Three major players in the telecom industry have announced an initiative called “5G Apps of Tomorrow” at MWC to stimulate innovative 5G application development.
Mobile operator EE, smartphone maker OnePlus, and chipset leader Qualcomm say a clear “killer app” that fully leverages 5G’s potential has yet to appear, and they want to change that by supporting developers and startups exploring new use cases.
On a panel discussion at MWC, OnePlus CEO Pete Lau said he feels the industry has not been ambitious enough about how 5G can meaningfully improve everyday life. He outlined a three-phase vision for 5G adoption:
5G 1.0 – Faster mobile internet where cloud-based data increasingly feels as immediate and accessible as local data.
5G 2.0 – About five years later, more devices will use integrated AI to deliver smarter, context-aware experiences.
5G 3.0 – In roughly a decade, highly interconnected devices and seamless access to data will be the norm, enabling truly effortless interactions.
“With the well-established infrastructure and the wide array of smart devices in the market after 10 years, we’ll be entering 5G 3.0, where things are intelligently interconnected and users enjoy a genuinely frictionless experience,” Lau said. “Services will activate when needed and remain unobtrusive when not in use.”
The competition will narrow down to 20 finalists. Winners will receive a OnePlus device, a visit to the company’s headquarters, a year of funding, and strategic support from the initiative’s partners.
5G’s improvements in reliability, throughput, and ultra-low latency create new possibilities across industries, from immersive remote experiences to latency-sensitive enterprise applications.
At MWC, attendees saw numerous impressive 5G demos, including remote drone piloting from Barcelona to South Korea—an example of what lower latency and higher bandwidth enable.
Demonstrations showcase capability, but the organizers say truly transformative, real-world 5G applications remain scarce. EE, OnePlus, and Qualcomm hope this initiative will accelerate the creation of practical, life-improving services that harness 5G’s strengths.
If you’re interested in entering the contest or learning more about the program, visit the OnePlus contest page for details and application instructions.
(Photo by Hassan OUAJBIR on Unsplash)