Growth in value and mid-tier devices is set to fuel a surge in 5G smartphones this year, according to new research from Omdia.
The share of the smartphone market held by 5G phones is forecast to increase from 19 per cent in 2020 to 43 per cent in 2021 – more than doubling over the course of a year, per Omdia’s newly launched Smartphone Feature Forecast Database.
The research found that only 19 per cent of 5G phones will support both mmWave and the lower-speed Sub6 bands, with 81 per cent being Sub6-only.
“However, as China commercialises mmWave service next year, and as major Asian countries start deploying mmWave service, the proportion of 5G smartphones that support mmWave is expected to increase to 32% of the total 5G smartphone shipments next year and continue to grow,” Omdia says.
The lion’s share of the smartphone market is held by low-end models with prices between $91-$150 USD, says Omdia, though premium smartphones above $751 USD are tipped to exceed 200 million units for the first time in 2021.
