Qualcomm: All high-end Android phones will support 5G next year

Qualcomm expects all high-end Android phones using its chips to support 5G next year, a Qualcomm executive said in an interview.

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"By 2020, every high-end chip we sell will be 5G-enabled," said Keith Kressin, senior vice president of product development. "That's true for every new high-end phone."

Qualcomm officially released two 5G-enabled chips yesterday, the Snapdragon 865 and Snapdragon 765/765G, which will be used by smartphone manufacturers in millions of Android phones.

5G wireless technology means faster speeds and lower latency, resulting in better mobile services for consumers. By bundling 5G modems with chips that will eventually be used in millions of phones, Qualcomm is sending a signal that a large number of smartphones sold next year will support 5G, not just the high-end, low-volume devices that currently support the next-generation network. If enough people have 5G phones, consumer demand could prompt carriers to accelerate their plans to build out 5G networks.

Qualcomm predicted last month that 200 million phones with 5G will be delivered to retailers by 2020. Another estimate from JPMorgan analysts this week put 5G subscriptions at 229 million in 2020, rising to 462 million in 2021.