Practically Sole Producer of 5G Smartphones
Samsung Electronics is going to release the Galaxy S10 5G in the United States through Verizon next month. For the time being, the company will enjoy its status as the only 5G Smartphone supplier in the U.S.
Verizon opened preorders for the Galaxy S10 5G on April 25 (local time). It is offering up to US$450 for trade ins on eligible phones, and a US$200 prepaid Mastercard if customers switch to Verizon, purchase a Galaxy S10 5G on a device payment plan, and sign up for Verizon Unlimited. The phone starts at US$1,299.99 if bought outright, and can be purchased from Verizon stores on May 16.
Verizon will release the Galaxy S10 5G ahead of rivals AT&T and T-Mobile, which are expected to release 5G handsets in the second half of the year.
Verizon commercialized 5G service on April 4, just a couple of hours after Korea’s three mobile operators activated the 5G handsets of their first customers.
Currently, users of Verizon’s 5G service are required to install a 5G module called “Moto Mods” on Motorola's Moto Z smartphone. So when the Galaxy S10 5G is released, it will be the first 5G smartphone with a built-in modem.
For the time being, Samsung Electronics will practically dominate the U.S. 5G market. OnePlus, a Chinese smartphone manufacturer based in Shenzhen, is going to introduce 5G handsets in the United States on May 14. Yet OnePlus has only a 2 percent share in the U.S. premium phone market. Samsung Electronics controls 22 percent.
Apple has not yet announced its plan for 5G iPhones. Google has also not come up with a plan for 5G pixel phones. Google has been selling pixel phones through Verizon. The Pixel 4, which is expected to support 5G, will come out after October this year.
LG Electronics has introduced the V50 ThinkQ 5G through MWC 2019. The product will be released in the U.S. through Sprint, which will start 5G services in four cities starting from May. Sprint's V50 ThinkQ 5G sales will start during the first half of this year.
Huawei is preparing to release its 5G foldable phone called the Mate X in July, but sales of the product in the U.S. market are unclear due to the trade dispute between the U.S. and China.
Nokia has signed a 5G partnership with T-Mobile, which merges with Sprint, but has not revealed its plans to launch a smartphone.
HTC is planning to sell 5G hotspot devices through Sprint. ZTE plans to release a 5G version of the Axon 10 Pro, but is being sanctioned in the United States for violating trade laws. Xiaomi has put out a 5G model of the Mimix 3, but it is not sold in the U.S.
Oppo's 5G handset is scheduled to be released before June, but it will not be sold in the U.S.