Impact of 5G on the digital landscape

Every technological advancement is bound to create an impact in more ways than one. The disruption that the 5th generation of wireless technology can bring will be unparalleled. Where 4G LTE was about providing access to new services, 5G network is about providing access to virtually unlimited applications. The innovation is meant to optimize the speed and coverage needs of the new-age users. The expectations include stronger mobile connectivity, high speed data transfer, low or no latency, & broad coverage. The positive impact of the Fourth Industrial Revolution and its related emerging technologies will be fully realized through the wide-scale deployment of 5G communication networks in combination with other connectivity solutions. 

As the tech evolves faster, the need for 5G becomes more relevant. Many UX design companies have already started carving out new ways on how devices will interact in the coming future with 5G. ​​5G will have a major impact on experience design in many ways, from allowing for more immersive experiences to providing new opportunities for data collection and analysis. Let’s take a look at how 5G will shape UX design in the coming years.

1. High transmission, higher efficiency: The limitation of 4G can now be overpowered. With transmission speed that goes up to 10gbps, incorporating efficiency, improving interactions and providing a seamless user experience becomes easy. 
2. Low Latency: 5G will also reduce latency, meaning that users will experience less lag time when using applications and websites. This will improve the overall user experience, as users will be able to access content and applications with minimal delay. 
3. Improved Data Collection and Analysis: 5G will provide better access to data, allowing for more accurate and detailed analysis. This means that UX designers will be able to better understand user behavior and design more intuitively. 
4. Enhanced UI: UI will significantly improve as video and audio streaming features and capabilities reach the next level, forcing developers to make significant upgrades and upscale the app UI to a greater extent.

How can 5G bring a real impact across different sectors?

5G will have a major impact on many industries, unlocking opportunities for optimization of service delivery, decision-making and end-user experience. It is expected to generate $13.2 trillion in global economic value by 2035 and create 22.3 million jobs. Here’s how 5G can have a positive implication on different sectors.

The internet of things (IoT)

IoT integration with 5G can allow for a higher number of devices and sensors to connect seamlessly, enabling better control and automation. Hence, creating a more distributed & decentralized system. This could make IoT devices operate more effectively in a wider range of locations and applications .The adoption of 5G technology is expected to greatly enhance the capabilities and performance of IoT systems, making a path for a wide range of new and innovative applications and services.

AR/VR Experiences & Gaming

5G will allow for highly immersive virtual and augmented reality experiences. 

The impact of 5G on gaming UX will be massive. With zero latency and low ping, users will witness a superior user experience with zero frame drops, no stuttering and no interruptions in gameplay. This means less strain on the player’s eyes and attention caused by lag time, which allows them to focus without distraction.

Uncover more on the world of Meta → https://www.onething.design/blogs/ux-designing-for-the-metaverse/

E-commerce

Finally, 5G will enable faster communication. This will make it easier for businesses to collaborate on projects and for customers to make purchases. Furthermore, the increased speed and lower latency of 5G will allow e-commerce businesses to offer more interactive experiences, such as virtual reality shopping, which could significantly boost customer engagement and satisfaction. Finally, 5G will make it easier for e-commerce businesses to roll out new innovations, such as intelligent chatbots and automated payment systems, as well as to integrate with other third-party services.

Here’s an insightful read to catch up with some e-commerce strategies that can enhance customer experience.

Healthcare

With 5G, remote-patient monitoring, AR powered healthcare, advanced wearables, and and so on, will be longer be tomorrow’s vision.  It can enable telehealth and digital innovations to mitigate the risk of virus transmission, facilitate remote network-related tasks such as online sales demos or sharing large images and files, and support augmented and virtual reality tools for training in complex medical procedures.

5G will be a radical shift in the way design is practiced. UX designers need to understand how this new network architecture will impact their work. 

Interested in building human-centered healthtech experience? This 3 min read may help you.

Challenges in 5G

The more advanced technology gets, the more we understand its complexity. 5G technology is expected to require a much larger investment than previous generations of wireless technology due to the wide range of features and capabilities that it will need to support. To support these capabilities, 5G networks will need to be designed and built with significantly more advanced technologies and infrastructure than previous generations of wireless networks. Understand some troubles industry professionals might face while building tech around 5G.

• Complex features, slower deployment: Service providers may not be interested in purchasing all of the available 5G features, which could lead to dilution in demand and potentially challenge the overall economics of the technology. This could make it more difficult to justify the costs of 5G deployment, leading to a slower rollout of the technology.
• Creating subscription models: Telecommunications companies may face challenges in determining how to create subscription models for 5G services. This is because it is unclear how to package the various features and capabilities of 5G in a way that will be attractive to customers and generate sufficient revenue to justify the investment required for 5G deployment. 
• Many consumers are not 5G ready: There are simply not enough 5G compatible devices on the market, and it will take some time for the technology to become more widespread. In the meantime, most consumers will continue to use devices that are compatible with older generations of wireless technology.
• Security: Security is a critical concern for any wireless transmission system, and this is especially true for 5G networks given the large number of devices that will be connected to them and the diversity of technologies they will need to support. Ensuring the security and privacy of end users is a challenging task, and it will require the development and implementation of advanced security measures and technologies

Every innovation is bound to come with its own challenges. However, it’s always just a matter of time, and the world learns to adapt to it. 

To sum it up, 5G technology has the potential to revolutionize businesses by decreasing production times, enabling better customer experiences, increasing employee productivity, and providing massive connectivity for machines. It can also create socio-economic value through its economic impact on industries.