
Motorola’s snap-on accessory adds 5G (and a retro antenna) to the Moto Z3
Leaks suggest Lenovo’s Motorola may launch a 5G Moto Mod together with flagship Z3 this week
Remember Moto Mods? Motorola’s accessory series allowed people to snap everything from bigger speakers to battery packs was one of those neat ideas that didn’t quite catch on.
Reports suggest it’s back… and might come with a killer feature: Support for 5G networks.


So… why do we need that extra, retro-looking antenna? Well, here’s the thing: 5G is dramatically faster than 4G because it relies on so-called mmWave, which has a higher frequency than radio waves, providing more bandwidth.
But mmWave comes with some downsides too. It doesn’t travel as far. It can also be blocked by walls -- or even just your finger covering the antenna.
To overcome that, one solution is to have the antenna protrude outside the phone body -- just like an old school cell phone from the 1990s.
Huawei gets its first EU nod for 5G product
In the end though, a 5G smartphone won’t be able to deliver ultra-quick speed without a 5G network. That means carriers will have to build lots of new 5G towers across each city -- enough to compensate for mmWave’s short range and weak penetration.
Why 5G isn't just faster video streaming on your smartphone
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For more insights into China tech, sign up for our tech newsletters, subscribe to our Inside China Tech podcast, and download the comprehensive 2019 China Internet Report. Also roam China Tech City, an award-winning interactive digital map at our sister site Abacus.
