2018 rugged handheld retrospective and 2019 outlook

5G investments

Investments in 5G networks continue to ramp and the first 5G handsets will arrive in the first half of 2019. However, with all the attention 5G is garnering, it likely will not be until 2020 or even 2021 until the infrastructure is sufficiently built out to support applications with mass.

Thus, enterprises purchasing higher-priced 5G-enabled mobile clients in 2019 to “future-proof” investments is likely overkill at this juncture. Outside of truly next generation applications enabled by 5G such as autonomous vehicles, 5G opportunities to provide connectivity for large-scale campus or building facilities is expected to provide a viable alternative to existing WiFi infrastructure.

In these environments WiFi networks are increasingly congested and have been difficult to manage and performed poorly. For example, like larger industrial facilities.