Sale Of 5G Phones Overtake 4G Phones Globally: 51% Of All Sales Is 5G!

Counterpoint Research says that global sales of 5G smartphones exceeded that of 4G phones, accounting for 51% in January 2022.

Populations Using 5G The Most

Majority of the sales were driven by China, North America, and Western Europe.

In North America and Western Europe, 5G smartphone penetration was 73% and 76%, respectively.

China was at the top in terms of 5G penetration at 84%.

This can be attributed to Chinese telecom carriers pushing for 5G, combined with OEMs’ readiness to supply competitively priced 5G devices.

5G iPhones

Thanks to the launch of the 5G iPhone 12 series in October 2020, Apple enjoyed a sales share of more than 50% in North America and 30% in Western Europe.

This demand is driven by iPhone users who have been demanding a 5G upgrade and also those who are ready to switch to a new iPhone after holding on to their older iPhones for a long time.

North America and Western Europe saw a natural increase in the sales penetration of 5G smartphones after Apple shifted to 5G in October 2020 with the iPhone 12 Series.

These regions will continue to contribute substantially to 5G sales globally.

Android 5G

Android 5G smartphones have also been popular due to the affordable CPUs from Qualcomm and MediaTek.

In particular, Android 5G smartphones have penetrated the mid-to-high pricing bracket of $250-$400 (Rs 18,900 to Rs 30,500).

5G Android handsets are now available for $150-$250 (Rs 11,300 to Rs 19,000), accounting for one-fifth of all 5G sales in January.

Regions In Focus

OEMs are now targeting the Asia-Pacific, the Middle East, and Latin America to increase 5G penetration.

These regions are presently dominated by 4G and can make the switch to 5G models in the sub-$150 pricing range which is their sweet spot.

5G handsets could soon become even more affordable once the low-end 5G system-on-chip drops below $20 (Rs 1,500).