2020 is set to be the year of 5G phones – and Xiaomi is promising no less than 10 next-gen devices

Xiaomi Mi 9 Pro
(Image credit: Xiaomi)

Get ready for a lot more 5G next year: the infrastructure will be expanding, new phones and other devices will be appearing... and Xiaomi is promising to launch more than 10 5G-ready phones in 2020.

According to Reuters, Xiaomi Corp CEO Lei Jun made the announcement at the World Internet Conference event being held in China.

The decision was made after the Xiaomi Mi 9 Pro hit the Chinese market – the first of Xiaomi's 5G phones to do so. Lei says demand for the handset has exceeded expectations, and so Xiaomi will be covering all price points with 5G phones next year.

"People in the industry fear that next year 4G models won't sell, this is a step you have no choice but to take," Lei said. "So we hope that operators can speed up their expansion of 5G base stations."

5G for everyone

Xiaomi was one of the first to bring out a 5G-ready phone, with the very capable (and relatively affordable) Xiaomi Mi Mix 3 5G. Now it clearly sees 5G as the future.

Samsung has pushed out several 5G phones during 2019: 5G versions of the Samsung Galaxy S10, the Samsung Galaxy Note 10, and the Samsung Galaxy Fold, plus the Samsung Galaxy A90 5G.

Other phone makers haven't been quite so keen. The Pixel 4 from Google recently arrived with no 5G version in sight, while Apple isn't expected to add 5G to its iPhones until September next year.

The number of 5G handsets was always going to go up next year, with or without Xiaomi's help – but the Chinese tech giant apparently wants to be leading the way.

Via Android Central

David Nield
Freelance Contributor

Dave is a freelance tech journalist who has been writing about gadgets, apps and the web for more than two decades. Based out of Stockport, England, on TechRadar you'll find him covering news, features and reviews, particularly for phones, tablets and wearables. Working to ensure our breaking news coverage is the best in the business over weekends, David also has bylines at Gizmodo, T3, PopSci and a few other places besides, as well as being many years editing the likes of PC Explorer and The Hardware Handbook.

Latest in Xiaomi Phones
Poco F6 Pro in white from the back showing its Camera array and branding
For a mid-range handset, the Poco F6 Pro is premium in more ways than one, but I found it hard to ignore some of its key pitfalls
Xiaomi 14 Ultra
If this Xiaomi 15 Ultra camera rumor is true, it could rival the Galaxy S25 Ultra
The Redmi Note 14 Pro Plus against a houseplant
Xiaomi tipped to set impressive new phone battery benchmark in 2025 – and I hope Apple and Samsung are taking notes
The Xiaomi Poco X7 Pro on a window sill.
Xiaomi Poco X7 Pro review: one of the best-value cheap phones you can buy right now
Xiaomi Mix Flip review open and closed
Xiaomi Mix Flip review: great to use, hard to find
Xiaomi 14 Ultra
The world’s best camera phone is tipped to get even more powerful, thanks to this new 200MP zoom lens
Latest in News
Google Pixel 8a in aloe green showing
Google Pixel 9a benchmark link teases the performance of the upcoming mid-ranger
Quordle on a smartphone held in a hand
Quordle hints and answers for Monday, March 17 (game #1148)
NYT Strands homescreen on a mobile phone screen, on a light blue background
NYT Strands hints and answers for Monday, March 17 (game #379)
NYT Connections homescreen on a phone, on a purple background
NYT Connections hints and answers for Monday, March 17 (game #645)
Apple iPhone 16 Pro HANDS ON
Leaked iPhone 17 dummy units may have given us our best look yet at all four models
A super close up image of the Google Gemini app in the Play Store
It's official: Google Assistant will be retired for phones this year, with Gemini taking over