With every major shift in technology comes an equal change in our approach to entertainment. The iPod transformed music, internet streaming has taken over cable, and now 5G technology is ready make its mark.
5G, which refers to the fifth-generation of cellular technology, makes some drastic improvements over 4G and all previous iterations: Greater internet data speeds, lower latency, and capacity to connect more devices at once than ever before.
As 5G becomes more widely accessible, we may see content production and demand skyrocket at unprecedented rates. With 5G’s high speeds and device capacity, we’ll see our highways, homes, mobile devices and cities interconnected in ways we would have never thought possible.
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For example, many US homes currently have a wide range of wireless devices such as TVs, gaming consoles, smartphones, smartwatches, tablets, laptops, etc. As they begin to add on current IoT devices such as smart locks, home speakers, smart light bulbs as well as connected refrigerators and microwaves, this can place a large strain on standard broadband networks.
5G would remove that bottleneck, allowing the reliable support of all of those devices at once.
This will also translate into other increasingly smart aspects of our days like roads – with autonomous vehicles, traffic signals, and more. A fast 5G network is imperative for all to operate safely and in real time.
Just as the proliferation of the internet and mobile devices have made our world smaller and have connected us to others, 5G will connect us to our devices in ways not thought possible. So what does this mean for us?
Content. A whole lot of content.
It is estimated that 5G would enable users to download a 2 ½ hour movie in just 12 seconds. Imagine streaming 4K movies on your device with no lag or buffering, or playing a graphically rich and detailed video game through the cloud effortlessly. That’s only the beginning.
It’s been seen throughout history that where there is access, there will be some form of content. From town cryers in town squares, books or pamphlets presenting ideas, door to door salespeople, radios, TVs, email, the internet, mobile devices. If there is a channel to reach you, the content will follow.
Now imagine a world where everything is connected. Without having to deal with actually driving, autonomous vehicles could become our new living rooms, connected billboards can identify who’s around and display content catered directly to you on the fly.
Your smart microwave, refrigerator, or oven can show you recipe suggestions with videos on how to prepare it, your connected coffee maker can show you the top stories of the day as you brew your coffee, the possibilities are endless.
Granted, living in a world where content is being created specifically for your kitchen or home appliances does seem a bit out there. But, there was a time where the idea of having your phone be a hub for media and content was unthinkable. Now, due to an increase in speed and accessibility, we’re at a point where we focus more on our mobile devices than watching television for the first time in history.
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So what does this mean? It means we may witness a new era of content. The doors that 5G will open will lead to new mediums, new services, and change how we view and consume content. The future is bright, and at MAZ we’re excited to be partnering with some of the world’s leading content businesses to continue pushing it forward.
