OnePlus showcases 5G prototype handset and announces 5G Apps of Tomorrow challenge at MWC 2019

Image Source: forums.oneplus.com

OnePlus may not have revealed a 5G headset at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona but have all but confirmed that the device is coming. OnePlus demoed a 5G prototype device supported by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 chipset with the X50 modem.

Although the company didn’t really announce or show off an official device, they provided a glance into capabilities of a 5G OnePlus smartphone. Whether or not the handset in question is the OnePlus 7 hasn’t been confirmed, and it's still early days to speculate.

OnePlus touted their 5G capabilities by streaming a high-definition PC game from a cloud server on the prototype using the 5G mobile network provided by the Qualcomm chipset. The OnePlus prototype used cloud computing to run the game without much use of the phone’s GPU. The game ran pretty smoothly with low latency and no stuttering or lag because of that super-fast 5G connection.

In true OnePlus fashion, the company has also announced the “5G Apps of Tomorrow” program. The program was announced in partnership with Qualcomm and British telecoms company EE with the aim of helping software developers create new apps that can leverage the maximum potential of next-gen 5G connectivity.

With the entire focus on 5G hardware, OnePlus fears users may miss out on the 5G app experience. The program puts the emphasis on 5G software rather than hardware. App developers will be able to pitch their ideas in the 5G forums on OnePlus’ website.

A total of five winners will be selected by a panel from OnePlus, EE, and Qualcomm. In keeping with true community values, the entries will also be subject to a community vote. Entries for the challenge are opened from now until the 26th of March.

The winners will receive a paid-for trip to OnePlus HQ to discuss their ideas with company CEO, Pete Lau. Winners will also receive a OnePlus 5G handset, access to 5G experts via OnePlus forums, access to EE’s test environment and financial support for one year.