It appears that 2020 is shaping up to be the year that 5G finally makes it into the hands of consumers. Carriers are finally deploying 5G networks, and smartphone manufacturers are building 5G into their phones. Adding to that, Qualcomm has announced a list of devices set to include 5G thanks to the Snapdragon 865 mobile platform.
The list includes both phones that we already knew about and devices that have yet to be released.
Perhaps the most notable phones on the list are part of the Samsung Galaxy S20 series, which are currently available for pre-order. This is the first year that all of Samsung’s flagship phones come with 5G connectivity. In previous years, only certain specialized models have come with 5G.
As mentioned, some of the other devices on the list have yet to be released. Notably, there’s the Black Shark 3, which is the third generation of Xiaomi’s gaming phone. Details about the upcoming phone have yet to be revealed, and Xiaomi is expected to host a launch event for the phone on March 3.
Other devices include the Legion Gaming Phone, the Nubia Red Magic 5G, and more. Here’s a full list of 5G-enabled phones:
Of course, more 5G-enabled phones will be revealed as time goes on. Notably, the next Samsung Galaxy Note phone will most likely come with a Snapdragon 865 and have 5G compatibility. It’s expected that Apple will launch at least one 5G-enabled phone this year too — though while the phone may have a Qualcomm 5G modem, it won’t offer Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 865 processor.
“After introducing the Snapdragon 865 Mobile Platform in December 2019, more than 70 designs have been announced or are in development based on the platform,” said Qualcomm in a press release. “Additionally, more than 1,750 designs have been announced or are in development based on our Snapdragon 8-series mobile platforms.”
According to Qualcomm, more than 45 device manufacturers have launched or announced 5G-compatible devices, and the company is expecting over a billion 5G connections by 2023. Qualcomm also recently announced the X60 5G modem, which is expected to be shipped alongside its next-generation mobile platform.
Two new highly requested iCloud plugins just got added to ChatGPT, giving people who rely on Apple’s Mail and Calendar services a way to search emails, check appointments, and manage their schedules directly through the chatbot.
The integration is rolling out to all ChatGPT plans, including the free tier. You can access it on the web, desktop, and iOS.
Google Play is borrowing one of the Nintendo Switch’s most useful little tricks. A new Sidekick tool called Playbacks captures a short clip after something interesting has already happened, sparing players from running a screen recorder throughout an entire game.
Playbacks is part of Google Play Store v53.8 and keeps saved clips on the phone. Google first announced it earlier this month, but the new Play Store update marks its arrival for players. Anyone who has watched a perfect win vanish because the record button came too late already understands the appeal.
Samsung’s scandal over its Game Optimizing Service, or GOS, has returned with a bill attached. South Korea’s Fair Trade Commission has tentatively fined the company 20.1 billion won, or about $15.1 million, over gaming claims made for the Galaxy S21, Galaxy S22, and Tab S8.
The regulator says Samsung promoted the devices as gaming powerhouses without disclosing that GOS placed preset CPU and GPU limits on certain demanding games. Samsung disputes that conclusion, calling GOS a legitimate way to manage heat.