Expanding Connectivity for a VIVE Ecosystem
While new smartphones are getting plenty of spotlight at MWC 2019, HTC has a different product to unveil. They are announcing the world’s first mobile 5G smart hub they are calling simply the ‘HTC 5G Hub’. It does exactly what the name suggests, it brings 5G connectivity to various devices. Think of it like a 5G modem but with a additional smart features.
Inside is a Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 chipset with a Snapdragon X50 5G modem. This delivers speeds of up to 5Gbps to either home or businesses. Although this is not the 7Gbps capable Snapdragon X55, that modem will not be available until later in 2019, so the X50 5G modem would do for now.
The front of the devices has a 5-inch display with a 1280 x 720 resolution. It runs on Android 9.0 pie and will also have video streaming capabilities. Unlike other 5G modems, the HTC hub more closely resembles the Amazon Echo Show or the Google Home Hub.
HTC is banking on 5G for their VR products as well since it provides enough bandwidth for wireless use. According to Cher Wang, Chairwoman and CEO of HTC, “5G will be the game-changer for VR and AR.” She adds that it will drive their vision of a Vive Reality—”a boundless, immersive environment where human experiences will come to the forefront.”
Although it can be plugged in at home, the HTC 5G hub also comes with a built-in 7660mAh battery. So users can move it with them, wherever it is needed. That is the beauty of 5G since it untethers high-speed connectivity beyond the wall socket.
How Much is the HTC 5G Hub?
HTC did not reveal pricing yet, but the 5G smart hub will be available around Q2 2019. Pricing details are expected
