Acronyms are used by people everyday, but do we actually know that the letters stand for?
From ASAP and YOLO to FYI and DIY, there are so many acronyms that people use.
In the tech word in particular there are literally hundreds of abbreviations because, you know, some of the terms are so long and it would be a pretty lengthy email you’d be sending if you’re talking about a Data and System Access Automation Program, Certified Professional in Accessibility Core Competencies and Technology-enhanced Learning and Online Strategies.
A much, much shorter acronym that’s used in the tech space is 5G.
If you’re a loyal iPhone user, then this offering has been living in the top right-hand toolbar for years, but you may not know what it means.
A quick search across social media will show you that you’re not the only one unfamiliar with this acronym.
However, in a nutshell, 5G stands for fifth-generation wireless with the same principle being applied to 4G (fourth-generation) and 3G (third-generation).
Essentially, it indicates the generation of cellular connection you’re using; 5G being the latest.
So while the ‘G’ doesn’t exactly stand for a phrase or a complex word in this case, it is still classed as an acronym.
According to Ofcom, 5G is much faster and offers greater capacity than previous generations of wireless technology.
The ‘G’ in 5G stands for ‘generation’ (Getty Stock Image)
It’s said the consumer experience is also improved from earlier versions allowing for more connected devices.
Moreover, fifth-generation wireless is used in smart manufacturing, drone delivery and even just to upload your Apple Watch workouts to Strava.
If you look at your smartphone and see a little ‘5G sign’ in the corner then you know you’re using the latest network with the highest potential speeds and capacities.
Last year, 5G was utilised by doctors at the Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center at Sun Yat-sen University who performed the first remote eye laser surgery.
It’s reported that a team of medical practitioners and scientists constructed the 5G robot that operated on 12 rabbits in the center in Guangzhou, the capital of Guangdong province.
Following the successful trial, the researchers said the milestone would help address the imbalance in the development of ophthalmology and the distribution of world-class medical resources nationwide.