CES 2019: First look at the Samsung 5G smartphone

Samsung is showing off its 5G smartphone prototype at CES 2019 in Las Vegas, with the device on display on the showroom floor, albeit locked in a glass case.

Samsung retained the form factor of its current smartphones, with volume keys and Bixby button appearing to be on the left side of the handset and the power/lock button on the right side of the device.

The front-facing camera was also visible at the top of the device, with the phone being used to display Samsung's 5G goals on a looping video.

Samsung CEO HS Kim on Monday confirmed that the Korean tech giant will be releasing a 5G smartphone to the market this year, and has been providing a sneak peek of the device during CES.

Using the Samsung CES 2019 press conference earlier this week to outline the tech giant's end-to-end solution across the Internet of Things (IoT), 5G, and artificial intelligence (AI), Kim said Samsung is continuing to invest in R&D and has registered the largest number of essential patents.

From chips and devices to networking equipment, Kim said 5G is "here and now" thanks to Samsung's leadership.

"Our experience and effort have compelled commercialisation of 5G forward. In the US we're helping major carriers roll out 5G," Kim said, pointing to Verizon's live home 5G service in Houston and Sacramento.

Samsung is additionally running 5G trials with carriers across Europe and Asia, the chief executive said.

United States mobile carrier Sprint on Monday also revealed that it will be carrying Samsung's 5G smartphone, which is set to launch in summer 2019.

See also: More CES coverage

The Samsung 5G smartphone will connect to Sprint's LTE and 5G networks, using its 2.5GHz, 1.9GHz, and 800MHz spectrum bands.

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"Samsung is one of our key 5G network infrastructure Massive MIMO providers, so we are delighted that they will also deliver one of our first 5G smartphones, putting blazing fast connectivity right into our customers' hands," Sprint CTO Dr John Saw said on Monday.

Previous and related coverage:

CES 2019: How Samsung Gear S3 became a surprise hit in the enterprise (TechRepublic)

Manufacturing, hospitality, and other industries have discovered some powerful use cases for adopting Samsung wearables.

CES 2019: Samsung shifts to tech for pros, integrates with Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant (TechRepublic)

At CES 2019, Samsung revealed new laptops, TVs, and smart appliances that professionals and consumers can use with third-party platforms.

CES 2019: Samsung Notebook 9 Pro convertible laptop first look (TechRepublic)

Bill Detwiler gives you a first look at the redesigned 2019 Samsung Notebook 9 Pro convertible laptop at CES 2019.

CES 2019: Samsung announces 5G smartphone sneak peek

Samsung will be providing a sneak peek of its 2019 5G smartphone during CES this week, CEO HS Kim has said, with the tech giant also unveiling a series of robotic applications called Samsung Bot Care, Samsung Bot Air, Samsung Bot Retail, and Samsung Gems.

CES 2019: The Big Trends for Business

It's no wonder that IBM CEO Ginni Rometty is the opening keynote for CES 2019 -- the conference is about business as much as consumer electronics -- as IoT, smart IT, AI and 5G take center stage as the bridge to everything connected.

CES 2019: Cisco talks 6G

While everyone else spent CES 2019 talking about 5G, Cisco is already looking towards a 6G future.

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