Qualcomm Flexes Smartphone Muscles With mmWave 5G Antenna

It seems that Qualcomm is taking charge of making the 5G dream a reality by launching its new QTM052 mmWave antenna modules - a promising piece of tech to bridge the gap between 5G and smartphones.

The antenna is impressive for a number of different reasons, with its compact size being the most relevant part. For context, Engadget spotted Intel's 5G concept PC with a less than elegant solution earlier this year at MWC. The concept had a host of forgivable issues, but it also painted a clear picture that we maybe aren't as close to mainstream 5G as we would like to be.

Qualcomm's latest achievement is notable because it will ready smartphones for the paradigm shift. And not just because of its compact size, but also the ability to use the mmWave network. The chipmaker proved earlier this year in their own simulated tests that not all 5G is created equal and mmWave is poised to be best in class. One of the most significant issues being how efficiently the smaller, more compact 5G waves are blocked by passing cars, walls in your home, and even the hand gripping a phone.