I don’t think that was the point of the analogy.

s/more power-efficient/better/

> /better/

5G is better. When the vision is finally realized. In the meantime you get a brand new washing machine that costs double, only works when you're next to it, and the spin cycle must be done in the old one. And by the time it's actually better you have to buy a new one anyway.

5G was rushed in a way 3/4G weren't because smartphone sales are slowing down. This is not the usual "there are some hiccups at the beginning" type of thing. As it is today it's rushed and half-baked.

> costs double, only works when you're next to it, and the spin cycle must be done in the old one. And by the time it's actually better you have to buy a new one anyway.

You just described early GPS receivers.

Which says a lot. Having a first generation that comes with compromises and caveats is understandable and unavoidable. It still solves a problem where there's nothing else to even attempt it. In this light the current 5G deployment is indeed just a severely compromised one meant to oversell advantages that are nonexistent today and handwave the disadvantages. You'd have seen a more mature 5G deployment in a few years if the smartphone market didn't need a nudge.