Not all at once, though: it’ll take years for the roll-out
to progress to the promised land of 10 gigabit speeds.
But that’s not going to stop plenty of pundits from
issuing black marks to any device that doesn’t support
5G. There are already those who argue that Apple is
behind because it didn’t release a 5G phone this year
– never mind that there’s simply no there there yet.
Will next fall’s iPhones have 5G support? Almost
certainly. The company’s six-year deal with Qualcomm
practically guarantees it. Of course, Apple also acquired
Intel’s modem business this year, so it’s no doubt
working hard to gets its own wireless connectivity chips
ready – just don’t expect them until 2021 at the very
earliest (and probably later than that).
Still, 5G is the foreseeable future, and there’s going
to be a lot of talk about it this year. Get your buzzword
bingo cards ready for September.Reality, unaugmented
Far be it from me to be the one to throw cold water
on an idea, but after years of feeling like Apple’s
augmented reality device was ‘just around the corner’,
I’ve come around to the conclusion that it’s still a way
off. In no small part, that’s thanks to a November report
that suggested the company’s first headset wouldn’t
appear until 2022 – a report that felt rather like the
kind of directed leak that helps set expectations for
consumers and analysts alike.
And you know what? I’m okay with that. This is the
kind of device that’s going to make selling people on
wrist-mounted computers look easy. Google Glass,
Oculus, and the HoloLens have all met with varyingNotallatonce,though:it’lltakeyearsfortheroll-out
toprogresstothepromisedlandof 10 gigabitspeeds.
Butthat’snotgoingtostopplentyofpunditsfrom
issuingblackmarkstoanydevicethatdoesn’tsupport
5G.TherearealreadythosewhoarguethatAppleis
behindbecauseitdidn’treleasea5Gphonethisyear
- nevermindthatthere’ssimplynotherethereyet.
Willnextfall’siPhoneshave5Gsupport?Almost
certainly.Thecompany’ssix-yeardealwithQualcomm
practicallyguaranteesit.Ofcourse,Applealsoacquired
Intel’smodembusinessthisyear,soit’snodoubt
workinghardtogetsitsownwirelessconnectivitychips
ready–justdon’texpectthemuntil 2021 atthevery
earliest(andprobablylaterthanthat).
Still,5Gistheforeseeablefuture,andthere’sgoing
tobealotoftalkaboutitthisyear.Getyourbuzzword
bingocardsreadyforSeptember.
Reality,unaugmented
Farbeitfrommetobetheonetothrowcoldwater
onanidea,butafteryearsoffeelinglikeApple’s
augmentedrealitydevicewas‘justaroundthecorner’,
I’vecomearoundtotheconclusionthatit’sstillaway
off.Innosmallpart,that’sthankstoaNovemberreport
thatsuggestedthecompany’sfirstheadsetwouldn’t
appearuntil 2022 – areportthatfeltratherlikethe
kindofdirectedleakthathelpssetexpectationsfor
consumersandanalystsalike.
Andyouknowwhat?I’mokaywiththat.Thisisthe
kindofdevicethat’sgoingtomakesellingpeopleon
wrist-mountedcomputerslookeasy.GoogleGlass,
Oculus,andtheHoloLenshaveallmetwithvarying