From autonomous cars to foldable phones, 2019 looks promising for 5G wireless technology

A monochromatic bird's-eye view of a city with multiple connected wireless points (Photo: GETTY IMAGES) MAUI, Hawaii--After a relatively ho-hum 2018 for mobile phones, 2019 is looking to be gangbuster year for smartphones and the whole wireless industry. In addition to the launch of foldable phones, next year also promises to see the debut of the world's first devices that can connect to next generation 5G wireless networks. Current smartphones use 4G LTE networks to send and receive all the photos, videos, texts, social media updates, emails, phone calls and other types of information that we consume on our trusty devices. While 4G networks have gotten faster and more reliable since their debut in 2009, technology innovations continue to move forward and the entire industry is on the verge of a once-a-decade generational shift to the next "G"--hence 5G. And 5G promises to bring with it not just faster connections to the mobile telecom networks offered by AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile and Sprint--although that's certainly an important part of it--but the ability to create new types of experiences as well.