TOP PHONE REVIEW

The 5G phone wars are coming. See which 5G phones are leading the vanguard now

5G smartphones are going to be taking over in 2019, with many of the biggest names in the business already confirming that 5G phones such as the Samsung Galaxy s10,  and one plus 7 are scheduled for launch this year.

Then throw in the fact that Qualcomm's President, Cristiano Amon, has confirmed that "every Android vendor is working of 5G right now", and that 5G was a massive presence at CES 80, and it becomes increasingly clear that by the end of 2019 5G is going to be well and truly here.

Indeed, speaking at Qualcomm's Snapdragon Technology Summit in Hawaii back in early December 2018, Amon stated that:

"By the holidays next year, every flagship handset – at least when it comes to those running Google's Android software and using Qualcomm's Snapdragon processor – will tap into 5G."Add in some extra leaks and hints to the and it's clear that 2019 is going to be not just a year where 5G technology hits laboratories, but when it will actually arrive in our mobiles. We will be carrying round with us amazingly powerful 5G phones... and there are plenty of reasons to get excited!

The next-gen 5G phone data tech will not only absolutely smoke 4G and 3G in terms of speed, but it also has the potential to radically alter how the world'sThink augmented reality (computer graphics merging with the real world), virtual reality, improved streaming resolutions, holographic displays, enhanced power and next-gen cloud computing – 5G is going to be significant jump forward for phones.

With so much bandwidth available, we'll see plenty more gadgets and devices getting online too (self-driving cars and so on).

Partner these exciting developments with the other phone advancements charging over the horizon, such as totally notch-less and bezel-less displays, and its easy to see why many commentators are pegging 2019 as a big year of change for smartphones.

Here we're going to run through the best 5G phones we're expecting in 2019, with makers like Samsung, Sony, OnePlus and Huawei already chomping at the bit to launch astounding 5G-enabled flagships.

And, simply put, those makers better do a good job in introducing 5G to the public as there are plenty of radical competitors looking to enter the 5G phone market, too. Makers like Xioami, Oppo, Honor and LG are also raising their 5G standards with exciting new devices as well.

We're also going to help answer some key questions about 5G as well, such as if 5G phones in India are launching at the same time as in Europe, as well as if we can expect 5G phones soon in the UK, what will be a realistic 5G phones price point to expect, as well as if there really will be a 5G new iPhone this year, too.

Before we get to the 5G phones leading the 5G vanguard, though, let's briefly recap what 5G exactly is…

5G EXPLAINED – WHAT IS 5G

5G is the successor to 4G or LTE, which succeeded 3G (can you spot the pattern?). Once phones and the network infrastructure have been made 5G-capable, we can all start enjoying faster upload and download speeds, among many other 5G phone benefits.How much faster is a 5G phone connection? It depends on your device, location, and network, but improvements of around 15-50 percent should be possible day to day in the real world. Hypothetically, in lab conditions, 5G can improve on 4G many more times than that, so there's room to grow: imagine full 4K movies downloading in a minute or two, and you're in the right area.

5G isn't just about speed though, about simply being able to watch 4K Netflix on the train home. It's also about capacity, and being able to get a stronger signal in crowded areas. In other words, you shouldn't lose connection anywhere near as easy at a crowded sports stadium or a music festival, for example.

Be sure to check out T3's dedicated 5G explainer feature if you want even more information about 5G technology.