Qualcomm introduces first LTE chips to take advantage of unlicensed 5GHz spectrum

The new technology, called LTE-Unlicensed (LTE-U), works by taking advantage of unlicensed spectrum on the 5GHz band instead of licensed and controlled spectrum — typically in lower frequencies — traditionally used by phones. One of the main concerns some may have with this technology is how it will affect current Wi-Fi networks that run on the 5GHz band. Qualcomm says:

In order for LTE-U to provide maximum benefit, it must operate harmoniously alongside billions of existing Wi-Fi devices. Qualcomm Technologies is working to integrate LTE and Wi-Fi at the system level, and employs a robust set of protection features to promote the best possible co-existence between LTE-U and Wi-Fi networks. These innovations are designed to ensure users can connect to the Internet however they prefer, while operators can make unified use of all available spectrum to increase capacity. This is designed to result in easier and cost-effective network deployment and operations for carriers and a seamless experience for their consumers.

The company also says that its LTE-U solutions, which include a new RF transciever and small cell SoC will allow users to take advantage of better performance than either LTE or Wi-Fi by themselves.

The company plans to show the technology off at Mobile World Congress next week, where it will hold demonstrations using its user test equipment. As far as availability, the company says that it expects LTE-U integrated SoCs to be available in the second half of 2015 — the question then will be how long before phone makers and carriers want to integrate it into their own plans.

Source: Qualcomm

Qualcomm teases a mystery phone for CES, perhaps the LG G Flex 2?

CES 2015 is coming up fast, and Qualcomm wants you to know that you'll be seeing new hardware with a Snapdragon 800-series processor inside. The close-up graphically-transparent (probably not actually like that in real life) phone in question has hints of an LG design, down to the metal-but-not-actually-metal finish back panel set around the signature back-mounted power and volume buttons. It's not any LG phone we've seen so far, and for all we know if might just be a generic render that just so happens to have design features in common with what we'd expect from LG... so what might this be?

If we were to go out on a limb, we might say this is the LG G Flex 2, a follow-up to the amazing bendy LG G Flex. LG originally pointed to 2014 for a release for the G Flex 2, but they're very quickly running out of time to unveil it. Might as well wait for CES, the biggest technology media extravaganza of the year, no?

And if we want to get really speculative, those buttons do have a squared-off look to them that's shared with the original G Flex, while bringing some of the design language of the LG G3 to the flex phone party.

Either way, we'll find out soon enough.