Technology: Is 4G already old hat? Samsung announces breakthrough in 5G mobile phone network

Samsung has developed 'ultra-high speed' fifth-generation technology that could allow users to download an entire film in a second, the electronics giant has said.

The South Korean firm has successfully tested new equipment which it hopes will transmit data several hundred times faster than existing 4G networks.

It claims subscribers could use the technology to download high-quality digital films 'practically without limitation' and watch 3D movies or stream high-definition programmes in real-time.

Samsung's Galaxy S4 smartphone: The Korean giant has developed 'ultra-high speed' fifth-generation technology that could allow users to download an entire film in a second

Samsung believes its new transceiver is the world’s first device capable of providing 'ubiquitous' 5G broadband - and hopes to bring the service to customers by 2020.

Taiwanese HTC at the risk of being taken over

Taiwanese smartphone maker HTC may become an acquisition target after making an operating profit of just NT$43m (£0.9m) in the quarter to March on revenues down 37% year on year to NT$42.8bn (£950m) as manufacturing problems hit its hopes of a comeback.

A shortage of cameras for its new flagship HTC One phone meant that by the end of the quarter it launched in only three countries, rather than the 80 it had aimed for – and also means that during the current quarter it will be struggling for attention with Samsung's new Galaxy S4, due to go on sale in the next few weeks.

Some analysts think the company could become an acquisition target as its cashflow suffers and the market polarises towards expensive phones from Apple and Samsung, and cheaper Chinese ones.The quarterly figures fell short of HTC's own modest forecasts made in February, when it said it expected revenues of between NT$50bn and NT$60bn. Those would have been substantially down on the year-ago figures.