Recently Samsung has developed a new mobile data transfer technology that has the potential of several hundred times faster that current 4G networks. To put it more precisely, for cellular communications, this 5G can become the world's first adaptive array transceiver technology operating in the millimeter-Wave.

Speculation about 5G abounds, with an intriguing claim of transmitting data in the millimeter wave band to a distance of two kilometers. The news agency report did not tell much, but subsequent information from Samsung shed some light.  Samsung used a frequency of 28 GHZ.  This frequency is close to the lower band of the highest radio frequency band known as extremely high frequency which goes from 30 to 300 GHZ.  

Samsung used an adaptive array transceiver using 64 antenna elements to obtain a speed of up to 1.056 Gbps to transmit the signal up to two kilometers.  Samsung claims that its transceiver technology overcomes large atmospheric attenuation.  There are not many other details and still cannot figure it out exactly how Samsung did it.  In any case, the important point is not the inability to figure out how Samsung did it but the fact that Samsung is confident enough to make this claim.

More astounding is Samsung's claim that 5G will offer transmission speeds of tens of Gbps, contrast this with a test that achieved a speed of only 1.056 Gbps.  To say the least skeptical even though the media is eating from Samsung's hands without questioning the details.

From an investment perspective, this development highlights the very long-term risks to Apple.  While Samsung is busy inventing breakthrough technology that may someday allow data transmissions at 100 times the speed of 4G, what basic technology breakthrough has Apple announced lately?  It is true that Apple will be able to license a 5G technology that comes to fruition in the commercial space. 

Samsung is not the only one working on 5G.  But it is important to note that Samsung has already successfully countered Apple in the global patent war with some of its patents on transmission technologies.

The farther ahead Samsung gets in terms of important patents on new data transmission technologies that may someday become the core of 5G; the more troubling it will be for Apple.