Canalys: Global 5G smartphone shipments are expected to reach 278 million units this year

According to foreign media reports, market research firm Canalys predicted in its latest forecast report that global 5G smartphone shipments will reach 278 million units in 2020, of which 62% (about 172 million units) will come from Greater China, followed by North America (42 million units) and Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA, 31 million units).

Canalys also predicts that smartphone shipments will drop 10.7% in 2020 compared to 2019, but are expected to rebound in 2021, with a year-on-year increase of 9.9%, when the entire market will exceed 1.3 billion units.

The agency believes that the rapid commercialization of 5G smartphones in the Chinese mainland market is a key factor in the huge shipments of 5G smartphones this year.

In 2021, the average selling price of a 5G smartphone in Europe is expected to fall to $765 before steadily decreasing to $477 in 2024, largely because Samsung and Apple remain the main players in this market and their products are more expensive than their competitors.

At the beginning of 2020, there were no 5G phones on the market priced under $300, but now there are many mid-range phones priced under $250 that support 5G networks.

On September 1 this year, Realme launched the Realme V3 5G, which is priced at less than $150 in China. It is the cheapest smartphone that supports 5G networks and the first to hit the low-end smartphone market.