ZTE's Gigabit Phone is a sneak peek at technology that doesn't yet exist

5G is coming, someday, and ZTE wants everyone to know it's ready and waiting.

Ever wonder what life will be like when we have 5G connectictivity roaming around us? Well, we're not quite there yet, but to get you in the spirit, ZTE is showing off the first 5G-compatible smartphone on the MWC 2017 show floor.

When 5G is ready, it will include a hundredfold speed increase that will make all sorts of futuristic technologies more plausible.

The Gigabit Phone, as its called, is an attractive smartphone on display at the ZTE booth. But although it exists in physical form, it's not exactly what you'd call a finished product. ZTE's Vice President of Strategic Marketing for Mobile Devices, Andrew Elliot, said in an earlier phone call that the device on display at the Fira Gran Via is a mere prototype for carriers. "It will be commercialized, but probably not in the form-factor you see it in," he added.

The Gigabit Phone is packed with future-facing specifications, including a 10nm Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 processor and X16 modem. ZTE claims that this hardware enables its Gigabit Phone to be "three times as powerful at improving data processing capability," which is important for handling 5G throughput.

Although the Gigabit Phone is not connected to any specific any network — ZTE doesn't have a European partner to show it off in Barcelona — the company hopes its existence will inspire carriers at the potential of 5G to fuel a bevy of mobile experiences, like virtual reality. "We wanted to provide a prototype for how carriers can do that," said Elliot.

When 5G is ready, it will include a hundredfold speed increase that will make all sorts of futuristic technologies more plausible. Imagine 5G-powered drones delivering packages at your door, for example, or 5G-connected cars driving in real time. Until that reality comes to fruition, however, 5G is still just a concept that companies are rallying around to figure out how to leverage, and thus sell more things.

We'll have a sneak peek at ZTE's first 5G-capable smartphone from the MWC 2017 show floor. Stay tuned!

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