Smartphone OEMs run with the latest technology that gives them the edge. There was a time when brands used to pack dual cameras at the back, and that was enough to put them above the other competitors. Then it was the display, and later, processor and RAM size. Today, the flavour-of-the-month happens to be 5G technology, and you will not find a mid-premium or flagship model that does not support 5G connectivity.
In fact, most of the mid-range phones in the near future will be 5G-enabled. What started with OnePlus Nord will soon trickle down into the budget and the sub-20,000 INR segments.
In fact, it is being reported that OnePlus, Xiaomi and Realme will soon announce their new upcoming mobiles, costing less than Rs. 20,000, which will support 5G connectivity. Seeing all of these brands pushing out 5G-enabled handsets would make us believe that we will get to experience the unbelievably fast 5G speeds in the next month or two. While it is true that 5G connectivity will revolutionize industries and make our lives easier, what still remains a mystery is exactly when Indian smartphone users will get to experience 5G technology.
Taking into consideration the lack of proper infrastructure, coupled with the fact that the government is yet to auction the 5G spectrum, we are looking at anywhere between 12 – 18 months for us to experience the blazingly-fast 5G download speeds.
This begs the question: with phone brands now relentlessly pushing out 5G-enabled devices, is this the right time to buy a 5G-enabled smartphone? Let us take a closer look.
Same as 4G phones for a year
The most common — and the most logical — argument against buying a 5G mobile right away is the fact that they won’t be any different from the normal 4G VoLTE smartphones we get today. This is because our country still does not have the proper infrastructure in place to roll out 5G networks. This essentially means that there are still significant developments to be made in terms of the towers and the equipment that will be used, before telecom operators can even think about rolling out 5G networks.
Furthermore, the Indian government still hasn’t conducted the 5G spectrum auction, which will set us back even further. It is now being speculated that it might take anywhere between 12 – 18 months for telcos to offer 5G networks to the Indian smartphone users, which only means that for the next year or two, 5G smartphones will not be any different from the current 4G VoLTE handsets.
Higher prices
When 5G-enabled smartphones initially hit the stores, they were flagship models offered by smartphone brands. Samsung, iQOO and Realme were the first to offer 5G phones earlier this year, which cost anywhere between Rs. 40,000 – Rs. 50,000. Since then, we have seen the costs go down, with more 5G-enabled handsets being offered for less than Rs. 40,000. OnePlus then launched the OnePlus Nord, with its base variant priced at just Rs. 25,000.
New upcoming mobile phones from brands like Xiaomi, Realme and OnePlus that are 5G-enabled are expected to cost even less, with OnePlus Clover tipped to be priced around Rs. 17,000, while the mobiles offered by Xiaomi and Realme can cost anywhere between Rs. 15,000 – Rs. 18,000. Thus, brands are now unveiling 5G-enabled smartphones at affordable prices, and it won’t be long before we get 5G mobile phones even in the budget segment.
Instead of buying a 5G smartphone right away that won’t be any different from the usual 4G VoLTE mobile, one can wait for a year, and purchase a 5G-enabled device for less than Rs. 15,000. While 5G smartphones inherently pack better features as compared to 4G devices, it makes more sense financially to buy a 5G-enabled device once telcos start rolling out 5G networks.
