Another major phone launch has gone by, and mmWave 5G is once again missing in action. Samsung last week announced its latest flagship foldable phones, and while they offer mmWave connectivity in select international markets, they only support sub 6 5G in Australia.
mmWave is the fastest form of 5G, operating on incredibly high frequencies such as 26GHz. It can already reach speeds over 4Gbps, and there's potential for it to deliver speeds over 20Gbps. mmWave 5G also promises the lowest latency of any 5G connection type, but also has the shortest range of any 5G technology, and can have issues penetrating buildings.
While Telstra, Optus, and Vodafone have all had mmWave 5G coverage since late 2021, the lion's share of Australian 5G networks use sub 6 5G. Sub 6 5G runs on mid-band frequencies similar to 4G. This makes it slower, but gives it longer range and better penetration.
So far, only three mmWave 5G devices have been commercially available in Australia. The Pixel 6 Pro, the Pixel 7 Pro, and Telstra's 5G Wi-Fi Pro portable hotspot. Samsung's Galaxy Z Fold 5 and Galaxy Z Flip 5 did not join their ranks.
The manufacturer is in discussions with the telcos around mmWave and consumer readiness, but Samsung Australia Vice President of Mobile Experience Garry McGregor told WhistleOut now wasn't the right time to introduce the functionality.
He pointed to limited mmWave coverage, as well as the potential for mmWave phones to be more expensive as reasons the Z Fold 5 and Z Flip 5 are not supporting the high frequency standard.
"Would consumers pay additional for a mmWave smartphone?" said McGregor. "I don't know if you'd want to, and when the market is as cost constrained as what it is, I don't necessarily think [launching a mmWave phone] is the smartest thing for us to do at this stage."
While Samsung flagship phones in the United States typically support both sub 6 and mmWave 5G out of the box, there have been instances where manufacturers have charged more for a mmWave phone. For example, Google charged an extra $50 USD for the mmWave version of the Pixel 6a.
Similarly, when Samsung first launched 5G devices in Australia, many were available in either a 4G-only model, or an identical but more expensive 5G-ready variant.
Apple is expected to announce the iPhone 15 family in September, and given Samsung's stance, it seems likely that the new handsets will also eschew mmWave down under. Apple has had mmWave-compatible devices since the iPhone 12, but these have exclusively been available in the United States.
On the telco front, Optus' Managing Director of Marketing and Revenue Matt Williams told WhistleOut the company is excited about mmWave, but the technology is still in its early stages.
"While Optus is already delivering mmWave 5G in selected locations, we acknowledge the limited availability of mmWave devices in Australia," said Williams.
"To foster mmWave adoption, we actively collaborate with device manufacturers and industry partners, promoting innovation and striving to expand the range of mmWave-compatible devices. Our firm belief is that as the device ecosystem matures and more manufacturers develop mmWave devices, the technology's adoption will gain momentum."
Telstra already has over 500 mmWave sites in CBDs and other high-density areas, but only a small amount of Australians can access this coverage. Google's phone shipments only represented 2.9% of the Australian market in the first quarter of 2023, and not all of those would be a Pro model with mmWave compatibility.
It's a bit of a chicken-and-egg scenario. Manufacturers seem to want more mmWave coverage before launching compatible devices, but building out more coverage doesn't necessarily make sense if phones don’t support it. Especially when telcos are cutting costs and saying their plans don't make enough money.
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