- Almost all top-spec Android smartphones of 2020 will come with 5G connectivity because the premium Qualcomm chip of 2020 supports 5G connectivity by default.
- Samsung's latest Galaxy S20 phones with 5G start at $1,000, and there's no cheaper version of the Galaxy S20 like there was with the Galaxy S10.
- The high price of Samsung's Galaxy S20 phones set a worrying precedent that the cost of entry for 5G is high, and it'll only be available to those who can afford it.
- 5G wireless plans are also more expensive, or are only available on the most expensive plans.
- Still, brand new generations of tech are often expensive at first, and prices come down when they flow into the mainstream. Let's hope the same goes for 5G.
- Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.
This year, the majority of premium top-spec Android phones will have 5G connectivity because the latest premium mobile chip from Qualcomm supports 5G by default.
That's great, as 5G is said to herald in a new age of seamless, fast, responsive internet speeds on our smartphones, making any buffering or slow speeds from today's 4G LTE networks a thing of the past.
But 5G is proving to be an expensive innovation.
Samsung's latest Galaxy S20 phones are among the first to run on the 5G Snapdragon 865 chip, and they're incredibly expensive. To be sure, smartphones in general have been getting pricier and pricier, but at least there's usually a less expensive alternative.
Not this time with Samsung's Galaxy S20 lineup, and it's setting a worrying precedent that suggests 5G is only for those who can afford it. Here are the signs:
