CNET reports on an interesting survey that suggests consumers without a 5G-capable device think they have 5G. It’s either a sign of major confusion in the marketplace or that you can’t always trust survey data. Probably a bit of both.
It's not just Uncle Larry who's confused. Potentially millions of people don't appear to understand whether their smartphone is capable of running on 5G wireless technology, or whether they're even surfing with it now or not.
Decluttr, a phone refurbishment service, surveyed 2,000 US smartphone owners in late May and found that about a third of respondents believed they had a device capable of 5G wireless connections. Of them, 40% were Apple iPhone owners (Apple hasn't yet released a 5G iPhone), and 31% owned a Samsung device (Samsung's Galaxy S10 5G phone only went on sale a couple months ago, for $1,300). Moreover, 62% of those who thought they had a 5G-capable device say they've noticed improved mobile service.
The data is the latest sign of confusion over the next-generation wireless technology, which has only become available in some large cities like New York, Chicago, London, Sydney and Seoul. CNET's own tests in 13 cities found the technology is living up to some of its hype, with speeds better than many people's wired home internet connections. But coverage is spotty and inconsistent for now.
Full story here.
