Did you know?
There are more mobile subscriptions in the world than there are people.
I was amazed when I learned this factoid.
It’s because many people nowadays have multiple smartphones for various purposes.
Obviously, we’ve come a long way from 2G internet and flip phones.
And with the latest and greatest tech available today — 5G — the world will become even more interconnected going forward.
Here’s why…
5G Is 10 Times Faster Than 4G
The current technology that many of you have in your smartphone is 4G.
It’s fast, but 5G is 10 times faster.
And it offers super-reduced latency. This is the time it takes for data to get from one place to another.
When you stream a live event with 4G, the video is slightly behind the real action. 5G basically shows you the live game.
That’s fun. And it means 5G providers such as Verizon and AT&T will benefit. So will others.
In fact, two widely divergent industries — health care and the military — stand to benefit the most.
Here’s how…
Remote Appendectomy, Anyone?
You may have already had a telemedicine appointment where the doctor assessed your health while you were at home.
And it may not surprise you that a doctor could guide a surgery remotely. She can watch the event and give instructions to a local surgeon who’s with the patient.
But imagine having a procedure while your surgeon is thousands of miles from you. It’s called telesurgery.
A team of doctors in Italy just operated on a cadaver that was nine miles away. They used remote controlled robotic tools.
This is real today. And with the low latency and the clear, high-bandwidth image 5G offers, it will expand.
The companies that make the robots, such as Intuitive Surgical Inc. (Nasdaq: ISRG) and Medtronic (NYSE: MDT), will thrive.
5G Will Power the Military of the Future
Skyborg is coming.
This is a concept the U.S. Air Force is developing that will use artificial intelligence (AI) to make decisions in battle. The branch expects to release these combat vehicles by 2023.
It will be a family of drones, each designed for a mission or set of missions. 5G will power their communication.
The battlefield is challenging and uncertain, so the Air Force will use these unmanned aircraft to enter it first.
We expect to learn which companies will receive funding from the Air Force to design and build these drones soon.
5G Technology Is Growing in Scope
The list of 5G applications expands far beyond health care and the military, of course.
Users will partner 5G with the Internet of Things and AI to enable the automation or add to the efficiency of many operations — everything from home appliances to autonomous machines.
We know about self-driving cars. And you may have even used virtual reality. But that’s not all.
Manufacturers will use robot-manned assembly lines where the robots will talk to each other.
Connected devices also serve agriculture. They gather data on weather conditions, moisture and chemical presence. Then coordinated drones help improve yields.
Smart cities will use sensors to collect data on air quality, traffic patterns and civil unrest.
5G technology is growing in scope. And we’re still working through the kinks.
For example, some scientists are concerned that 5G waves might be unhealthy for people … or at least want more testing in this respect.
As we resolve these matters and become smarter about the tech, this list of applications will grow.
I urge you to learn more about this fast-developing technology. You’ll be happy that you did.
Good investing,
Editor, Profit Line
P.S. You can benefit financially from this new technology. In his Automatic Fortunes service, my colleague Ian King helps his readers understand the growth of 5G — and which stocks to buy to profit from it. This technology is developing in real time, so I encourage you to rely on an expert to guide you. Click here to learn more.