What do 5G and Edge Computing Mean for an Individual?

Our world today is a great place for all of us who love technology or its effects. We are surrounded by new and upcoming technologies, each of which brings us a little bit closer to the “future”. We get to read about new applications of Artificial Intelligence, the new developments with Autonomous Vehicles, and wonderful things being done with Augmented Reality. Then there are technologies closer to home like IoT and Content Delivery Networks (Read Netflix, Amazon Prime, Hotstar, etc.), which make our lives easier day and day out. Then there are next-gen technologies in between like 5G and edge computing, which will affect all of these disruptions and more.

Today, allow me to tell you more about how 5G and Edge Computing will impact our individual lives!

There is a reason technology lovers, companies, and consumers are all so excited about the adoption of 5G networks around the world. There is a reason the talks of 5G just keep gaining momentum. That reason is speed. 5G is expected to be lightning-fast and change the download and transfer dynamic significantly. Consider this for reference – currently, 4G with the fastest mobile technology peaks at 300 MB per second. With 5G this speed will be able to reach 10 GB per second under ideal conditions.

So, we know 5G is fast, what will that mean for an individual? All this hype is because our search results will load faster and we will be able to stream 4K videos live?

Although, speeding up our current technological experiences sounds pretty amazing, the speed offered by 5G is much more than just that. This speed will allow mainstreaming of various technologies that have been only a part of sci-fi movies up until now, like self-driving cars, applications of artificial intelligence, etc. Apart from streaming 4K videos, 5G’s speed will also allow our IoT devices like appliances, alarms, televisions, and printers to become intelligent and interactive to make our homes intelligent.

Edge computing is instrumental in facilitating the speed offered by 5G as well as in managing the increasing amount of data being produced with the widespread use of IoT devices. 5G will derive its powers from edge computing, storing and processing data near the users will bolster the speeds provided by 5G. Edge computing will also allow the potential to make our data safe. Created and backed by powerful devices it is only logical that our sensitive data is stored at the edge. 5G along with edge computing keeps data on a trusted server in the user’s proximity and utilizes secure connections offering a certain data liberation for the user of today.

iPhone’s security and privacy features are a brilliant example of edge computing, as apple hosts sensitive biometrics or encryption on user’s devices rather than the cloud, securing sensitive data. Data is the most vulnerable to hacks when being transmitted, so the closer the data is to the user, the more secure it becomes. So, the rise of the edge, with 5G as the catalyst will mean much better privacy for the user.

The move to edge computing was created by IoT and is upheld by 5G along with multiple technological changes that are increasingly becoming an integral part of our lives like, Smart Cities, Artificial Intelligence, Content Delivery Networks, etc.

For an average user, 5G and edge computing will provide better speeds, better data security, and enable brilliant new technologies. The speed will not just allow all technological experience to take a leap, but will also bring in revolutionary new technology accessible. As we are at the doorway to a life surrounded by brilliant technology, these technologies surely look very exciting and promising.