All articles tagged with #5g
Broadcom said it will extend its partnership with Apple through 2031 to design and supply custom chips, strengthening Apple’s access to wireless and RF components and boosting supply-chain resilience; Apple accounts for about 20% of Broadcom’s revenue, and the deal builds on a 2023 multibillion-dollar agreement for 5G radio-frequency components amid growing demand for advanced chips.
Motorola, in partnership with Gigs, launched the Global Connect eSIM app for Android, initially in Brazil, Mexico, Argentina, Peru, and Chile with plans to expand to Europe later this year. The app, often pre-installed on compatible Motorola devices, offers worldwide eSIM data plans, starting with 1GB of complimentary data usable in 160 countries, and supports instant activation and 5G connectivity.
Lenovo announced a smaller Legion Y700-style gaming tablet featuring 5G connectivity and an OLED display, set to launch in China in August 2026. While specs remain unconfirmed, it may use a Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 or a Dimensity chipset, and renders suggest a punch-hole display, positioning it as a compact rival in the OLED gaming-tablet space.
T-Mobile is retiring its oldest mobile plans—some dating back up to 15 years—and moving affected customers to newer plans, with an average price increase of about $4 per line (though some may see no change). Affected users will be emailed with two weeks’ notice before the switch, which will occur in mid-July. The company says customers will keep their current benefits while gaining improved network features and a 5-year price guarantee, but it has not disclosed exactly which plans are affected or which new plans they’ll be moved to.
T-Mobile has begun retiring legacy plans dating back to the 3G/4G era and will move affected customers onto its current rate plans. Some see no change to their bill, while others may face a modest increase. The move affects Sprint-era, T-Mobile One, and Magenta Max plans, with the company highlighting improved network experiences and a 5-year price guarantee. Reactions on Reddit and Threads have been largely negative, and some customers may explore MVNO options on the same network.
Android 17's stable rollout is causing 5G dropouts on multiple Pixel models (including the Pixel 9 Pro/XL, 8 Pro, 8a, and 6a), with some users also reporting missing eSIMs and Wi‑Fi reconnect issues; Google is expected to fix the modem in the next monthly security patch, and quick workarounds like Reset Mobile Network Settings or Repair Mode can restore speeds in the meantime.
An Ookla/RootMetrics analysis finds T-Mobile delivering the fastest median 5G download speeds (about 485 Mbps) thanks to its larger mid-band spectrum and aggressive use of Carrier Aggregation, outpacing Verizon (~295 Mbps) and AT&T (~273 Mbps). T-Mobile also leads in 5G Standalone usage (about 93% in H2 2025), while Verizon is at 58% and AT&T is still ramping. As AT&T and Verizon modernize networks and swap in newer equipment, the Big Three are expected to close the gap and could match T-Mobile’s speeds by the first half of 2026.
JD Power's 2026 Telecom Digital Experience Study finds T-Mobile leading in overall customer satisfaction among wireless providers and ISPs, aided by its versatile app-based experience and strong 5G coverage; Ookla named it Best Mobile Network in America in 2025, while low-cost Mint Mobile is noted as a competitive alternative.
Fixed Wireless Access is expanding rapidly, with AT&T, T-Mobile, and Verizon driving a shift away from the traditional cable/fiber duopoly. T-Mobile leads with more than 9 million FWA subscribers, while Verizon and AT&T also add millions more, often targeting postpaid and prepaid customers. Starlink and rural WISPs further diversify options, promising broader availability and potentially lower prices, though the overall impact on pricing and market power remains evolving.
Flipper unveils the Flipper One, a companion to Flipper Zero designed for networking, data transfer, and local AI. Packing an 8-core RK3576, 8GB RAM, Linux OS, Mali-G52 GPU, and an NPU, it supports 5G, Wi‑Fi 6E, two 1Gbps WAN/LAN ports, and USB-Ethernet up to 5Gbps, with additional modules for 5G. Flipper is also opening all internal development discussions via a public Developer Portal. A release date and price are not yet disclosed, and the One is positioned alongside but not as a replacement for the original Flipper Zero.
Samsung plans to unveil the Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 alongside the Galaxy Watch 9, featuring a Snapdragon Wear Elite chipset with 30% better battery efficiency, on-device AI, improved graphics, longer battery life, and faster charging (rumored 50% in 10 minutes). It also adds 5G connectivity, upgraded health sensors, and a brighter display (rumored up to 4,000 nits) in a design that preserves the Ultra line’s look; launch is expected in London in late June or early July.
Oppo has started selling the Pad 5 tablet in Europe (Wi‑Fi and 5G) with ColorOS 16, but the European version downgrades several Chinese-specs: a smaller 10,050 mAh battery with 33 W charging and a 2,800×1,980, 120 Hz display versus the Chinese model's 10,420 mAh/67 W and 12.1-inch, 304 PPI, 144 Hz panel. It’s powered by a Dimensity 9400 Plus, ships with 8 GB RAM and 128 GB storage, and comes in Starlight Black. Prices start at €459 for Wi‑Fi in Germany (€399 in Spain), with the 5G variant at €529 in Germany.
Sceye finished a 12‑day endurance test of its High-Altitude Platform System (HAPS), a helium balloon design to deliver stratosphere-based 5G Internet and bridge satellite and ground networks, with plans for upcoming commercial trials targeting ground-area coverage.
Leaks suggest the Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 will switch from Exynos to Qualcomm's Snapdragon Wear Elite on a 3nm process, add built-in 5G and NB-NTN satellite connectivity, enable on-device AI with a refined BioActive sensor suite, offer a longer 3.5–4 day battery, and debut at July 2026's Unpacked with a starting price around $649.99/£599.
Lenovo unveils the ThinkPad P1 Gen 9, a mostly internal update that replaces Arrow Lake H with Panther Lake H CPUs, bumps RAM to up to 96 GB, keeps Nvidia RTX Pro 2000 Blackwell GPUs, adds 5G, and ships in June 2026 (pricing has not yet been announced).