New 3GPP UE Antenna and Near-field Blocking Models for Handheld Devices

As we transition from 5G to 6G, the user equipment (UE) antenna model defined in 3GPP Rel-19 already anticipates the arrival of 6G by updating the older model from Rel-15. The Rel-19 model addresses the need for more accurate behavior in link- and system-level simulations for a closer alignment with real-life results and behavior. In this paper, we examine the new UE antenna model and its success at addressing these shortcomings.