What Does 5G Mean for Mobile App Developers?

In theory, I think it would mean you could assume your app will have WiFi-like speeds in more places. That said, if bandwidth is still metered then you will still need to detect "Are we on cellular data or WiFi?" before committing to uploading or downloading large assets, even on 5G.

Which is a long way of saying that I don't think it changes anything in a practical sense.

Things will get more interesting when the 5G core networks take off and services connect to it. Just an example:

- operator-vetted user authentication

- zero-overhead VPN-like services

- peer-to-peer smartphone communication

The 5G hype really isn't about making the Internet link a little faster. It's about establishing a "service-marketplace".