Can you imagine the possibilities of downloading HD movies on your phone in seconds rather than hours or minutes? What about immersive games that blur the lines between reality and alternate reality? Both the scenarios may become commonplace in the future with the coming of the next-gen cellular technology – 5G.

As is apparent, 5G is generating a lot of interest in the mobile industry. With consumer interest high, many firms are thinking of making apps that can leverage the latest tech. The relatively new tech remains a concept for the wider world, but it clearly has the potential to deliver a massive impact. The technology could also drive big changes in mobile app development.

In no particular order, the considerations we will have to factor into the new 5G-capable apps we develop will include:

• Exponentially High Data Speeds – 5G networks can achieve significantly faster data speeds of up to 10 Gbps. This is a stark contrast to the 1 Gbps speed offered by its predecessor 4G. That will allow for the transfer of much much higher volumes of data.
• Low to Zero Latency – Latency is the time taken by a device to send a packet of data to a different device. On current mobile networks, this is about 50 milliseconds. With 5G, this will be reduced to about 1 millisecond. Surely, this will pave the way for several AR and VR based apps in particular.
• Better Connection Density – IoT is going to grow over the next few years. To accommodate billions of devices that are a part of IoT, there is a need for a network that offers better connection density. 5G will be able to support the connectivity of up to 1 million devices in a span of several miles. Watch out for the new IoT-everywhere world. And for the mobile apps that will inevitably follow.
• Precision – 5G has better precision capabilities and it will be useful for creating high-precision mobile apps, such as the ones that are GPS-enabled. Looks like location-based services may become much more common.
• Lower Battery Consumption – Features such as reduced latency and increased speed translates to lower battery consumption. In fact, 5G will be able to extend the battery life of both IoT and mobile devices up to 10 times! This is great news for both app users and developers!
• Opens Up New Avenues – HD content, 360-degree videos, holographic videos, multi-person video calls will all become a breeze on 5G networks. This will help developers create a variety of apps that cater to the users’ interests.

How 5G Will Change Mobile App Development?

We have seen a picture of the future of 5G and how it is going to shape mobile app development. Here is what is 5G mobile app developers need to think about:

1. They Can Develop Apps with Rapid File Transfers – Several apps, especially productivity apps require the users to exchange files, data, and other forms of information. 5G with low latency and high speed will be a boon for such apps and offer the users speedy transfer. Think how smoothly your apps will run without any lag! This also means that users will be highly satisfied with the overall experience and won’t abandon the app/uninstall it from their device.
2. Media-Rich UX – 5G will be able to provide rich UX like never before. From watching movies to listening to music, or playing a high-quality game, the user experience will be uber-intense on the new network. This means that developers can give free rein to their imagination when it comes to the UI and take it to the next level.
3. Better Capacities and Features – For IoT, AR/VR, and other apps that use new technologies, developers will be able to build feature-rich apps that have exceptional user experiences. Powerful apps with outstanding user experiences will drive new monetization possibilities and increase app revenues as well.
4. More Navigational Apps – 5G will be useful for creating GPS-enabled apps, which means that there will be more navigational apps in the future. The network will offer high-quality and uninterrupted communication, which is going to be a boon for such apps that are useful for the travel and tourism genre of apps as well as for utility apps or apps for wearables.
5. Swift Feedback – Chatbots and voice bots powered by 5G networks will be able to provide instant feedback and offer better, real-time experiences to the users. No more wait times mean better conversations. This promises many use-cases like specialized apps for the customer care sector.
6. Low Dependence on Hardware – The enhanced communication speed and delivery speed of 5G network also mean that the mobile apps of the future will be less dependent on device hardware. Therefore, it may well pave the way for device-agnostic apps.

The Road Ahead

While the coming of the 5G network will bring forth a plethora of opportunity for mobile apps, the path forward will be challenging. 5G, like any technology, will come with its own set of challenges. Evolving standards, security loopholes, setup of new business models, and the creation of the necessary infrastructure are some of the core issues at the nascent stage of adoption. This is why, even though the technology will be a game-changer, mobile-app developers need to tread carefully.

That said, there are opportunities aplenty to leverage 5G’s capabilities to design and deliver cutting-edge apps even in the early days of 5G implementation. It’s time to break out of the rut of slow, high-latency, low-capacity networks and embrace the promise of 5G!