It will be revolutionary when superfast 5G mobile networks come to our gadgets, cars and digital lives. But the road to 5G remains agonizingly slow at the massive Consumer Electronics Show opening this week in Las Vegas, where ultrafast products are expected to be few and far between. Backers of 5G tout a cornucopia of potential applications, but networks are still nascent, as are the devices capable of accessing them.
"5G networks are still in their infancy around the world," said Steven Koenig, vice president of market research at the Consumer Technology Association, which organizes the show. "There are 50 different carriers running 5G over the world but it's still pretty limited in scope and coverage." The annual Las Vegas gathering opens Tuesday with more than 4,500 exhibitors brings out about 175,000 attendees searching for innovations of the future.
Since smartphones are on the front line when it comes to mobile data networks, consumer electronics firms competing in that market are taking their time rolling out the devices.
With 5G, backers say, self-driving vehicles will think and react faster than human drivers, with the added benefit of knowing what cars or trucks around them have in mind. People will interact with insightful holograms. Jewelry will track a wearer's health.
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