5G phones: these are going to be the first next-gen handsets

Update: The first 5G phones are now available to buy in some regions and ever more are being announced.

We're now starting to see 5G networks get switched on in a few parts of the world, with more networks in more countries set to launch later in 2019. They're faster than 4G, but you'll need a 5G handset to make use of those speeds.

That's not a huge problem, because during CES 2019 at the start of the year, smartphone chip-maker Qualcomm said it expects to see over 30 5G devices launched in 2019, with most of those being smartphones.

So while the rollout of 5G networks may take some time, you should at least have a choice of 5G phones to whet your appetite.

With that in mind we've created this guide to the various confirmed and rumored 5G handsets. 

You'll find everything we know about these phones below, including when and where they’re likely to launch, and we'll be constantly updating our 5G phones list with all the latest information.

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Moto Z3 5G

Motorola already sells a 5G phone, making it the first in the world to do so. Well, sort of anyway, as what it actually sells is the Moto Z3 (a 4G handset from 2018) paired with a new 5G Moto Mod, which adds 5G connectivity to the phone.

At the time of writing this is only available in the US and only on Verizon (which only currently has a 5G network in parts of Chicago and Minneapolis), so it's limited, but technically available.

The Moto Z3 and Moto Mod combined actually also undercut most other 5G handsets, though of course the phone itself is also more dated. The initial 5G service available on the phone is a mixed bag too, but if you just can't wait and you're in the US, this is your only real option right now.

Samsung Galaxy S10 5G

Samsung has announced it first 5G phone and it's a top-end flagship dubbed the Samsung Galaxy S10 5G.

As well as 5G, the phone has a 6.7-inch QHD+ screen, a 4,500mAh battery, a top-end chipset, 8GB of RAM, and four rear cameras, consisting of a 16MP ultra-wide lens, a 12MP variable aperture lens, a 12MP telephoto lens and a 3D depth-sensing camera.

The Galaxy S10 5G also has a dual-lens front-facing camera (cut into the screen, so there's no notch and minimal bezel), and 256GB of storage.

Currently the phone is only available in South Korea, and it landed two days after the Moto Z3 5G was made available in the US, making Samsung second to offer a 5G phone.

We'd expect it to land in other parts of the world before too long, however, it won't come cheap, with the price starting at 1.39 million South Korean won (roughly $1,220, £930, AU$1,720) for a 256GB phone and 1.55 million South Korean won (about $1,370, £1,040, AU$1,920) for 512GB storage.

Huawei

Huawei announced the Huawei Mate X at MWC 2019 – a phone that not only supports 5G, but also folds.

It essentially has three screens, with one big 8-inch OLED display that can be folded in half, leaving you with a smaller screen on each side of the handset, one of which is 6.6 inches and the other 6.4.

The phone also has a triple-lens camera, a 4,500mAh battery with fast charging, a high-end Kirin 980 chipset, 8GB of RAM and 512GB of storage. All in all the Huawei Mate X could be the most exciting of the early 5G phones, but it also might be the most expensive, as it's set to cost €2,299 (around $2,600 / £2,000 / AU$4,770) when it lands around the middle of the year.

Huawei is also launching a Mate 20 X 5G, which, as the name suggests, is a 5G version of the Huawei Mate 20 X. Expect a massive 7.2-inch screen, but rumors suggest the battery might be smaller on the 5G model, coming in at a still-large 4,200mAh.

Additionally, Huawei has revealed that it is “considering” making a 5G version of the upcoming Huawei Mate 30.

OnePlus

OnePlus has spoken numerous times about a 5G handset, and it could be one of the first to launch one, as the company wants to be the first to launch a 5G phone in Europe. Though we've since heard more specifically that it will go on sale in Q2, so presumably between April and June 2019.

The handset in question appears to be the OnePlus 7 Pro 5G, as the company has suggested as much in an interview.

This is a phone that's rumored to have a pop-up selfie camera, a curved QHD+ screen with a 90Hz refresh rate, and a triple-lens rear camera.

We also know that the company's 5G phone will be coming to the UK, as OnePlus has confirmed that UK network EE will stock it. However, it doesn't appear to be coming to the US and might not be officially launched in Australia either.

OnePlus has shown off a prototype of its 5G handset at MWC. The prototype has a top-end Snapdragon 855 chipset, a 21:9 screen and no notch. It also seems the phone might have a QHD+ screen, which would be a higher resolution than OnePlus has used before and has now been rumored separately.

However, the company itself hasn't yet confirmed the resolution and as this was a prototype the final specs might differ anyway.

Either way, it's going to cost more than you might expect a OnePlus handset to. The company's CEO has confirmed that it will be around $200 (roughly £155/AU$275) to $300 (approximately £235/AU$415) more than a typical OnePlus handset.

LG V50 ThinQ

LG is another company that has announced a 5G handset, namely the LG V50 ThinQ. Launched at MWC 2019, this phone has a 6.4-inch 1440 x 3120 AMOLED screen, a Snapdragon 855 chipset, 6GB of RAM, and a triple-lens rear camera, with a 12MP standard lens, a 12MP telephoto one and a 16MP ultra-wide one.

There's also both an 8MP standard lens and a 5MP wide-angle one on the front of the phone.

The LG V50 ThinQ also has a 4,000mAh battery, and it should be built to last, as it's both IP68-certified (for dust and water-resistance) and sports military-grade drop protection. There's also an optional second screen attachment in the form of the LG DualScreen.

We're not sure exactly when the phone will land – it was set to launch on April 19 but has since been delayed, but we'd expect it before long.

We also don't know exactly what it will cost, but it's 1.19 million South Korean won, which is around $1,050/£800/AU$1,470.

iPhone 12

Apple will of course eventually launch a 5G phone, but it's not likely to be one of the first companies to do so.

Rumors suggest that Apple won't put 5G support in the iPhone 11 and that instead we'll have to wait until 2020 and the iPhone 12, or even until 2021 for 5G.

As of April 2019, the latest news on that front is that Apple is currently deciding which company's 5G modem chips to use. Apparently it was using Intel, but the company has abandoned plans for 5G modems after reportedly missing deadlines.

Now it's not clear what company will be used, but Qualcomm looks like a strong possibility, despite the two companies recent legal battles.

The good news though is that whenever Apple launches its 5G iPhone it's likely to be globally available, since iPhones are sold in most countries.

Xiaomi Mi Mix 3 5G

The Xiaomi Mi Mix 3 was launched a while ago, and while the standard version doesn't support 5G, a 5G model has now been announced.

This model has a Snapdragon 855 chipset, a 6.39-inch 1080 x 2340 AMOLED screen, 256GB of storage, a dual-lens 12MP rear camera and a dual-lens front camera which slides out of the top of the phone, so there's no need for big bezels or a notch.

A big highlight though could be the price, as at €599 (around £520 / $680 / AU$950) it could undercut most of the first wave of 5G handsets. It's set to land in Europe from May and expected to land in the UK, but it's not clear whether there will be US or Australian availability.

Oppo Reno 5G

On April 24 Oppo announced the Oppo Reno 5G, a phone which as well as 5G has a triple-lens camera, including a 10x lossless zoom lens, a 48MP lens, and an 8MP ultra-wide lens.

It also has a Snapdragon 855 chipset, 6GB or 8GB of RAM, a 4,065mAh battery, a 6.6-inch Full HD+ AMOLED screen, a pop-up selfie camera, and an in-screen fingerprint scanner. It's coming to EE in the UK this summer. There's no word on what it will cost there yet, but it's set to be €899, which is around $1,000/£780/AU$1,430.

Honor

Given that Huawei has launched a 5G phone it's not overly surprising to hear that Honor is working on one too, given that this is a sub-brand of the company.

Honor's president said – according to Android Authority – that not only will Honor launch a 5G phone in 2019, but that it will be the first to market with a 5G handset.

That's no longer possible, but it certainly sounds like the phone will be coming soon then, though we have no idea which countries it will be sold in.

Black Shark

As well as the Mi Mix 3 5G, it looks like Xiaomi will launch a 5G phone under its Black Shark banner and it will probably land this year according to Black Shark's VP. This seemingly won't be the Black Shark 3 though, as it will apparently land before that phone, so it might be a 5G version of the Black Shark 2, but that's not yet confirmed.

ZTE Axon 10 Pro 5G

ZTE has also used MWC 2019 to announce a 5G phone, specifically the ZTE Axon 10 Pro 5G.

Set to land in Europe and China during the first half of 2019, this has a Snapdragon 855 chipset, an in-screen fingerprint scanner, and a trio of rear cameras, namely a 48MP standard lens, a 20MP wide-angle lens and an 8MP telephoto lens.

There's also a 20MP front camera, a 6.47-inch FHD+ AMOLED screen with a notch, 6GB of RAM, a 4,000mAh battery and 128GB of storage. Pricing and exact availability is still to be confirmed.

Vivo

Vivo is also known to be working on a 5G phone, but as yet we don't know much about it and it won't be one of the very first, with the company aiming for a commercial launch in 2020, according to GadgetsNow. 

We also wouldn't count on the phone being widely available, since most Vivo handsets aren't.

Sony

Sony has confirmed that it will make a 5G phone, but only when the tech rolls out. The company hasn't got more specific than that yet.

Royole FlexPai

The foldable Royole FlexPai launched globally during CES 2019 at the start of 2019, and while it's not 5G enabled right now, a software update later in the year will unlock support for the fifth generation of network.

You can buy the FlexPai now, however it's expensive and we found during our hands on time with the phone that the software needs some serious polish before we'd be able to think about recommending it as a viable everyday device.

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