5G phone networks are starting to go live in Australia, and the first 5G phones are now available, with more to come. The future isn't coming anymore. It's here.
So what 5G phones can you buy now? Which ones are coming? And what can you expect from them? Here's everything we know.
Samsung 5G smartphones
The Samsung Galaxy S10 5G was Australia's first 5G smartphone. At launch, it was exclusive to Telstra, but you can now get it through Optus too.
Here's how Telstra and Optus Galaxy S10 5G compare:
Samsung Galaxy S10 5G 256GB Plans
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Samsung also has a 5G version of the Galaxy Note 10+, which is available through both Telstra and Optus.
Samsung Galaxy Note10+ 5G 512GB Plans
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You can read our Galaxy Note 10+ review here.
If you're after a cheaper 5G smartphone, you might want to consider the Galaxy A90 5G. The A90 5G is Samsung's first "midrange" 5G smartphone, coming in at $1,049 outright. Once again, you'll be able to find it at both Telstra and Optus.
Samsung Galaxy A90 5G Plans
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Samsung also has a 5G version of the Galaxy Fold, but it won't be coming to Australia.
Apple 5G iPhones
The iPhone 11 and iPhone 11 Pro are now official and, as expected, 5G connectivity hasn't made an appearance this time around. If you're after next generation network support, reports suggest you'll have to wait until 2020 to get a 5G iPhone.
While this isn't great news if you were hoping to pick up a new iPhone with 5G connectivity this year, it does tally with the history of Apple and new cellular networks. The first iPhone with 4G connectivity was the iPhone 5. It launched about a year after 4G networks were switched on in Australia.
LG 5G smartphones
The LG V50 ThinQ was one the first 5G smartphones available in Australia, and its sold exclusively through Telstra.
While 5G connectivity is clearly a defining feature, the LG V50 also has a rather unique secondary screen accessory. Better yet, anyone picking up the LG V50 through Telstra (at present, the exclusive retailer) gets the secondary screen as a free bonus.
The LG V50's secondary display almost makes it a poor-man's foldable smartphone. If you find the primary 6.4-inch display isn't quite enough screen for you, you can clip a secondary 6.2-inch display onto the V50 with a case-like accessory. Most of the time, this simply lets you run a different application on each screen, but it can also be used as a controller for some games. You can read our full LG V50 ThinQ review here.
Here are Telstra's LG V50 plans:
LG V50 ThinQ Plans
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OPPO 5G smartphones
OPPO's first 5G smartphone is the Reno 5G. In addition to 5G connectivity, the OPPO Reno 5G has a triple rear-facing camera with 10x zoom and a rather unique notchless design. This involves a pop-up shark fin front-facing camera that slides up whenever you want to take a selfie.
OPPO says the fin has "intelligent drop protection" that will hide the camera if it seems like the phone is falling. Instead of facial recognition, the Reno has an in-screen fingerprint reader for biometric authentication.
You can get the OPPO Reno 5G outright through JB Hi-Fi for $1,499 or on a plan from Telstra or Optus.
OPPO Reno 5G Plans
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Huawei 5G smartphones
There's more to Huawei's foldable Mate X than a flexible display - it's also 5G-ready. Which you'd hope for, given that it could cost as much as $4,000 locally. At present, we're not sure when the Mate X will be available in Australia.
Huawei recently unveiled its Kirin 990 processor, a new top-tier chipset you'll find in the Mate 30 Pro and next year's P40. The 5G variant of the Kirin 990 is notable because it’s the first flagship 5G System on Chip (SoC) in the mobile industry. In short, this means the 5G modem, processor, GPU, and Neural Processing Unit are on the same chip.
Presently, all 5G smartphones have had their modem as a separate part. That’s an extra component a manufacturer has to buy and design around. Qualcomm has a 5G System on Chip solution in the works, but this won't be in devices until early 2020.
At this stage, no 5G Huawei smartphones have been released in Australia. The Mate 30 Pro is available in limited quantities, but only the 4G model has been sold locally.
Xiaomi 5G smartphones
Chinese smartphone manufacturer Xiaomi recently entered the Australian market selling outright devices, and it's now got a 5G smartphone of its own: the Mi Mix 3 5G. The Mi Mix 3 5G is only available outright through Xiaomi's Australian online store and retailer partners like Amazon and JB Hi-Fi. To actually use the Mi Mix 3 5G on a 5G network, you'll need to get a Telstra or Optus SIM-only plan.
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Alcatel 5G smartphones
Alcatel intends to launch a 5G smartphone in the first quarter of 2020, which is notable, given the company's reputation for launching budget devices. While initial 5G handsets are set to be quite pricey, Alcatel Australia Managing Director Sam Skontos is hoping to sell the company's first 5G phone - the Alcatel 7 - at a more accessible price point. While it won't be as cheap as Alcatel's main range, Skontos wants to ensure the device is still available "for the masses".
Other 5G smartphones
While all smartphones will be 5G compatible eventually, we know that Sony, HMD Global (Nokia), Google and more are all also currently working on 5G smartphones.
Is my phone 5G compatible?
Unless you've got a phone featured in this guide, your device isn't compatible with 5G networks.
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