According to a new report, sales of 5G-enabled smartphones have surpassed sales of 4G smartphones for the first time. In fact, this change is largely due to the iPhone.
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About four years after Verizon and T-Mobile began launching 5G networks in the US, global monthly sales of new smartphones with this capability were higher than monthly sales of 4G smartphones.
According to Counterpoint Research, 51% of new smartphones sold in January supported 5G. In fact, in China, North America, and Western Europe, sales of these phones represented a much larger share than what was seen globally.
In China, 5G phone sales accounted for 84% of all 4G or 5G phone sales in January. 5G phone sales in North America and Western Europe reached 73% and 76%, respectively.
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The Counterpoint Research report showed that Apple's iPhones were the best-selling 5G smartphones. It's worth noting that Apple's first 5G device was the iPhone 12 from 2020.
As Bloomberg reports, the iPhone accounted for 37% of 5G smartphones sold worldwide in January . Samsung released its first 5G phone, the Galaxy S10, in 2019, but it only accounted for 12% of 5G device sales in January. That's partly because Samsung 's phones aren't as popular in China.
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Vivo and Xiaomi accounted for 11 % of sales each, while Oppo accounted for 10%. These three are popular brands in China.
Smartphones with 5G support are starting to become the norm in the US and Western Europe, so many believe that cheaper phones that support it will gradually start to hit the market.
Apple has already announced the iPhone SE 2022 (available today in the US), at a very affordable price (starting at $429). Counterpoint Research estimates that demand for the new iPhone SE will be strong in Europe, Southeast Asia, and Korea as the new network coverage in these regions expands.
Source: ZDNet
