In the latest update in the 5G world, Intel (INTC) and Sprint (S) have reportedly teamed up to take a giant leap, announcing that they would sell 5G PCs by 2019. The PCs powered by Intel chips are expected to be available by next year.
Intel had earlier lost to its rival Qualcomm (QCOM) in the 4G race. However, when it comes to 5G, it is running neck-in-neck with Qualcomm, which is evident from Intel’s plans to boost PC upgrades. The 5G race is widely perceived as a competition between chipmakers Qualcomm and Intel, besides the internal rivalry in the telecom sphere.
Intel and Sprint have reportedly teamed up to take a giant leap, announcing that they would sell 5G PCs by 2019.
According to telecom equipment maker Ericsson, 5G technology is expected to add 34% of the revenue growth to telecom companies in 2026. Sprint, which is in the midst of finalizing the merger with T-Mobile (TMUS), strongly believes that is has a competitive edge over its rivals as it holds adequate 2.5 GHz spectrum for the entire country. The other carriers are, meanwhile, are still at an experimentation stage with regards to spectrum. It is not yet clear how Sprint will continue with its 5G plans post the merger.
Apart from Sprint, Acer and Asus have also disclosed their plans to build 5G PCs powered by Intel. Prior to this, Intel has collaborated with Dell, HP, and Microsoft to build 5G-enabled PCs.