[Huawei Developers] Martin Bieber:
Sami Qasem

VP, Global Head of Content, Huawei CBG

In this issue, Sami Qasem shares his thoughts on how 5G will inﬂuence mobile app development moving forward.

As 5G technology slowly becomes a reality for both consumers and enterprises, it also opens up all sorts of opportunities for developers to create ground-breaking mobile apps that can leverage the technology’s enhanced capabilities. For instance, the app industry will likely see a rise in cloud-based apps as developers move the processing load off the device and instead utilise 5G speeds to transmit the data between device and server. However, because 5G is still a budding technology, it comes with its own set of unique challenges and roadblocks. As such, there are still uncertainty within the industry on how mobile developers can best prepare themselves ahead of mainstream adoption.

How will 5G impact mobile apps developers?

· How will 5G disrupt the mobile app development space in terms of innovation and consumers’ expectations?

As 5G is rolled out to more countries and cities around the world, consumers will expect an in-home WiFi experience while using their mobile networks. Users will be able to enjoy faster loading of rich media, high quality content on the go and faster browsing, but it also opens up a world of possibilities to developers.

Things we’ve only imagined in sci-fi movies could become a reality. Real-time haptic feedback between users, VR and AR won’t be limited to the home, richer 3D and 4D advertising and fewer delays over mobile networks will push developers to keep up with consumer expectations.

· What are the main verticals that will stand to enjoy the maximum benefit from 5G technology?

There are a number of industries that will benefit from 5G – location-based apps, IoT devices, healthcare, education and the self-driving automotive industry are just a few. The one I’m most excited about however, is gaming. I think we’ll see a bleeding between entertainment, gaming and eSports, as well as a rise in AR/VR Gaming. The stability and speed of 5G will allow for real-time feedback and interactions.

· What should developers’ main priority be when incorporating 5G technology into their apps?

Developers will need to innovate quickly. Consumers already expect high quality content, and once they’ll be able get this reliably outside of the home, they’ll be looking for the next big thing. This might be 5K movies on their mobile or tablets. Or the next leap in the gaming experience. Hardware will need to keep up, but so will software.

As consumers get more accustomed to their content loading faster, they’ll expect their Apps to do the same. Developers should consider making their apps as light as possible, relying on cloud technology for on-demand resources. Testing will also become extra important for developers – ensuring they guarantee a good experience for customers on both 5G and non-5G devices.

· What are some available resources which can support smaller app companies in developing app features that can take full advantage of 5G exceptional capabilities?

Developers need to be pro-active and ensure they don’t get left behind, they should consider implementing technologies that are available now, where possible. Similarly, they’ll need to ensure they’re not exclusively 5G compatible, just yet. As they consider future development they should keep an eye out for articles and technologies via AppGallery Connect, as well as wider tech blogs.