What is the 5G battle about?

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What is the 5G battle about? [Copy link]

5G - the fifth generation of mobile phone communication standards, the biggest features are high speed, wide connection, and low latency. 1G represents the big brother of the analog call era, Nokia is the product of the digital communication 2G era, 3G represents the iPhone - it opened a new era of the Internet, and 4G is a further acceleration based on 3G. The definition of 5G is no longer centered around speed, but is oriented to scenarios. 3GP (3rd Generation Partnership Project) defines three major application scenarios for 5G: 1. eMBB (enhanced MobileBroadband) Enhanced mobile broadband scenario, high speed, large traffic scenario, which is the current application field of 4G; 2. mMTC (massive Machine Type Communications) Large-scale Internet of Things application scenario, which is a field that challenges the traditional mediocre Internet of Things; 3. URLLC (Ultra-Reliable and Low Latency Communications) Ultra-high reliability, low latency application scenario, targeting unmanned driving, industrial automation and other fields. The impact of 5G on life and industry is far greater than that of 4G. 2018 is the first year of 5G: On February 9, 2018, the PyeongChang Winter Olympics in South Korea took the lead in providing 5G application services. Users can experience the speed of 5G in person at the PyeongChang Winter Olympics. This is the first 5G application in the world; Qualcomm Snapdragon X50, MediaTek Helio M70, Huawei Balong 5000 and Intel XMM 5G baseband chips such as 8160 were also launched in 2018. Qualcomm 855, launched in December 2018, has an X24 LTE modem integrated inside, and the downlink speed is increased to 2GMbps, which is higher than the 1.2G of the previous Snapdragon 845, but it does not have an internal 5G baseband and requires an external X50. In the 2019 CCTV Spring Festival Gala, in addition to the application of augmented reality technology, 5G network live broadcast was also used to provide video transmission services with a resolution of up to 4K. On February 24, 2019, Huawei launched the Mate X, a folding 5G mobile phone, which "crushed" Apple and Samsung with its folding appearance, witnessing Huawei's strong strength. More 5G products are expected to be launched in 2019, but real commercial use will have to wait until at least 2020. The smoke of 5G is beginning to spread...

Figure: Three major application scenarios of 5G

Baseband battle The baseband chip intuitively provides the most basic services for mobile communications, including making and receiving calls, sending and receiving text messages, and surfing the Internet with data. Specifically, the antenna receives the wireless signal, completes the demodulation and modulation of the wireless signal, as well as channel coding and source coding and some signaling processing. It is a combination of software and hardware. The signal strength is determined by the antenna, but the baseband algorithm is the real first communication, and the quality of the algorithm directly affects the Internet speed. The smart part of a smartphone is realized by the operating system (such as Android, IOS), processor and memory, while the mobile part is fully responsible for the baseband. Once the baseband of a smartphone has problems, it will be a fatal user experience. 5G must be supported by mature baseband chips. The appearance, performance and user experience of smartphones are the main criteria for consumers to choose mobile phones. Call quality,The speed of mobile Internet access is not as popular as whether it supports dual SIM cards and dual standby. When using data to access the Internet, occasional freezes are generally acceptable. After all, it is traffic and will not affect the user's overall evaluation of the phone. However, if there is a problem, such as the "no service" problem of iPhone 7, it is because the baseband chip is not powerful enough. If there is a problem with the baseband of a smartphone, it will become unavailable for making or receiving calls. I am afraid that no matter how smart it is, it is hard to accept. There are only a handful of companies that can produce baseband chips, such as Qualcomm, Samsung, Huawei and MediaTek, most of which started out as communications companies. Qualcomm has a market share of 53%, MediaTek 16%, Samsung 12%, Huawei and Intel each 7%. Qualcomm, MediaTek, Huawei and Samsung directly integrate their basebands into their own SoCs, that is, whichever SoC they choose will naturally use the baseband of that company. Of course, there are exceptions. Apple needs to use Qualcomm or Intel's baseband chips. Apple has the "smoothest" IOS and the "fastest" A-series processors, but they use external baseband chips from Qualcomm or Intel. Qualcomm's patent fees have always been a headache for Apple, but Intel's baseband chips are too weak. According to foreign media reports, Apple has transferred the modulation chip engineering business from the supply chain department to the internal hardware technology department, which shows that Apple intends to develop its own baseband. In multiple application scenarios in the 5G era, baseband chips will play a vital role. If Apple does not want to be controlled by others, it will naturally increase its investment in baseband technology. Compared with Samsung and Huawei, which have many communication patents, Apple's disadvantage in the 5G competition is self-evident. How Apple will find another way in the 5G competition remains to be seen.

Figure: The status of baseband in smart phones

Patent dispute Qualcomm, the patent overlord in the field of communications. Qualcomm owns the core patent of CDMA (Code Division Multiple Access). In the 2G era, Jacobs, the founder of Qualcomm, began to promote its CDMA technology and gradually built a patent empire for CDMA. In the 2G era, people paid more attention to TDMA (Time Division Multiple Access) technology. GSM, a great success, was based on TDMA. Qualcomm's unremitting efforts (it even produced mobile phones to promote CDMA) made CDMA able to compete with TDMA, but the right to speak was still in the hands of GSM. In the 3G era, various CDMAs, such as WCDMA, TD-SCDMA and CDMA200, are all closely related to CDMA. CDMA is Qualcomm's old business for many years. It holds "countless" core patents. What is a core patent? It is a technology that you cannot avoid no matter what. Qualcomm made a lot of money. Qualcomm was labeled a patent troll. Its charging standard is too arrogant. Qualcomm charges 5% of the sales price of patented products. It is neither a proportion of the sales price of chips using its patented technology nor a certain proportion of profits, but directly a certain proportion of the sales price. In other words, if mobile phone manufacturers use Qualcomm's patented technology, they must pay taxes when leaving the factory, and it is 5% of the factory price, regardless of whether they can sell it. The entanglement between Apple and Qualcomm is also due to high patent fees. In the 3G era, Qualcomm made everyone feel helpless. After all, it is the standard setter and the owner of core patents. Technology and innovation are fully converted into commercial value in Qualcomm. In the 4G era, everyone finally had a chance to escape the clutches of CDMA. Companies that mainly used GSM technology established 3GPP, while manufacturers that mainly used CDMA technology, led by Qualcomm, established 3GPP2. Their ambitions can be seen from the name. In the 3G era, everyone had suffered enough from CDMA and turned to 3GPP's LTD (Long Term Evolution). Qualcomm had no choice but to give up 3GPP2, and CDMA followed 3G from then on. But it seems that it still cannot get rid of Qualcomm's manipulation. In the 4G era, Qualcomm's Snapdragon processor has become the mobile phone chip with the highest market share. Even though it has lost its monopoly in the 3G era, its technological accumulation still exists, and it has a large number of patents in various fields. Snapdragon chips plus Android system are very similar to Intel and Microsoft in the computer era. Putting aside the behavior of patent trolls, Qualcomm is still a great high-tech company. Qualcomm alone has a large share of 5G patents, but the era of a single dominant company is gone forever. my country's Huawei and ZTE have also participated in the formulation of 5G standards. In the final analysis, the competition for 5G is a fight for the right to formulate standards and the share of patents. For example, Qualcomm in the 3G era mastered the core patents of CDMA, and other companies had no say at all and could only accept its charging conditions. The situation of 5G is different. Its wide application involves three major application scenarios including life, transportation and industry, and requires the collective efforts of major manufacturers. At present, the 5G standards have not been fully frozen, and many mobile phone manufacturers have begun to launch their own 5G products, which are more of a gimmick. In the 4G era, Qualcomm and Huawei were the main participants in the formulation of mobile communication standards, and they were also suppliers of many communication chips. Their own processors were directly integrated with basebands. Compared with external basebands, their own processors integrated with their own basebands can reduce costs while also improving reliability. The external baseband chip is a compromise of suppliers. The external chip caters to consumers and is also conducive to cost control. When 5G is truly applied, these baseband chips may be integrated into SoCs. Major manufacturers are eager to launch their own baseband chips or 5G mobile phones in order to get a share of the pie when 5G comes. On the other hand, it can also be seen that major manufacturers attach great importance to 5G. The baseband chips and 5G mobile phones that are tested may become the stepping stone to open the door to 5G in the future. The 5G competition is a contest of technology and innovation. At the recent World Mobile Communications Conference, which opened on February 25, a variety of products that exceeded expectations emerged, such as 5G mobile phones, self-driving cars, folding screens, etc., as if they had come to the future. Those companies with technology and patent accumulation will seize the initiative in the 5G wave. Technology accumulation is increasingly becoming the source of power for the development of enterprises. 5G will be a tough battle. Any business operation and marketing strategy will be vulnerable under the strong technology accumulation and patent wall. At present, 5G standards have not been completely frozen, and many mobile phone manufacturers have begun to launch their own 5G products, which are more of a gimmick. In the 4G era, Qualcomm and Huawei were the main participants in the formulation of mobile communication standards, and they were also suppliers of many communication chips. Their own processors were directly integrated with basebands. Compared with external basebands, their own processors integrated with their own basebands can reduce costs and improve reliability. The external baseband is the current compromise of suppliers. External chips cater to consumers and are also conducive to their own cost control. When 5G is truly applied, these baseband chips may be hidden and integrated into SoCs. Major manufacturers are eager to launch their own baseband chips or 5G mobile phones in order to get a share of the pie when 5G comes. On the other hand, it can also be seen that major manufacturers attach great importance to 5G. The baseband chips and 5G mobile phones that are tested may become a stepping stone to open the door to 5G in the future. The 5G battle is a contest of technology and innovation. At the recent Mobile World Congress, which opened on February 25, many products that exceeded expectations emerged, such as 5G mobile phones, self-driving cars, folding screens, etc., as if they had come to the future. Those companies with accumulated technology and patents will seize the initiative in the 5G wave. Technology accumulation is increasingly becoming the driving force for the development of enterprises. 5G will be a tough battle. Any business operation and marketing strategy will be vulnerable under the strong technology accumulation and patent wall. At present, 5G standards have not been completely frozen, and many mobile phone manufacturers have begun to launch their own 5G products, which are more of a gimmick. In the 4G era, Qualcomm and Huawei were the main participants in the formulation of mobile communication standards, and they were also suppliers of many communication chips. Their own processors were directly integrated with basebands. Compared with external basebands, their own processors integrated with their own basebands can reduce costs and improve reliability. The external baseband is the current compromise of suppliers. External chips cater to consumers and are also conducive to their own cost control. When 5G is truly applied, these baseband chips may be hidden and integrated into SoCs. Major manufacturers are eager to launch their own baseband chips or 5G mobile phones in order to get a share of the pie when 5G comes. On the other hand, it can also be seen that major manufacturers attach great importance to 5G. The baseband chips and 5G mobile phones that are tested may become a stepping stone to open the door to 5G in the future. The 5G battle is a contest of technology and innovation. At the recent Mobile World Congress, which opened on February 25, many products that exceeded expectations emerged, such as 5G mobile phones, self-driving cars, folding screens, etc., as if they had come to the future. Those companies with accumulated technology and patents will seize the initiative in the 5G wave. Technology accumulation is increasingly becoming the driving force for the development of enterprises. 5G will be a tough battle. Any business operation and marketing strategy will be vulnerable under the strong technology accumulation and patent wall.

btty038

Patent dispute: lol Huawei is doing this     

零三苏九岳志

The battle for traffic!