5G is becoming more than a buzzword as we look to 2019, with the first 5G smartphone was unveiled at a conference December 4, 2018 in Hawaii. There's one problem: you won't be able to buy this device today – or ever.

It's a Qualcomm reference handset, meaning it's simply here to provide a roadmap for companies to use Qualcomm's technology in their own devices down the line. The good news is that we'll see the first 5G capable phones in early 2019, according to Qualcomm at its Snapdragon Summit.

Samsung and OnePlus, among others, are expected to launch 5G phones, with carriers like AT&T, Verizon, EE and others around the world supporting the faster technology.

What does 5G mean for you?

The rollout of 5G has been a long and tech-language-laden process that's anything but user friendly. Over the last three years, it's almost as if phone companies have been playing a game of 'How many buzzwords can I stuff in our 5G presentation?' 

If you made a drinking game out of their use of fluffy buzzwords, you'd be drunk.

That's going to start changing when 'multi-gigabit connectivity' and 'millimeter wave spectrum' start meaning something to general consumers. They'll translate to faster speeds, consistent connectivity, longer signal range, and having that all important 5G logo at the top of your phone notification tray.

"2019 will be the 5G launch year," according to Qualcomm President Cristiano Amon, who mentioned that AT&T and Verizon are currently outfitting Maui in 5G for the Snapdragon Summit ahead of a wider commercial rollout in early 2019.