Qualcomm CMO confident of 5G revolution

INTERVIEW: Qualcomm CMO Penny Baldwin predicted 5G would transform retail, education, healthcare, manufacturing and a number of other industries, noting Covid-19 (coronavirus) had accelerated demand for the technology.

Baldwin told Mobile World Live (MWL) the pandemic had resulted in lasting societal changes which will drive demand for 5G networks and devices. She said telemedicine and remote education are here to stay, and recent growth in mobile gaming shows no signs of abating.

There are now 2.7 billion gamers worldwide, Baldwin said, 1 billion of which use mobile devices exclusively.

Baldwin was speaking to MWL as part of our MWC Preview Themed Week, and also shed light on what President and incoming CEO Cristiano Amon will focus on as part of his keynote presentation at the event.

In the interview Baldwin also discussed the changes private 5G networks will offer in the manufacturing sector, noting mobile technology will deliver new capabilities, including the option to reconfigure factory floors daily.

The CMO noted Qualcomm president Cristiano Amon had positioned the company to capitalise on the shifting consumer and business landscape, expanding beyond its core customer base.

As a result, Qualcomm is today active in the automotive industry, along with several IoT verticals, Baldwin said.