Nov 27, 2018

1.5 billion people will be using 5G by 2024

Ina Fried

The 5G wave will begin with a trickle of early adopters next year, but reach more than 1 billion subscribers by 2023 and 1.5 billion the following year. At that point, 5G networks will cover 40% of the earth's population and carry a quarter of the world's mobile data traffic, according to a new report from Ericsson.

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Data: Ericsson; Chart: Chris Canipe/Axios

Why it matters: That's the fastest global adoption ever of a new generation of wireless technology. In addition to faster speeds, 5G offers other benefits, including minimal delay that could pave the way for things like remote operation of vehicles.

By the numbers:

  • The total number of mobile subscriptions globally reached 7.9 billion in Q3 2018, with 120 million new subscriptions added during the quarter.
  • 5G will bring about a surge in Internet-of-things devices, with 4.1 billion cellular IoT connections expected by 2024 — an annual growth rate of 27 percent.

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Jim VandeHei, Mike Allen

What we're watching in 2020

Illustration: Aïda Amer/Axios. Photos: Ralph Morse/Getty Contributor, Kirn Vintage Stock/Getty Contributor

This is going to be a momentous presidential election year, as we face the very real possibility that an impeached president could be re-elected for the first time in U.S. history. But there will be plenty of other events that will matter in 2020, too.

  • Here’s what Axios’ newsletter authors and reporters will be watching — from the future of tech regulation to the impact climate change and job automation will have on all of our lives. (Sign up for their newsletters here.)
Go deeperArrowJan 1, 2020
Orion Rummler

Huawei ends 2019 with record-high $122 billion in revenue

A Huawei store in Hangzhou, China on Dec. 12, 2019. Photo: Costfoto/Barcroft Media via Getty Images

Chinese telecom giant Huawei said Tuesday that its revenue reached $122 billion in 2019, setting a new record for the company even as it weathers a campaign by the Trump administration to block its global expansion, the Wall Street Journal reports.

Why it matters: Many U.S. officials fear that Huawei's telecom equipment could be used by China for surveillance, and that a 5G equipment market dominated by Huawei would give the authoritarian government in Beijing access to massive amounts of data. The company is just one flashpoint in the escalating U.S. confrontation with China.

Go deeperArrowDec 31, 2019
Ina Fried, Joann Muller, Kia Kokalitcheva, Sara Fischer

What's happened so far at CES 2020

Illustration: Sarah Grillo/Axios

There will be a ton of tech news coming out of Las Vegas this week, and Axios has you covered with all the big news in one place.

The big picture: The biggest products of the year tend to be announced elsewhere, but in terms of sheer volume of consumer tech news, CES is still unmatched. For more on what to expect, check out this preview story. And check back all week for the latest from the Axios tech team.

Go deeperArrowUpdated Jan 8, 2020