models with a huge amount of data, and 5G technology can assist these chatbots to access data and deliver results at lightning-fast speed.
- Real-Time Gaming
The Gaming industry is growing at an exponential rate and with the 5G technology new aspects of gaming are being introduced in the industry. Nowadays, various gaming applications are developed by leading game development companies that provide realistic gaming experiences in real time.
The 5G technology provides users with speed and minimal or no latency to allow them to download and play high-graphic mobile games with no lags. Also, e-sports trends are emerging, and new gamers are leveraging the fifth-generation network to play online gaming tournaments and leagues.
- Extended Reality and Metaverse
The 5G technology has also enabled smoother access to Extended Reality, including Augmented, Virtual, and Mixed Reality, and the Metaverse. Businesses are now developing Metaverse platforms to list their virtual businesses in the virtual world.
Common examples include Nike, Gucci, Disney, Coco-Cola, and Vans, which are some popular brands that are present in the virtual world, also known as Metaverse.
The 5G technology loads high-quality content and data in milliseconds, thus, allowing access to Metaverse and immersive experiences of the virtual environment.
- Smart City Apps
The 5G’s high-speed, low-latency connectivity has opened up new opportunities to develop mobile applications and software that can revolutionize how cities operate and how citizens interact with urban environments.
Mobile app developers build “Smart City Apps” compatible with 5G, to leverage real-time data and analysis capabilities to improve various aspects of urban living, such as energy management, public safety, and more.
For instance, there are mobile apps available that can provide traffic updates, optimize routes for public transport, and also offer smart parking solutions. All these together ensure congestion reduction and help government bodies to improve smooth mobility within cities.
So, these are the top points considered as the impact of 5G on mobile app development.
The 5G has played a vital role in enhancing the capabilities of mobile apps and in the coming years, this impact will be more intense with the introduction of new versions of 5G, or the successor of the technology, the 6G.
Summing Up
The 5G technology has transformed the way mobile applications work. It has helped mobile app developers build apps driven by emerging technologies, which eventually improve their performance and provide an enhanced user experience.
For any business, it is crucial to develop a fast mobile application, that does not lag and can load within milliseconds. And with 5G technology, all this is now imaginable.
Therefore, if you want to develop a custom mobile app compatible with 5G technology, contact a leading mobile app development company, Quytech. Share your ideas and requirements, and our experts will assist in developing your application from start to finish. Reach out to us at: www.quytech.com