China Mobile bets on 5G development

China Mobile will release 47 mobile end supporting 5G networks, covering smartphones, chips, AR/VR devices and other Internet connection gadgets, the world’s largest mobile carrier said on Thursday. 

The devices are developed by 34 partners including Huawei, Samsung, Vivo, Oppo and chip designers Qualcomm and MediaTek. They include 19 5G smartphones, seven augmented reality and virtual reality devices and other chip and Internet connection devices, said Wang Hengjiang, vice general manager of China Mobile’s mobile end division. 

“With the improved speed and network quality of 5G, we will see ‘explosive’ AR and VR device demand in China,” Wang said.

The improved variety of 5G devices will make the new technology more accessible to consumers and business clients, analysts said.

More than 10 million people have subscribed to 5G services in China. By 2025, more than 600 million users in China are expected to use 5G services.

China Mobile will officially launch the devices during the China Mobile Global Partners Conference 2019 in Guangzhou on Friday.

The carrier will also reveal 5G base station construction plans, smart home and industrial Internet strategies during the conference. 

By the end of this year, China Mobile will build 50,000 5G base stations nationwide, the carrier said. 

Meanwhile, the carrier’s investment arm has spent over 180 billion yuan (US$25.7 billion ) to build a strong ecosystem for mobile communications, covering cloud, smart devices, AI and security, China Mobile said.